In brief

  • The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has completely replaced the „e-Mobility RO” state aid scheme, through which companies can receive non-reimbursable funding for electric vehicle charging stations on motorways, expressways and national roads.
  • The budget remains huge: 299 million euros from the Modernisation Fund, split between two types of investment, with a single company able to receive up to 30 million euros.
  • The order was signed on 5 august 2026 and applies from the date of publication, but the scheme’s actual launch remains conditional on the financing being approved by the European Investment Bank.
Act: MTI Order no. 746/2026
Published: Official Gazette of Romania no. 656 of 7 August 2026
In force from: 7 August 2026 (conditional on financing being approved by the EIB)

Romania is relaunching, through a technical but high-stakes act, the race for a national network of fast electric vehicle charging stations. Through the Ordinul nr. 746 din 5 august 2026, the acting Minister of Transport and Infrastructure completely replaced the annex to the Ordinul nr. 1.319/2025, meaning the state aid scheme that determines who can receive European funding for charging stations on the network of motorways, expressways and national roads administered by the National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration (CNAIR). In practice, the old scheme approved in August 2025 is being withdrawn and replaced with an updated version, still called „e-Mobility RO”.

The scheme is aimed at companies, from microenterprises to large corporations, that want to invest in fast and ultra-fast charging stations placed strategically along the country’s transit routes, as well as in local renewable energy production and the storage systems associated with these stations. The money comes from the Modernisation Fund, financed from the revenues of the European greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, and final financing depends on the approval of the European Investment Bank.

What it changes in practice

In practice, the order reopens the path to non-reimbursable financing for companies that want to build, modernise or expand electric charging infrastructure on motorways, expressways and national roads. The aid is granted through competitive bidding procedures (project auctions), where the companies that request the lowest subsidy per installed kW win, or, for the renewable energy component, per installed MW.

For electric car drivers, the indirect effect is an increase in the number of fast (minimum 150 kW) and ultra-fast (minimum 350 kW, with a CCS Combo 2 connector) charging points along transit routes, including on the TEN-T segments of the road network, where the installed power requirements are highest. For heavy vehicles, the minimum standard reaches 3.600 kW of total installed power on motorways in the TEN-T core network. The scheme complements, in the same week, the expansion of the „e-DRIVE” scheme for purchasing electric vehicles, which finances the very vehicles that will use the new stations. The motorway network on which many of these stations will be located is itself expanding with European money: the A1 motorway, Sibiu-Pitești section, separately receives a new 500 million euro loan from the European Investment Bank.

What has changed compared with the previous situation

  • A completely new annex, not just a correction: the Ordinul nr. 746/2026 does not amend a few articles individually, but replaces the entire annex to the Ordinul nr. 1.319/2025, originally published in the Official Gazette of Romania nr. 766 din 18 august 2025.
  • New opinion from the Competition Council: the updated scheme is based on the opinion of the Competition Council nr. RG/12.356 din 4 august 2026, obtained specifically for this version of the scheme.
  • Confirmed budget of 299 million euros: the money remains split into 100 million euros for investments exclusively in charging infrastructure (sub-measure 1) and 199 million euros for integrated projects that combine charging with renewable energy production and storage (sub-measure 2).
  • Limited application period: the scheme remains valid until 31 decembrie 2028, with payments possible until 31 decembrie 2030, while the signing of new contracts after 31 decembrie 2026 is conditional on alignment with a new European regulation, which is set to replace the current framework on state aid compatible with the internal market.

Advantages and disadvantages

What it improves

  • A maximum aid intensity of 100% of eligible expenses, attractive for companies that would otherwise not recover the investment within a reasonable timeframe.
  • Clear technical standards (minimum power, CCS Combo 2 connector, non-discriminatory access 24/7) that guarantee a uniform charging infrastructure usable by any electric car driver.
  • Accelerates charging station coverage on transit routes, where the limited range of electric cars still discourages many people.

What remains a problem

  • The estimated maximum number of beneficiaries is only 25 companies nationwide, so competition for funding will be fierce, especially on the most sought-after TEN-T segments.
  • The scheme’s actual launch remains conditional on financing being approved by the European Investment Bank, a stage outside applicants’ control that could delay the timeline.
  • The European regulation on which the scheme is based expires on 31 decembrie 2026, and if the scheme is not realigned to the new rules in time, there could be a period in which no new contracts can be signed.

Practical advice

  1. Company interested in a charging station on a motorway or national road: prepare the opportunity analysis in advance (cost-effectiveness, estimated CO2 emissions reduction) and obtain prior access approval from the road administrator, both of which are mandatory eligibility conditions.
  2. Operator of fuel or service stations on a motorway: check whether your location falls under the „location” category defined by the scheme, and calculate in advance the ratio between the aid requested and the installed power, the criterion that effectively decides ranking in the auction.
  3. Electric car driver: don’t expect new stations right away; follow the announcements on the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s page about the launch of bidding sessions, since winning projects have an implementation deadline of 30 iunie 2030.

Frequently asked questions

What is the „e-Mobility RO” scheme?
A state aid scheme administered by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, through which companies receive non-reimbursable grants from the Modernisation Fund to build, modernise or expand electric vehicle charging stations on motorways, expressways and national roads, as well as for local renewable energy production associated with these stations.
What exactly does the Ordinul nr. 746/2026 change?
It completely replaces the annex (the state aid scheme) to the order of the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure nr. 1.319/2025, based on a new opinion from the Competition Council obtained on 4 august 2026. The total budget, of 299 million euros, remains unchanged.
Who can obtain financing?
Microenterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises, legally established and registered with Romania’s Trade Registry, whose projects are selected as winners in a competitive bidding procedure. Newly established companies and companies in financial difficulty are excluded.
How much can a company receive?
A maximum of 30 million euros per beneficiary, without exceeding 40% of the scheme’s total budget for a single company. The maximum aid intensity can reach 100% of eligible expenses, depending on the outcome of the competitive procedure.
When does it enter into force and until when does the scheme apply?
The order applies from the date of publication in the Official Gazette of Romania (Monitorul Oficial), 7 august 2026, but the state aid scheme itself only enters into force after the financing is approved by the European Investment Bank. Once active, the scheme remains valid until 31 decembrie 2028, with payments possible until 31 decembrie 2030.

Original text of the legal act

The text below is reproduced in Romanian, its official form of publication in the Official Gazette.

The full text, as published in the Official Gazette of Romania

Official Gazette of Romania no. 656 of 7 August 2026 16 pages PDF, 120 KB the act starts on page 2

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For a decision regarding a specific case, we recommend consulting a lawyer or a consultant specialised in state aid.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific situations, consult a licensed attorney or tax advisor.