Customs Clearance in Romania
Who Clears Your Goods
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.
Registration You Need
EU EORI with an RO prefix is required before the first commercial declaration is lodged. 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.
The Declaration Sequence
- Register for EORI before the first shipment
- Classify the goods to the correct TARIC commodity code
- Establish the customs value on a CIF basis
- Lodge the declaration electronically
- Assess and pay duty; account for import VAT
- Goods released to free circulation
Documents Checklist
- 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 discharge in Romania rather than at a foreign access port. 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 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Customs administration sits with ANAF (Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală, the National Agency for Fiscal Administration). Declarations are lodged under ASYCUDA World, operating within the EU Union Customs Code. Businesses importing commercially need EU EORI with an RO prefix in place before the first declaration.
Commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (bill of lading or airway bill), the EORI number, and a certificate of origin where preferential treatment is claimed. Restricted goods require additional licences or permits.
On the transaction value method — the price actually paid or payable — plus freight and insurance to the point of entry into the EU. This CIF figure is the base against which duty and import VAT are calculated.
Incorrect or incomplete commodity classification, under-declared freight and insurance, missing or inconsistent commercial invoice values, non-compliant wood packaging, and missing licences for controlled goods.
It is separate from the ocean or air leg but is part of door-to-door planning. Clearance duration depends on whether the declaration is complete and whether the goods are selected for examination.