Energy #27 Legislative focus

The parliamentary process for draft bill Pl-x 339/2026, approving Emergency Ordinance no. 19/2026 on the fuel market crisis, advanced during the week but stopped short of a final vote following objections to the proposed amendments.

As reported in the previous Legislative Focus, parliamentary committees had proposed two significant changes to the existing crisis framework established under Law no. 162/2026:

• Extension of the crisis regime from 31 October 2026 until 31 March 2027, with further extensions of up to three months possible through government decisions.
• Expansion of commercial margin controls to refining and the first sale of petroleum products obtained from crude oil processing, as well as imports and the first sale of imported petroleum products, by removing their existing exemption.

On 14 October, four committees of the Chamber of Deputies issued a joint favourable report incorporating these amendments. The draft bill subsequently reached the plenary for debate but was removed from the final voting agenda.

According to Profit.ro, citing parliamentary sources, the withdrawal followed objections from the Ministry of Finance, which considered that the proposed amendments could overlap with and potentially interfere with the existing crisis mechanism.

Concerns were also raised about the possible impact of extending margin controls to refining and imports on the availability of diesel supplies.

The draft bill remains pending in the Chamber of Deputies. It may be returned to the responsible committees for a supplementary report, although no such referral has been confirmed in the information available.

The latest developments introduce uncertainty over the final scope and duration of Romania’s fuel market intervention measures.

For refiners and importers, the proposed removal of the existing exemption would extend commercial margin restrictions to activities currently outside the mechanism. The objections raised during the parliamentary process indicate that this expansion remains contested, particularly regarding its interaction with existing rules and potential effects on fuel supply.

For distributors and retailers, the extension of the crisis regime would maintain temporary pricing, reporting and export-related requirements beyond October.

However, the proposed amendments have not been adopted into law. The existing framework under Law no. 162/2026 remains applicable, including the possibility of reinstating or extending the crisis regime through government decisions when the statutory conditions are met.

The next parliamentary steps will determine whether the proposed extension and broader margin controls are retained, revised or removed before the final vote.

On 14 October, the Chamber of Deputies adopted a substantially revised version of draft bill Pl-x 51/2026, amending Electricity and Natural Gas Law no. 123/2012.

Initially focused on cybersecurity requirements associated with electricity network access and priority dispatching, the proposal has been expanded to establish a broader cybersecurity framework covering electricity, natural gas and hydrogen.

Under the revised provisions, the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) would receive additional regulatory and oversight responsibilities across the energy sector.

The main changes include:

• Technical cybersecurity requirements: DNSC would establish sector-specific rules and monitor the implementation of cybersecurity strategies by relevant energy operators.
• Investment approvals: electricity transmission and distribution operators, as well as licensed gas and hydrogen operators, would require DNSC’s technical approval for relevant cybersecurity investments before submitting them to ANRE.
• Regulated cost recovery: eligible cybersecurity expenditures would be recognised in regulated tariffs according to ANRE methodologies.
• Implementation deadlines: DNSC would have 180 days after the law enters into force to issue technical requirements, while ANRE would have a further 180 days after the DNSC orders enter into force to adjust tariff methodologies where necessary.

Because the Chamber of Deputies substantially changed the original legislative text, the proposal was returned to the Senate on 15 October for further consideration of the amended provisions.

The revised proposal would expand cybersecurity oversight across multiple segments of Romania’s energy sector.

For electricity transmission and distribution operators, DNSC approval would become an additional step in preparing and submitting cybersecurity investment plans to ANRE.

Gas and hydrogen operators would also face new technical requirements and oversight arrangements, depending on the rules subsequently issued by DNSC.

The provisions on regulated tariffs are relevant because they would establish a legal basis for recognising eligible cybersecurity expenditure within regulated revenues.

However, the practical effect would depend on secondary legislation, including how DNSC defines technical requirements, which investments require approval and how ANRE incorporates eligible costs into its methodologies.

The return to the Senate is also procedurally significant. The substantial expansion of the draft bill requires additional parliamentary consideration before a final legislative text can be adopted.

A parliamentary draft bill, Pl-x 668/2026, registered in the Chamber of Deputies on 12 October proposes establishing Sapă Sigur, a national digital system for notifying, coordinating and monitoring excavation works within the protection and safety zones of natural gas networks.

The initiative follows consultations initiated earlier in 2026, with input from energy industry representatives, and aims to reduce accidental damage to underground gas infrastructure.

The system would include a national digital map identifying gas network protection corridors, a register of excavation works and incidents, and an online training module. Detailed pipeline location data would remain subject to restricted access.

One of the central requirements is the introduction of a digital Excavation Permit (Bilet de Săpătură), which would be required before excavation works can begin in the areas covered by the legislation.

The permit would become valid only after the gas network operator marks the relevant infrastructure on site and formally hands over the working area to the contractor.

The proposal establishes several operational requirements:

• Gas network operators would have to provide and update infrastructure data, mark pipeline locations within five working days of notification and report incidents within 48 hours.
• Construction and excavation contractors would need to notify works at least 48 hours before commencement, designate trained personnel and follow specific safety procedures near underground pipelines.
• Emergency interventions could proceed without the standard permit procedure, subject to notification and subsequent registration requirements.

Non-compliance could lead to fines of up to RON 100,000 for companies carrying out excavation works without a valid permit and up to RON 200,000 for network operators breaching marking and site handover obligations.

ANRE would administer the system, with implementation planned in three stages over 36 months, beginning with pilot projects in Bucharest and Mediaș.

The proposal is at an early parliamentary stage and has been submitted for institutional opinions.

The proposal would create a new operational interface between gas network operators, construction companies, infrastructure developers and other businesses carrying out excavation works.

For transmission and distribution operators, the new responsibilities would extend beyond providing network information to include digital data management, field verification, pipeline marking and incident reporting.

For contractors and developers, the proposed system would introduce additional prerequisites before work can begin, affecting project scheduling, subcontractor coordination and compliance procedures.

The mechanism could improve the prevention of accidental gas network damage, but its effectiveness would depend on the accuracy of infrastructure data, the availability of network operators for field verification and the functionality of the digital platform.

Implementation would be gradual, meaning the new requirements would not become applicable nationwide immediately upon adoption.