Romania officially started using CAEN Rev. 3 (Classification of Economical Activities in Romania) on the 1st of January 2025, as an important step to conforming to the European economic rules. These changes apply to any form of legal business structures, from limited liability companies (SRL) to independent activities, and all are expected to be fully aligned in the near term.
What is the legal timeframe?
CAEN Rev. 3 is part of the European regulation, and it is directly aligned with the European NACE (Nomenclature of Economic Activities). Based on Government Decision no 284/20.03.2025, published in the Official Gazette of Romania, under no. 257/25.03.2025, businesses established before 2025 have a period of transition of 18 months, starting 25th of March 2025, offered for updating to the new codes.
Considering this, any form of business, regardless of size, which has not been used this transition period to make amendments, we strongly advise not to delay it until closer to the end of the implementation timeline and to start acting as soon as possible.
For businesses open after 1st January 2025, they are registered already under the CAEN Rev. 3.
Companies are obliged to review their registered activity codes and determine the right equivalent codes under CAEN Rev. 3. The situation might differ from one business activity to another, for some the process can be very straightforward while in some cases the old code can split into more codes.
Why does it matter for business continuity?
CAEN codes influence multiple aspects of a business, and making the necessary changes should be treated as a priority, because outdated or incorrect codes can lead to administrative delays and compliance issues. Some key areas affected:
• Any change that requires approval from the Trade Registry will require the correctly classified codes
• Inconsistencies during tax audits and inspections
• Grants and financing eligibility
• Public procurement
• M&A (delay transaction closing, integration)
• VAT treatment in certain sectors
Eurofast’s take
Considering the mandatory requirements to conform to the EU regulation and the fact that CAEN codes are more than a mere formality, Eurofast is the right partner in staying fully aligned with the legal framework.
For more information, reach out to our team at [email protected]