Romania reinstates fuel crisis measures and extends 9% housing VAT as president signs two laws

Fuel market intervention

President Nicușor Dan signed into law a package of measures aimed at capping fuel price increases, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and extreme volatility on international oil markets. The law formally redeclares a state of crisis on Romania's crude oil and petroleum products market, effective through 31 October 2026. Diesel prices have already crossed 10.5 lei per litre in major cities, and the government moved to prevent cascading cost increases across supply chains.

The intervention includes a dynamic reduction of the diesel excise duty, calibrated against international crude quotations and the average pump price. It also imposes a cap on commercial mark-ups, introduces a solidarity contribution levied on large oil companies, and temporarily bans diesel exports without prior approval from the Ministry of Energy. The export restriction is designed to prioritise domestic consumption.

Tensiunile geopolitice din Orientul Mijlociu și instabilitatea extremă a pieței petroliere internaționale au generat scumpiri accelerate ale carburanților inclusiv în țara noastră. Intervenția rapidă a statului era necesară din nou pentru că această majorare de prețuri se reflectă în costuri crescute în lanț pentru cetățeni și operatori economici, cu efecte directe asupra puterii de cumpărare, competitivității economice și asupra stabilității unor sectoare critice naționale.

The crisis framework can be extended beyond 31 October by government decision, in successive periods of up to three months, on a joint proposal from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy. This mechanism allows even a caretaker or dissolved government, which cannot issue emergency ordinances, to prolong the measures if major supply disruptions, armed conflicts, international sanctions, or other exceptional events threaten the petroleum market.

Housing VAT extension

A second law promulgated the same day extends the window for purchasing a home with the reduced VAT rate of 9%, rather than the standard 21%, until 30 September 2026. The measure targets buyers whose transactions were stalled by a cyberattack on the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI). The attack disabled critical applications, including the e-Terra system, blocking notaries, banks, developers, and real estate agencies from accessing the land-registry documents needed to close sales.

Cea de-a doua lege pe care am promulgat-o astăzi prelungește până la 30 septembrie termenul de achiziție a locuințelor cu TVA redus, de 9% și elimină costurile suplimentare pentru cumpărătorii afectați de situația atacului cibernetic de la Agenția Națională de Cadastru și Publicitate Imobiliară.

Individuals who signed pre-contracts for a home purchase by 31 July 2025 can complete the legal process without facing the higher VAT rate, provided the transaction closes by the end of September. The law sets several eligibility conditions: the buyer must be a natural person acquiring a single dwelling, the usable floor area cannot exceed 120 square metres (excluding ancillary outbuildings), and the property value must not surpass 600,000 lei, excluding VAT and including the land. The dwelling must be habitable at the time of delivery, and the buyer must not have purchased another home with the reduced VAT rate since 1 January 2023, as recorded in the national register of reduced-VAT home purchases.

Political context

President Dan framed the two laws as a signal of stability during a politically complicated period. He noted that both measures secured the necessary parliamentary votes despite ongoing political disputes.

Într-o perioadă complicată politic, este un semn de stabilitate și maturitate că măsuri echitabile și necesare pentru români obțin în Parlament voturile necesare. Dincolo de disputele politice, ceea ce contează sunt deciziile care aduc beneficii și protejează românii.