When you buy goods or services in Romania, before buying the seller must provide you with clear, accurate and easy-to-understand information about those goods or services.

This contractual information refers to:

• the main characteristics of the goods or services;
• the identity of the seller (name, postal address, telephone number, email address);
• the total price of the goods or services, with all taxes included;
• the methods of payment, delivery and execution;
• after-sales services and commercial guarantees;
• the duration of the contract;
• any applicable compensation and the procedure for obtaining it.

If you buy a product or service online, before making the purchase, you must also be provided with information regarding:

• business name and postal address of the seller, telephone number, fax number and email address, if any;
• how the price is calculated and, where applicable, any additional transport, delivery or postage fees, where the price cannot reasonably be calculated in advance;
• the period of validity of the offer or prices;
• the cost of using the means of distance communication in order to conclude the contract;
• the right to withdraw from the contract within 14 days;
• the cost of returning the goods in case of withdrawal;
• dispute resolution mechanisms.

If you did not receive any information about the additional costs or costs related to the return of the goods before concluding the contract, then you will not be obliged to pay them.

Purchase confirmation

When you purchase a product or service online you must receive a written confirmation of the transaction. The confirmation must be sent on paper or on another durable medium, such as an email or a message to a personal account on the seller's website.

Digital content

When you buy digital content online, for example when viewing or downloading music and videos, specific information requirements apply.

Before making the purchase you must receive information about:

• exploitation of the content with the relevant hardware/software;
• its functionality, including the application of certain technical protection measures;
• the relevant interoperability of the digital content with the hardware and software components of which the seller is aware or is reasonably expected to be aware.

Financial services

Information you must receive when purchasing a financial service

Pre-contractual information must be visible and easily readable, in the same field of vision, and refer to:

• the borrowing rate, fixed and/or variable, together with information on any costs included in the total cost of the credit;
• the total amount of credit;
• the effective annual interest rate;
• the duration of the credit agreement;
• the total amount payable.

Rules to be followed by financial service providers in contracts:

• contracts must be written in a font size of at least 10, on paper or another durable medium;
• a mention in the contract of the interest, any commission, taxes, tariffs, bank fees or any other costs related to the awarding and performance of the contract;
• a mention in the contract of any early repayment fee.

Contractual clauses that entitle the financial service provider to unilaterally modify the contractual clauses without concluding an additional act, accepted by you, are prohibited.

In the case of an online financial service, before making the purchase, the supplier must also provide you with the following information:

• description of the essential characteristics of the respective financial service;
• the total price you have to pay for the purchase of the financial service, including any commission, fees, additional costs or related expenses and all charges;
• the time limit or date until which the information provided is valid;
• the methods of payment and making the payment;
• any additional costs resulting from the use of distance communication, if such additional costs are charged by the provider.

Payment methods

Payment by card is possible in most EU Member States, whether it be a contract of sale for a product/service concluded verbally or a distance contract (by post, telephone or via the internet).

Your bank must charge you the same fee for payments made in euro across the EU that it applies to equivalent national transactions.

When making a payment in the EU by credit or debit card, sellers and banks cannot charge you additional fees just for using a particular card. This rule applies to all card purchases (in-store or online) made in the country of origin or in another EU country.

Right of access to a payment account with basic features

When applying for or accessing a payment account, consumers resident in the EU must not be discriminated against by credit institutions due to their nationality or place of residence or any other ground, as provided for in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The conditions applicable to holding a payment account with basic features is in no way discriminatory.

In accordance with Law No 258 of 19 December 2017 on the comparability of fees related to payment accounts, payment account switching and access to payment accounts with basic features, with subsequent amendments and supplements, all credit institutions offer payment accounts with basic features to consumers in order to guarantee access thereto for all consumers in the national territory and to prevent distortions of competition.

Consumers who, on the application date, do not hold another payment account with any other credit institution in Romania, including a basic payment account, are entitled to open a payment account with basic features, unless the consumer declares that he has received notice that a payment account will be closed.

Consumers legally resident in the European Union, including consumers with no fixed address and asylum seekers, and consumers who are not granted a residence permit but whose expulsion is impossible for reasons of fact or law, have the right to open and use a payment account with basic features offered by credit institutions located in the territory of Romania.

Facilitation of cross-border account opening for consumers

Where consumers indicates to their payment service provider that they wish to open a payment account with a payment service provider located in another Member State, the payment service provider must provide, on receipt of such a request, the following assistance to the consumer:

• free-of-charge provision of a list of all the currently active standing orders for credit transfers and debtor-driven direct debit mandates, where available, and with available information about recurring incoming credit transfers and creditor-driven direct debits executed on the consumer’s payment account in the previous 13 months;
• transfer of any positive balance remaining in the payment account held by the consumer to the payment account opened or held by the consumer with the new payment service provider, provided that the request includes full details allowing the new payment service provider and the consumer’s payment account to be identified;
• closure of the payment account held by the consumer.

Regime for non-residents

Current foreign-exchange and capital operations, as listed in the Nomenclature annexed to Regulation No 4/2005 of the National Bank of Romania on the foreign-exchange regime, as republished, as subsequently amended and supplemented, are carried out freely between residents and non-residents, in the foreign currency and the national currency (RON).

Pursuant to Regulation No 4/2005 of the National Bank of Romania on the foreign-exchange regime, as republished, as subsequently amended and supplemented, the regime applicable to non-residents provides that:

• non-residents are entitled to acquire, hold and use financial assets in foreign currency and national currency (RON);
• amounts held in the national currency (RON) and in listed foreign currencies by non-residents can be converted on the foreign exchange market;
• non-residents can open and maintain foreign currency and national currency (RON) accounts with credit institutions;
• non-residents can repatriate and transfer the financial assets they hold.

Garanții legate de cumpărarea de bunuri

Garanția legală de conformitate

Garanția legală este aplicabilă aproape tuturor bunurilor, aici fiind incluse orice obiect mobil corporal, bunurile cu elemente digitale (de ex, telefoane mobile), dar și apă, gaz sau electricitate, atunci când sunt puse în vânzare în volum sau cantitate limitată.

Termenul de garanție legală este de 2 ani, indiferent dacă achiziționați produse online, într-un magazin sau prin comandă prin poștă.

În cazul bunurilor cu elemente digitale (ceasurile smart, telefoanele și electrocasnicele inteligente) garanția legală poate fi de cinci ani, dacă bunurile au o durată medie de utilizare mai mare de cinci ani, iar contractul prevede furnizarea continuă de conținut digital sau de servicii digitale (de exemplu, actualizări de sistem periodice sau software inclus în contractul de vânzare). Dacă furnizarea continuă de conținut digital sau de servicii digitale se face pentru o perioadă mai mare de cinci ani, atunci garanția va fi valabilă pentru acea perioadă.

Pentru produsele de ocazie, puteți conveni cu vânzătorul asupra unui termen de garanție sub 2 ani. Cu toate acestea, garanția nu poate fi mai mică de 1 an.

Garanția comercială

Garanția comercială reprezintă un angajament asumat de vânzător sau de producător, suplimentar față de garanția legală, prin care acesta se obligă să ramburseze prețul plătit sau să înlocuiască, să repare sau să întrețină bunurile în orice mod, în cazul în care acestea nu corespund specificațiilor sau oricărei alte cerințe care nu este legată de conformitate

Dacă producătorul vă oferă o garanție comercială de durabilitate pentru anumite bunuri pentru o perioadă de timp anume, acesta răspunde direct față de dumneavoastră, pe întreaga perioadă acoperită de garanția de durabilitate, pentru repararea sau înlocuirea bunurilor. Producătorul vă poate oferi condiții mai favorabile în certificatul de garanție comercială de durabilitate.

Garanția comercială trebuie să vă fie oferită în scris sau pe orice suport durabil. Acest lucru se poate realiza sub forma certificatului de garanție.

În cazul produselor de folosință îndelungată certificatul de garanție este obligatoriu, chiar dacă nu se oferă garanție comercială.

Certificatul de garanție comercială este formulat într-un limbaj simplu și inteligibil și conține următoarele elemente:

• o declarație clară prin care se indică faptul că consumatorul are dreptul la măsuri corective din partea vânzătorului, fără costuri, în caz de neconformitate a bunurilor și că măsurile corective respective nu sunt afectate de garanția comercială;
• numele și adresa garantului;
• procedura pe care trebuie să o urmeze consumatorul pentru a obține aducerea în aplicare a garanției comerciale;
• indicarea bunurilor cărora li se aplică garanția comercială;
• condițiile garanției comerciale.

Prezumția lipsei de conformitate

Până la proba contrară, se consideră că orice problemă (neconformitate) a produsului, apărută în termen de 1 an de la momentul livrării, a existat atunci când produsul v-a fost livrat.

Răspunderea vânzătorului

Vânzătorul este răspunzător față de dumneavoastră pentru orice lipsă de conformitate existentă la momentul cand au fost livrate bunurile.

În cazul lipsei conformității, aveți dreptul de a solicita vânzătorului aducerea produsului la conformitate prin reparare sau înlocuire gratuită, reducerea prețului sau rezoluțiunea contractului. Pentru oricare dintre aceste măsuri corective puteți opta și atunci când neconformitatea bunurilor este constatată la scurt timp după livrare, fără a depăși 30 de zile calendaristice.

Dreptul de retragere

Dreptul de retragere dintr-un contract este valabil doar pentru contractele încheiate la distanță sau în afara spațiilor comerciale și poate fi exercitat într-un termen de 14 zile calendaristice, fără să fie nevoie să justificați decizia.

În cazul exercitării dreptului de retragere comerciantul trebuie să vă ramburseze sumele plătite, fără întârziere nejustificată, dar nu mai târziu de 14 zile de la data la care l-ați informat de decizia de retragere din contract.

Există câteva excepții specifice de la dreptul de retragere, de exemplu mărfuri perisabile, bunuri care nu au fost sigilate și care nu pot fi returnate din motive de încălzire sau de igienă și contracte de servicii după ce serviciul a fost efectuat complet, atunci când v-ați dat acordul prealabil pentru a începe prestația imediat și ați recunoscut că v-ați pierdut dreptul de retragere atunci când serviciul este complet realizat.

Proceduri pentru soluționarea litigiilor în materie de consum și acordarea de despăgubiri

Dacă aveți o problemă cu un comerciant, iar aceasta nu poate fi soluționată în mod direct cu comerciantul, aveți la dispoziție următoarele posibilități:

• depunerea unei reclamații la autoritatea competentă;
• inițierea unei proceduri de soluționare alternativă a litigiilor.

Procedura generală privind soluționarea petițiilor consumatorilor

Dacă aveți reședința în România și aveți o problemă cu un comerciant din România vă puteti adresa Comisariatelor Regionale pentru Protecția Consumatorilor, structuri subordonate Autorității Naționale pentru Protecția Consumatorilor.

Formele prin care vă puteți adresa structurilor Autorității Naționale pentru Protecția Consumatorilor sunt:

• sesizare: formulare făcută în scris cu privire la lipsa conformității produselor/serviciilor achiziționate, fără solicitare de pretenții materiale, prin care se aduce la cunoștință o posibilă încălcare a drepturilor și intereselor consumatorilor.
• reclamație: formulare făcută în scris cu privire la lipsa conformității produselor/serviciilor achiziționate sau alte încălcări ale drepturilor și intereselor consumatorilor și prin care se solicită pretenții materiale sau de altă natură.

Procedura de soluționare a litigiilor transfrontaliere

Dacă aveți o problemă cu un comerciant din altă țară din UE, din Norvegia, Islanda și din Marea Britanie, puteți apela la Centrul European al Consumatorilor din țara de reședintă.

Centrele Europene ale Consumatorilor vă pot oferi, în mod gratuit, următoarele servicii:

• informare despre drepturile pe care le aveți în baza legislației europene și naționale;
• informare despre posibile modalități de soluționare a reclamației;
• facilitarea ajungerii la o înțelegere pe cale amiabilă cu comerciantul din străinătate de la care ați cumpărat produse sau servicii, direct sau online;
• redirecționarea către un organism competent, dacă nu s-a putut obține o soluționare a litigiului pe cale amiabilă.

National or European legislation does not contain specific provisions on the conditions under which a car may be rented in one of the Member States.

Although there are no legislative regulations on this service, the rental regime is covered by consumer rights, an area managed by the National Authority for Consumer Protection.

In order to move efficiently inside Romania or the European Union, without buying a car, you can use the "car-sharing" and car rental services, through which you can rent a car, in the short or long term.

In Romania, the rental of a car is done by private companies, each of them having specific rental conditions.

Most car rental companies require certain conditions, such as:

• Presentation of a valid identity document;
• Presentation of a valid driving license. A valid driving license means both the national driving license where the expiry date is greater than or equal to the estimated date of delivery of the vehicle and the international driving license. According to current legislation, the minimum age to drive a car is 18 years.
• Signing a contract / agreement for renting a car that can be concluded online or at the company's headquarters.
• Payment of a rental fee

The right of end-users also includes the right of access to universal service in the field of electronic communications, through which one can benefit from services at a certain level of quality, with affordable tariffs, regardless of geographical location.
The access and the possibility for end-users to benefit from electronic communications services adapted to their needs, are provided in the national legislation which imposes on the providers of communication services, regarding the regular information of certain categories of subscribers, about the services or equipment they provide. are dedicated in detail and in a form accessible to them.

The rights of the consumer who rents a car

• Conclusion of a civil liability insurance. According to national law, every vehicle to be rented must be covered by a civil liability insurance, valid in all European Union countries.
• The request of the representative of the rental company, to conclude a report in which to mention the potential damages found.
• Request that the handover-receipt report be signed by the company's representative, this document being able to constitute evidence in case of disputes.

Obligations to inform users by electronic communications providers
Providers of telephony services and broadband internet access must provide the National Authority for Administration and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) with the necessary information, on the basis of which the institution has set up an internet portal to compare the tariffs and conditions offered by suppliers - VERITEL.ro
Through VERITEL.ro, users can compare public offers for fixed telephony, mobile telephony and mobile internet services, fixed internet or tablet or laptop internet, as well as for packages composed of these services existing on the market, before choosing a certain supplier or a certain offer.

National or European legislation does not contain specific provisions on the conditions under which a car may be rented in one of the Member States.

Although there are no legislative regulations on this service, the rental regime is covered by consumer rights, an area managed by the National Authority for Consumer Protection.

In order to move efficiently inside Romania or the European Union, without buying a car, you can use the "car-sharing" and car rental services, through which you can rent a car, in the short or long term.

In Romania, the rental of a car is done by private companies, each of them having specific rental conditions.

Most car rental companies require certain conditions, such as:

• Presentation of a valid identity document;
• Presentation of a valid driving license. A valid driving license means both the national driving license where the expiry date is greater than or equal to the estimated date of delivery of the vehicle and the international driving license. According to current legislation, the minimum age to drive a car is 18 years;
• Signing a contract / agreement for renting a car that can be concluded online or at the company's headquarters;
• Payment of a rental fe.

The rights of the consumer who rents a car

• Conclusion of a civil liability insurance. According to national law, every vehicle to be rented must be covered by a civil liability insurance, valid in all European Union countries;
• The request of the representative of the rental company, to conclude a report in which to mention the potential damages found;
• Request that the handover-receipt report be signed by the company's representative, this document being able to constitute evidence in case of disputes.