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The Prime Minister of Romania, Ilie Bolojan, received today at Victoria Palace the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, on the occasion of the launch of the 2026 OECD Economic Survey of Romania, prepared by the OECD Secretariat.

The Survey was launched in the presence of representatives of Romanian institutions, Parliament, the business sector, and academic milieu. This year’s edition includes public policy recommendations issued by the Organization on macroeconomics, the labor market, strengthening resilience to climate risks, and competitiveness.

At the launch event, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan highlighted the importance of the Survey for Romania, noting that it provides a comprehensive analysis of the national economy and outlines the necessary reform directions for economic development.

“The OECD Economic Survey offers a thorough assessment of economic developments and key macroeconomic trends in Romania over the past two years, along with policy recommendations to address these challenges. Our reform objectives have been correlated with the Survey’s recommendations. Our strategy is therefore based on three pillars: prioritizing investments over current and consumption expenditures, maximizing the absorption and impact of European funds, and structural reforms for more competitive markets and a more resilient economy to shocks,” the Prime Minister stated.

The preparation of the Economic Survey 2026 is complementary to the sectoral recommendations issued by OECD committees, aimed at aligning Romania’s practices, policies, and legislation with the Organization’s standards.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan also held a bilateral meeting with Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, during which he reiterated the Romanian Government’s strong commitment to completing the accession process this year, based on reforms implemented in response to the OECD’s priority recommendations. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to Secretary-General Cormann for the support and guidance provided throughout this process.

 “Romania’s accession to the OECD in 2026 remains a strategic priority, supported across political parties within the governing coalition. Romania is at an advanced stage of this process, based on reforms undertaken following the assessment of its alignment with the Organization’s standards. We continue to treat this national project with the utmost seriousness in order to achieve the objective set out in the Programme for Government. I hope that the 2026 Economic Survey will be the last of its kind addressing Romania as a candidate country,” Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan added.

In turn, Secretary-General Mathias Cormann stated that Romania has made significant progress in economic reforms and praised the Government’s efforts to reduce the budget deficit and public spending. He also emphasized that the OECD will continue to support Romania in the final stages of its accession process.

“We welcome the Romanian Government’s efforts to strengthen fiscal consolidation and encourage their continuation. Romania has much to be proud of. This process is a positively transformative journey, aimed at implementing macroeconomic reforms and aligning with standards and best practices to deliver the best outcomes for citizens. Its goal is to lay the foundation for long-term growth and improved living standards. I commend Romania’s excellent progress in this field and the strong commitment demonstrated,” stated Mathias Cormann.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan emphasized that, following the adoption of reforms, it is essential for authorities to maintain the established course, as consistent implementation represents the main challenge. He also highlighted that Romania aims to continuously align with developments within the OECD in order to complete the accession procedures.

In the ensuing period, the Prime Minister showed that the Government will focus particularly on improving the process of tax revenue collection. Among the priorities is the regulation of transfer pricing taxation, an area in which Romanian authorities will seek OECD expertise to agree on a formula by early next year that reflects economic realities and complies with international rules, ensuring a consistent interpretation of tax legislation.

On the sidelines of the visit, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and Secretary-General Mathias Cormann co-signed the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the OECD on the privileges and immunities, granted to the Organization. The conclusion of this agreement represents an important step in the OECD accession process, strengthening the legal framework for cooperation between Romania and the Organization.

The OECD official’s visit to Bucharest, in the context of the launch of the 2026Economic Survey, reconfirms the Organization’s support for Romania’s path toward OECD accession this year.

The OECD Economic Survey provides additional recommendations for Romania to strengthen development and economic growth, including continued efforts to address fiscal challenges, improve competitiveness, promote higher labor market participation, and enhance climate resilience.

Background information:

The visit of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann to Bucharest (16 March 2026) takes place in the context of the launch of the 2026 OECD Economic Survey of Romania (previous editions were launched in January 2022 and March 2024, both in the presence of Secretary-General Cormann).

OECD Economic Surveys are periodic analyses, conducted every two years, of the economies of OECD member states as well as partner and candidate countries. The document is prepared by the OECD Secretariat in consultation with national authorities and follows a pre-established structure, typically including: (i) a macroeconomic chapter, (ii) two smaller thematic chapters focusing on structural policies, and (iii) an in-depth chapter on an area of horizontal importance for Romania. The Survey provides a balanced and valuable overview of macroeconomic and structural policies and includes specific recommendations to guide authorities in designing measures that can improve long-term economic performance.