Romania: legislative developments with immediate digital and telecom relevance

The Romanian Government adopted a draft bill updating the legal framework for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), aligning with EU Directive 2024/884. The law clarifies producers’ obligations for the collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal of e-waste, introduces precise deadlines, and requires marking, traceability, and registration of all products. The provisions apply differently based on when equipment was placed on the market and cover both household and non-household users. The bill enters into force after parliamentary approval, given that the debate in the Senate has already begun.

Manufacturers and distributors of electronic and telecom equipment will now bear full responsibility for financing the management of WEEE from their products, including historical waste in some cases. Compliance requires visible DEEE marking, registration in the national producer registry, and potential designation of authorized representatives for companies not established in Romania.

Once the bill passes the Parliament, companies should review product portfolios to identify WEEE obligations, ensure proper labelling of equipment, register in the national WEEE database, and implement internal procedures to finance collection, recycling, and disposal. Online sellers not established in Romania must appoint authorized representatives to maintain compliance.

The Agency for Digital Romania (ADR) has issued a draft decision to create the Registry of Qualified and Non-Qualified Trust Service Providers, in line with Law 214/2024 and EU eIDAS regulations. The registry will list qualified trust service providers based in Romania, non-qualified providers issuing advanced electronic signature certificates, audited non-qualified providers, and other non-qualified trust service providers. It will be publicly accessible online, using standardized, secure, and interoperable formats, and will include information such as provider status, services offered, certifications, audit results, and relevant links. After the public consultation, the decision will be signed and published in the Official Gazette.

Companies providing trust services, digital signatures, or related solutions will need to register and maintain updated information in the ADR registry to remain compliant. Public visibility of certified providers may influence partnerships, client trust, and procurement eligibility, while interoperability with EU standards will be essential for cross-border services.

These businesses should prepare required documentation for registration, implement internal processes to notify ADR of changes within 30 days, ensure compliance with technical specifications, and monitor the public registry to maintain visibility and credibility in the Romanian and EU digital trust ecosystem.

Romania will implement new rules, effective May 30, 2026, allowing faster and more flexible authorization of essential radio equipment during declared crises, in line with EU Regulation 2024/2747 and Directive 2024/2749. The framework, proposed by the Communications Authority, targets only crisis-relevant radio equipment and enables priority conformity assessment, temporary market authorization without full standard procedures, and standardized technical solutions. The measures are temporary and limited to the duration of the emergency.

Companies producing or distributing critical radio equipment can benefit from accelerated approvals, reduced administrative delays, and lower risk of market blockages during crises. This facilitates business continuity, supports innovation, and protects SMEs and startups from disproportionate costs. However, firms must still comply with essential safety and compliance requirements, and normal procedures resume after the crisis.

Digital and telecom businesses should review product lines to identify crisis-relevant equipment, prepare documentation for priority conformity assessment, align internal procedures with standardized EU technical solutions, and maintain traceable records to ensure rapid authorization and post-crisis compliance.

This week, the Senate (first chamber) has approved a USR-backed legislative initiative to create the National Platform for Public Digital Infrastructure (PNIDP), establishing a single registry for all digital resources used by public institutions, including domains, websites, software licenses, IT equipment, and publicly funded projects. The platform introduces standardized technical and security requirements, assigns persistent unique codes to all resources, and requires institutions to register their digital assets within six months.

Providers of IT solutions, software, and digital services to public institutions must ensure their products comply with minimum technical standards. Unregistered or non-compliant products may be ineligible for procurement or funding, affecting contracts and project participation. The law also encourages the reuse and redistribution of licensed software and other digital resources, creating opportunities for service providers supporting interoperability and licensing management.

If the bill is adopted, firms should audit current products deployed in public institutions, align offerings with PNIDP technical standards, register digital assets where required, and prepare to support public entities in compliance, licensing, and interoperability processes. Monitoring upcoming methodology norms will be critical to secure contracts and avoid exclusion from government projects.