Customs Clearance in Romania

Who Clears Your Goods in Romania

Customs administration in Romania sits with ANAF (Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală, the National Agency for Fiscal Administration). The declaration framework is ASYCUDA World, operating within the EU Union Customs Code.

Most China-origin shipments are cleared directly by ANAF at the Romanian point of entry (commonly Constanța for sea or Bucharest OTP for air). For some routings, however, goods are first presented to customs at another EU entry point or travel under a transit arrangement before Romanian clearance — so the clearance location is not always the final Romanian destination.

Registration You Need in Romania

EU EORI with an RO prefix is required before the first commercial declaration is lodged in Romania, and it is the identifier ANAF expects on the entry. EORI is an EU-wide registration, so a number issued in one member state is generally valid across the union, but declarations are lodged against the national system of the country where the goods are presented — for Romania that is ASYCUDA World, operating within the EU Union Customs Code.

The Romania Declaration Sequence

1. Register for EORI before the first shipment
2. Classify the goods to the correct TARIC commodity code
3. Establish the customs value on a CIF basis
4. Lodge the declaration electronically
5. Assess and pay duty; account for import VAT
6. Goods released to free circulation

Documents Checklist for Romania

• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Bill of lading or airway bill
• EORI number
• Certificate of origin, where preference is claimed
• Licences or permits for controlled goods

Clearance Points Specific to Romania

Constanța gives Romania a direct Black Sea gateway, so China-origin containers can often discharge directly at Constanța rather than a foreign access port, though some services still tranship. That shortens the inland leg substantially compared with landlocked Central European destinations. For western Romania and onward Central European distribution, the Arad rail terminal provides an inland option. Routing via Constanța still involves a passage through the Turkish Straits system, which is a scheduling variable importers should be aware of when planning.

Beyond the standard EU sequence, these are the Romania-specific points that most often decide how smoothly a first shipment clears:

• A UIT code is required for commercial shipments above 500 kg gross or EUR 2,150 in customs value, and it must be presented before the goods reach the border
• Romanian standard VAT is 21% with a single reduced rate of 11%, following the August 2025 increase from 19%
• ISPM 15 treatment and marking for all wood packaging

Common Romania Clearance Errors

• Commodity code copied from a similar product rather than classified properly
• Freight and insurance omitted from the customs value
• Invoice values inconsistent with the transport document
• Wood packaging without ISPM 15 treatment and marking
• Missing licences for restricted or controlled goods