Preliminary assessment of the fourth payment request of Romania

Positive preliminary assessment of the satisfactory fulfilment of milestones and targets related to the fourth payment request submitted by Romania on 19 December 2025, transmitted to the Economic and Financial Committee by the European Commission Executive summary In accordance with Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, on 19 December 2025, Romania submitted a request for payment for the fourth instalment of the non-repayable support. The payment request was accompanied by the required management declaration and summary of audits. To support its payment request, Romania provided due justification of the satisfactory fulfilment of the 62 milestones and targets of the fourth instalment of the non-repayable support, as set out in Section 2.1.3 of the Council Implementing Decision of 29 December 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Romania.1 For six targets and one milestone covering a large number of beneficiaries, in addition to the summary documents and official listings provided by Romania, the Commission services have assessed a statistically significant sample of individual files. The sample size has been uniformly set at 60, with additional units for one specific case, which corresponds to a confidence level of 95% or above in all cases. In its payment request, Romania has confirmed that measures related to previously satisfactorily fulfilled milestones and targets have not been reversed. The Commission does not have evidence of the contrary. Upon receipt of the payment request, the Commission has assessed on a preliminary basis the satisfactory fulfilment of the relevant milestones and targets. Based on the information provided by Romania, the Commission has made a positive preliminary assessment of the satisfactory fulfilment of all 62 milestones and targets. The milestones and targets positively assessed as part of this payment request demonstrate significant steps in the implementation of Romania’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. They notably highlight the continuation of the reform momentum in key policy areas. This includes, among others, the reform of forest management, decarbonising the transport and energy sectors, the review of the tax framework and ensuring the independence of judiciary. The milestones and targets also confirm progress towards the completion of investment projects related to deploying the Government cloud, improving tax administration and public procurement processes, pre-hospital medical infrastructure and community services for persons with disabilities. By the transmission of this positive preliminary assessment and in accordance with Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the Commission asks for the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee on the satisfactory fulfilment of the relevant milestones and targets. 1 ST 12319/21; ST 12319/21 ADD; as amended by ST15833/23; ST 15833/23 ADD 1; ST 14452/25; ST 14452/25 ADD1, not yet published. 1 Contents Non-repayable support .......................................................................................................................... 6 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C2]-R[1]-M[24] Entry into force of the legislative acts amending and supplementing the existing legislation on forests ...................................................... 6 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C2]-I[5]-M[41] Approval of project design ................. 14 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C4]-R[R1.0]-M[59] Entry into force of the legal act(s) for the implementation of a new distance-based charging system for heavy duty vehicles (trucks) linked to air pollution, and higher ownership taxes for most polluting passengers vehicles (cars/buses/coaches) ........................................................................................................................ 32 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C4]-R[R1.0]-M[60] Entry into force of the legal act(s) to boost the use of clean vehicles and fleet renewal programmes ...................................................... 36 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C6]-R[1.0]-T[119] Decommissioning of coal/lignite- fired power production capacity ...................................................................................................... 46 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C6]-R[R2.0]-M[122] Listing of at least 15% shares of Hidroelectrica on the exchange ........................................................................................................ 49 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C6]-R[R3]-M[123] Establishment and use of a green budgetary planning methodology .................................................................................................... 52 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C7]-I[I1.0]-T[154] Public institutions connected through the government cloud ...................................................................................................................... 55 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C7]-I[I4.0]-M[163] Centralisation of applications ...... 59 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C7]-I[I6.0]-M[169] Functional REGES online system .. 63 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C7]-I[I7.0]-T[172] Entry into use of standard electronic forms in public procurement procedures ......................................................................................... 66 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C7]-I[I14.0]-T[182] Hubs that shall allow access to Internet Service Provider (ISP) services for public-interest institutions and entities ..................................... 70 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-R[R3.0] M[201] Spending review in health and education sectors conducted ............................................................................................................ 74 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-R[R3.0]-M[202] Adoption of a multi-annual strategy and calendar for a systematic expenditure review across all sectors ................................ 79 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-R[R4.0]- M[207] Legal act(s) to reduce and / or eliminate other tax incentives with the objective to simplify and make more efficient the tax system. Legislation to expand the green taxation. ........................................................................... 85 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]- R[R5.0]- M[209] Establishment of the National Development Bank............................................................................................................................ 91 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-R[R6.0]-M[214] Legal act(s) on the pension system .......................................................................................................................................................... 99 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C8]-I[I2.0]-T[219] Staff training on the risk management system ............................................................................................................................................. 109 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C8]-I[I2.0]-T[223] Share of the number of desk audits reported on the total audits carried out by the tax administration — 60 % .................................. 112 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C8]-I[I2.0]-T[224] Increase the number of audits by 10% ........................................................................................................................................................ 115 2 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-I[I3.0]-M[228] Increased Cyber security of the Ministry of Finance’s and ANAF computer system ......................................................................... 117 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-I[I6.0]- M[235] Economic modelling tool updated ........................................................................................................................................................ 124 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C8]-I[I8.0]-M[238] Purchase of software (licences) and hardware (laptops), IT services for staff, training for the staff of the National Development Bank (BID) and for the Ministry of Finance staff ..................................................................................... 127 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C8]-I[I9.0]-M[239] All pension files recalculated............ 135 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C9]-I[I2.a]-T[252] Finance or investment operations amounting to 100% of the total amount of resources allocated to the instrument approved by the InvestEU Investment Committee .................................................................................................... 140 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C9]-I[I3.a]-T[263] Number of financing contracts signed ........................................................................................................................................................ 144 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C9]-R[R2.a] -M[273]: Entry into force of legal act(s) establishing a single body that encompasses the existing councils, ensures interministerial coordination and reaches out to the private sector ....................................................................... 148 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C9]-R[R3.0]-M[274] Entry into force of legal act(s) on the researcher’s career and status ................................................................................................. 153 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C9]-R[R3.0]-T[T275] Institutions that adhered to the European Charter for Researchers and Code for the Recruitment of Researchers initiated the process of design, application and assessment of Action Plans ..................................................... 160 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C9]-I[I8]-T[284] Projects led by international researchers ........................................................................................................................................................ 167 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C9]-I[I9.0]-T[285] Marie Sklodowska Curie recipients of Seal of Excellence ............................................................................................................................ 171 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C9]-I[I10]-T[287] Established regional centres for research career orientation ........................................................................................................................... 174 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C11]-R[R3.a]-M[345] Entry into force of the legal acts on the legal framework applicable to cultural workers .................................................................. 179 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C11]-I[I6.0]-M[348] Digital system for cultural funding processes......................................................................................................................................... 183 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C11]-I[I7.0]-T[350] Film producers and distributors participating in trainings for digital skills capacity .......................................................................... 185 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C12]-R[R1]-M[352] Entry into force of the legal act for a new model framework contract for the health insurance system .............................................. 187 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C12]-R[R3]-M[365] – Operationalisation of the transparenta.ms.ro portal on the use of public resources ............................................................. 191 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C12]-I[I1]-T[367] Practices of family doctors or associations of primary care practices equipped or renovated, prioritising practices located in marginalised regions and municipalities ........................................................................................ 193 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C12]-I[I1]-T[369] Outpatient care units that are newly built or renovated, and equipped ........................................................................................................... 196 3 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C12]-I[I2]-T[375] Public hospitals receive equipment and materials to reduce the risk of infections ....................................................................................... 199 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C13]-R[R3.0]-T[386] Activation measures received ....... 201 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C13]-R[R5.0]-M[392] Entry into force of the legal acts governing the new system for minimum wage setting .................................................................. 204 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C13]-I[I2.0]-T[395] Modernised community services for persons with disabilities.................................................................................................................. 207 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C13]-I[I3.0]-M[397] Digital platform for the use of labour vouchers by domestic providers and service beneficiaries ................................................. 210 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R1.0]-M[402] A new strategic management and planning system used in all ministries ..................................................................................... 214 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C14]-R[R1.0]-T[403] Three ministries planned and used budgets per programme ................................................................................................................. 222 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R1.0]-M[406] Staff of civil society organisations trained to increase the administrative capacity ............................................................................. 231 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R2.0]-M[415] Sustainable development expert role established and training programme prepared ...................................................................... 234 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R5.0]-M[423] Entry into force of the “Justice laws” (laws on the status of magistrates, judicial organisation, Superior Council of Magistracy) . 240 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R6.0]-T[427] An increase of the value of seized assets managed by the National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets ........................... 244 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R6.0]-T[429] Occupation rate of 85% of National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutor positions attained ............................................ 246 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R7.0]-M[432] Approved revised ethics and conduct legal acts for the Government .......................................................................................... 248 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C14]-R[R8.0]-T[435] Centralised procurement bodies (CPBs) are used by local authorities................................................................................................ 251 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R8.0]-M[437] The Public Procurement Electronic System (SEAP) system is interconnected and interoperable with other databases ...... 256 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R9.0]-M[441] Publication of the Monitoring Dashboard listing the financial and non-financial key performance indicators (KPIs) for all state- owned enterprises (SOEs) ............................................................................................................... 268 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C14]-R[R9.0]-M[441a] Publication of an evaluation of all SOEs based on progress in achieving financial and non-financial KPIs reported on the dashboard ........................................................................................................................................................ 272 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C15]-R[R1.0]-M[452] Entry into force of the package of legal acts for the application of the “Educated Romania” project ................................................. 278 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C15]-I[I5.0]-M[469] Online training course delivered to users of the Romanian Integrated Education Information System (SIIR) and the MATE IT tool .... 282 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C15]-R[R5.0]-M[479] Entry into force of the legal acts setting out the National Digital Skills Reference Framework for pre-university education ........... 286 4 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C16]-R[R2.0]-M[523] Entry into force of legal and regulatory acts for the establishment of OSS offices to provide energy advisory services............ 288 Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C16]-R[R2.0]-T[524] Training of OSS staff ................ 290 Number and name of the Target: RO-C[C16]-R[2.0]-T[525] Opening of physical OSS offices ...... 292 5 Non-repayable support Number and name of the Milestone: RO-C[C2]-R[1]-M[24] Entry into force of the legislative acts amending a