The wave of dissatisfaction is growing: the Romanian Business Chamber proposes the cancellation of partnerships with Austrian and Dutch banking institutions

By RBJ
All companies with both Romanian capital and those with foreign capital, members of the Romanian Business Chamber (RBC) Association, started from 09.12.2022 the steps to cancel partnerships with Austrian and Dutch banking institutions. This includes both the effective closure of each company’s bank accounts and the termination of agreements regarding the payment of employee salaries into accounts at these foreign banks, according to a press release.
The member companies of the Romanian Business Chamber Association have a turnover of over 1 billion euros and over 20,000 employees.
“All member companies of the Romanian Business Chamber association are rethinking their partnerships following the blackmail against Romania by Austria and the Netherlands in the JHA Council, where these countries voted against Romania’s entry into Schengen. Romania meets all the conditions to be in Schengen, the negative vote of these countries against Romania being completely unjustified, abusive and obviously done in bad faith”, said Paula Pîrvănescu, president of RBC.
Although it meets all the conditions to be a Schengen member, multiple reports of the European Commission and resolutions of the European Parliament show, Romania has been constantly denied access to this area of free movement.
“The rejection of Romania’s entry into the Schengen area negatively affects both the economy of our country and the economies of the other member states of the European Union. The non-acceptance of Romania in the Schengen area makes it difficult for the development of companies with Romanian capital, discourages foreign direct investments, affects the maintenance and growth of jobs in private companies, things that have a negative impact on the prosperity of all Romanians”, said Paula Pîrvănescu.
In the 11 years since it met all the technical criteria for joining the Schengen area, Romania had a loss of approximately 25 billion euros at least, multiple evaluation reports show.
The Romanian Business Chamber Association was established in 2020 with the aim of connecting businessmen from Romania to new business opportunities and investments both outside and inside the country, which will bring them the chance to internationalize the company and expand the business.
“The Romanian Business Chamber association will undertake all the necessary national and international steps for Austria and the Netherlands to review their position regarding Romania’s entry into Schengen. Until a positive vote from these countries, all member companies of RBC will give up the services offered in Romania by Austrian and Dutch banking institutions”, concluded Paula Pîrvănescu, president of RBC.