Survey: Full-Time Employees In Romania Worked An Average 2,099 Hours In 2013

The average yearly working time of full-time employees in Romania is the highest among EU countries (2,099 hours in 2013), while the working time of freelancers in Romania is the lowest among European countries (2,024 hours), according to a survey by French macroeconomics research institute Coe-Rexecode.

Romania and Greece, with 2,010 hours, are the only EU countries where the working time of full-time employees exceeded the threshold of 2,000 hours in 2013.

Romania and Greece are followed by Hungary, with an average yearly working time of 1,969 hours, while Bulgaria and Croatia each register average yearly working time of 1,954 hours.  (Adevarul)

Labor Inspection Applied Fines Worth RON2.6M Between 16 And 20 June

Romania’s Labor Inspection applied fines worth RON2.6 million between June 16 and June 20, following a series of checkups.

Checkups revealed 245 cases of illegal work and 628 employers were penalized. (Curierul National)

Romania: Illegal Tobacco Consumption Increases, KPMG Survey Shows

Cigarette smoking in Romania declined slightly in 2013 from a year earlier, but consumption of illicit tobacco continued to grow, costing the authorities more than EUR300 million in taxes, a KPMG survey showed.

Overall tobacco consumption declined 2% to 26.56 billion cigarettes last year. Sales of illegal tobacco rose 15% on the year to 2.9 billion cigarettes, but legal tobacco sales were down 4% to 24.49 billion cigarettes.

“If the 2.89 billion counterfeit and contraband cigarettes in 2013 had been legally purchased in Romania, the tax revenue gained would have been approximately EUR311million,” the report showed. (Puterea)

ANRE: Households To Pay 2.5% More For Natural Gas Due To Higher Imports

The natural gas bill will increase by 2.5% for households and by 1.5% for corporate consumers as of July 1, because of higher import volumes from Russia, according to the Romanian energy watchdog ANRE.

The increase is below the 3% level announced under Romania’s deregulation program agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the EU, ANRE’s president Niculae Havrilet said.

The electricity bill will also go up as of next month, as Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica were allowed to increase the tariffs charged for the electricity delivered on the regulated market. The new tariffs include the impact of a newly introduced tax on special constructions. (Evenimentul Zilei)

Ioan Rus Appointed Transport Minister

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Wednesday signed the decree appointing Ioan Rus as transport minister.

Basescu also signed the decree whereby he takes note of Dan Sova’s resignation from the position of transport minister.

The two decrees were published in the Official Journal. (Evenimentul Zilei)

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