“Doing Business in Romania” – Prospects for Cooperation for Greek Companies
“Doing Business in Romania” – Prospects for Cooperation for Greek Companies
Athens, March 13, 2025, | The second webinar of 2025 and the twenty-fifth in total, titled “Doing Business in… challenges and opportunities,” was completed on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. It was organized by Enterprise Greece in collaboration with the Economic and Commercial Affairs Office of the Greek Embassy in Bucharest, aiming to highlight the opportunities of the Romanian market.
“Doing Business in Romania” event attracted around 120 registrations and featured distinguished speakers from both the embassies of the two countries as well as the business community, primarily from the food and beverage sectors, construction projects, digitization, and natural cosmetics.
As a strategic partner, Romania has consistently offered a dynamic environment for exports and investments, which is expected to improve further after its inclusion in the Schengen Area this year. As noted by most speakers, the Romanian market is particularly large and competitive, and while it is growing rapidly, it is not yet saturated. This fact, combined with the increasing purchasing power of Romanians and their shift toward consumer goods, presents opportunities for high-quality Greek products that have the comparative advantage of differentiating themselves from existing ones.
Specifically for food and beverages, it was highlighted that they are experiencing growth both in value and volume, due to the strong recognition they have from the significant tourist flow to our country, which is the most popular destination for Romanians. Similarly, for the cosmetics sector, it was mentioned that there are major development opportunities for Greek-branded products with natural ingredients, mainly through e-shops and social media marketing, with increasing consumer awareness of quality, environmental protection, and health issues.
Significant prospects are also emerging in the construction sector and related building materials, thanks to the major infrastructure projects being carried out, mainly in the public health sector and road and railway networks. Regarding digitalization services and the startup ecosystem, it was emphasized that Romania is showing particularly positive signs, with the ICT sector contributing approximately 6.5% to GDP, thus providing opportunities for Greek companies, due to the short geographical distance, for constructive synergies.
The CEO of Enterprise Greece, Dr. Marinos Giannopoulos during his opening remarks, stated, among other things: “The Romanian market is a strategic partner for Greek products and investments. The steady rise of the Greek exports confirms the dynamic nature of our commercial relations. At the same time, Romania is one of the key investment destinations for Greek companies. As Enterprise Greece, we recognize the importance of the Romanian market and are committed to further supporting the activities of Greek businesses, enhancing bilateral economic cooperation and leveraging the opportunities offered by this dynamic destination.”
The event was honored by greetings from both the Ambassador of Greece to Bucharest, Mrs. Evangelia-Lili Grammatikou, and the Ambassador of Romania in Athens, Mrs. Carmen Ileana Mihalcescu.
The Greek Ambassador referred to the long-standing excellent ties between the two sides and emphasized the dynamic Greek business presence in Romania over the past few decades. She particularly mentioned the geopolitical developments of recent years and Romania’s full integration into the Schengen Area, developments that create new prospects for further developing economic relations with Romania’s large and rapidly growing market.
The Ambassador of Romania also emphasized the importance of Greece as a trade partner for her country, stating, among other things, that Romania offers a dynamic business environment with steady growth.
The Head of the Economic and Commercial Affairs Office in Bucharest, Mr. Konstantinos Dikaros, presented the quantitative and qualitative data that have favored Greek business activity in Romania and elaborated on the strong prospects and opportunities the Romanian market offers. He emphasized that, beyond the strong commercial flows, the level of speakers certifies the strength of the Greek business community in Romania.