The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested EUR 955 million in 37 projects in Romania in 2025, a sharp increase from EUR 707 million for 44 projects in 2024, according to an EBRD press statement released on Thursday.
"This is our largest annual business volume on record in Romania since the EBRD began investing here in 1992 - a truly amazing demonstration for the trust of our clients, the dedication of our team and the strength of Romania's economy," says Victoria Zinchuk, EBRD Director of Romania.
Green financing was again central to the bank's work in the country. In 2025, 81 per cent of EBRD investments in Romania were dedicated to the green economy, significantly above the bank's average across all regions. Projects signed during the year are expected to deliver annual CO2 emissions reductions of over one million tonnes, reflecting Romania's accelerating alignment with EU climate and energy targets.
Another notable transaction was signed in May - a EUR 180.3 million EBRD loan towards a EUR 400.6 million financing package for a transformational regeneration project in Romania's second city, Cluj-Napoca. The project will redevelop an industrial site into a combined retail, office, cultural and entertainment district, with major local infrastructure improvements.
Collaboration with private corporates, banks, equity partners and municipalities remained strong throughout the year. The private sector share of the EBRD portfolio amounts to 86 per cent of the total. Financing for local companies and financial institutions helped strengthen supply chains, unlock new sources of competitiveness, and foster innovation.
The EBRD also continued its policy engagement with Romanian authorities, particularly in areas supporting the green transition, energy market reform and the mobilisation of private capital. Technical cooperation programmes helped advance Romania's implementation of EU initiatives such as Fit for 55 and REPowerEU, providing a stronger framework for investment in renewable energy and energy storage.
The Romania results form part of a record year for the EBRD overall, with EUR 16.8 billion total investment in 2025, up from EUR16.6 in 2024, including a record EUR 2.9 billion deployed in Ukraine, up from EUR 2.4 million. The bank operates in central and eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, and now also sub-Saharan Africa, and will publish full financial results for 2025 in the spring.
The EBRD is a major institutional investor in Romania. To date it has invested more than EUR12.3 billion in 584 projects.
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