Romania has made limited progress on anti-corruption reforms, implementing only two of 26 recommendations from European experts over the past two years, according to GRECO latest update. The Council of Europe‘s anti-corruption group found that 22 recommendations were partially implemented while two remain untouched. The follow-up report focuses on corruption prevention among top government officials and law enforcement agencies like police and gendarmerie.
GRECO originally issued 26 recommendations in 2023 targeting Romania’s central government and law enforcement integrity. The country faces ongoing challenges with transparency and accountability in high-level positions. European monitoring became necessary due to persistent corruption concerns affecting public trust in Romanian institutions.
Some positive steps have emerged, including a new ethics law for government members that took effect in April 2025. The gendarmerie now publishes donation records online, and both police and gendarmerie are developing unified ethical codes. Romania also boosted its prosecution capacity for corruption cases and launched new tools to verify asset declarations by officials.
However, major gaps remain that undermine reform efforts. The president, prime minister, and presidential advisors don’t have to report conflicts of interest when they arise. Most government offices don’t publish gift registers, and integrity plans for ministries exclude top executives. Law enforcement still lacks merit-based promotion systems and proper oversight of officers’ outside activities.
GRECO wants Romania to focus on concrete steps like restricting post-employment opportunities for officials, improving public consultation processes, and increasing women’s representation in leadership roles. The group has given Romanian authorities until December 31, 2026, to provide updates on implementing the remaining recommendations.
