Since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, more than 775 Ukrainian companies have entered the Romanian market; in 2023 alone, more than 300 Ukrainian companies began operating in Romania, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) Mihai Daraban told Interfax-Ukraine.

"From the very beginning of the aggression, the CCIR supported the relocation of Ukrainian companies. Depending on the sectors of activity, we believe that the relocation will be a timely decision for Ukrainian businesses, since there are sectors in the Romanian economy that can accommodate new companies," he said.

Among the more than 300 Ukrainian companies that began operating in Romania in 2023, a significant part represents the IT sector (121 companies), services are in second place in popularity (47), and construction work of residential and non-residential buildings is in third place (33). There are also companies involved in trade, road transportation of goods, as well as business and management consulting.

In general, according to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, cooperation between our countries has more than doubled since 2022. Imports from Romania to Ukraine increased at the end of 2023 to $1.6 billion (from $800 million in 2021 and $1.5 billion in 2022), in commodity terms to 1.1 million tonnes (500,000 tonnes in 2021 and 1.1 million tonnes for 2022). Exports from Ukraine to Romania at the end of 2023 amount to $3.8 billion ($1.5 billion in 2021 and $3.9 billion in 2022), and 11.7 million tonnes (3.4 million tonnes in 2021 and 11 million tonnes in 2022).

According to Daraban, Romanian companies are interested in developing in Ukraine such industries as green energy, information technology, defense industry and transport, construction materials industry, value-added technologies and aeronautics.

Last year, a memorandum was signed between the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which, in particular, provided for the creation and joint management of a platform for using economic opportunities associated with the future restoration of Ukraine. However, the CCIR said the platform is still under development.

"So far we do not have the necessary information regarding specific reconstruction projects and their priority, since this is the prerogative of the Ukrainian authorities. Pragmatically assessing the difficult situation in Ukraine, the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry maintains a constant dialogue with Romanian companies that have expressed interest in being part of the reconstruction process in Ukraine. Thanks cooperation with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we will be able to unite these companies with Ukrainian colleagues when the situation allows it," Daraban said.

He confirmed that the current situation has exacerbated the problems faced by Romanian companies in the Ukrainian market.

"It is important to work more on the transparency of the dynamics of the economic environment in Ukraine, providing the international business community with more detailed information about the customs and tax legislation, regulatory and general legal framework of Ukraine. In addition, greater emphasis on normal competitiveness, predictability and tools for protecting foreign investment in Ukraine will be able to increase the interest of Romanian business in the Ukrainian market," he commented.

With the participation of CFI, Agence française de développement médias, as part of the Hub Bucharest Project with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.