“Specialists indicate that the rhythm of decline in the volume of foreign direct investments will remain similar to that registered in the first six months of this year, due to the fact that potential investors have put expansion projects on hold, due to the economic crisis. There are no positive signs concerning foreign direct investments in Romania for next year. Specialists are speaking about a comeback only as of 2011,” said Doina Ciomag, FIC’s Executive Director. In the first six months of this year, foreign investments reached €3.1 bln, down 47.9 percent from the €5.9 bln in the same period in 2008, according to National Bank of Romania data.

The Romanian Agency for Foreign Investment (ARIS) is currently monitoring only 22 investment projects on paper, worth over €1.5 bln, that could generate some 6,200 jobs. The most important investments are for wind energy, with the four projects on paper in this sector worth €400 million. CIS and ARIS representatives believe that only three areas will attract foreign investments in the coming years, namely construction, especially infrastructure, agriculture, and eolian energy.