In parallel, firms step up digitalization and AI use and adjusting supply chains to enhance they resilience, while most experience climate change-related losses and view the new environment regulations as a risk rather than an opportunity.
In line with the report, 78% of Romania companies have made investments in the past year, up from previous surveys, but still below the EU average of 86%. In the next three years, 44% of companies intend to boost their manufacturing capacities, almost double the European level, though they are more pessimistic about the economic, political and regulatory environment than their EU peers.
The use of multiple advanced digital technologies (48% of firms) has risen significantly in Romania and is now in line with the EU average. Around one third of firms (30%) make systematic use of generative AI tools to improve processes, slightly below the EU average (37%), but in some segments, such as the usage of AI tools for marketing and sales, exceed the EU average.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Romanian firms are involved in international trade (similar to the EU average of 66%), rising to 86% among manufacturers. Therefore, they are sensitive to ongoing geopolitical risks and trade tensions. As seen across the EU, the greatest perceived obstacle to trade remains compliance with new regulations, standards or certifications (54% of Romanian firms vs 59% of EU firms).
Romanian firms are more likely to say that they experience physical risk from climate change (76% compared to 68% across the EU) and also a higher share of them declare that have taken action to build resilience to the physical risk of climate change (65% vs 53% for the EU).
Only 13% of firms in Romania report that at least 50% of company owners are women, in line with EU average. However, the proportion of firms where women represent at least 40% of the company’s senior management has remained consistently high since EIBIS 2024 (40%) and significantly exceeds the EU average of 25%.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)