On 13 January 2026, the new Regulation on the granting of permits and licences in the natural gas sector (the “Regulation”) came into force, approved by ANRE Order No. 83/2025 (“ANRE Order No. 83/2025”).
The main points of interest introduced by the Regulation and ANRE Order No. 83/2025:
► New categories of regulated activities
The Regulation expressly includes biogas/biomethane under establishment permits and for licensing of activities related to these installations. It also introduces permits for direct pipelines, which facilitate the supply of natural gas to customers in unserved areas or when the distribution operator refuses connection.
► Digitisation of the permitting/licensing process
One of the new features is the digitisation of the means for submitting documentation for permitting/licensing. Operators can submit their applications via the dedicated ANRE portal, e-mail, or the Single Electronic Contact Point. Documents can be signed electronically or in wet ink if applicants choose to submit them in hard copy to ANRE.
► Clarifications regarding the licensing regime, incompatibilities, and prohibitions
The Regulation stipulates that an operator cannot hold two licenses of the same type at the same time, nor can they hold incompatible combinations, such as a supply license and a trader license. It also details the conditions under which foreign operators can enter the Romanian market.
It also clarifies the prohibitions on authorisation and licensing. Thus, operators who are bankrupt, those whose licence has been withdrawn in the last 5 years, or those whose shareholders/directors are involved in companies with unpaid debts resulting from transactions on the gas market will not be issued a permit/license.
► Financial criteria and procedural deadlines
The Regulation introduces stricter criteria for proving the applicant's financial capacity by increasing the minimum financial resources that the operator must have at the time of application from EUR 100,000 to EUR 200,000.
In addition, it standardises and details the deadlines for reviewing applications, as well as the circumstances under which they may be rejected.
► Transitional provisions
Within six months of the Regulation's approval, existing operators must submit to ANRE documents certifying compliance with the new requirements for premises, contact points, and qualified personnel.
► Other changes introduced by ANRE Order No. 83/2025
ANRE Order No. 83/2025 repeals the previous regulations on permitting and licensing in the gas market, namely ANRE Order No. 199/2020 approving the Regulation for granting permits and licences in the natural gas sector; ANRE Order No. 200/2020 approving the framework conditions of validity associated with the establishment permit for new hydrogen production facilities; and ANRE Order No. 209/2020 approving the Framework Conditions of Validity associated with the establishment permit for an LNG facility.
It also introduces an amendment to ANRE Order No. 6/2025, which approves the Regulation on granting licences and permits in the electricity sector. Requests to update permits/licences as a result of changes to the registered office or other offices, the company name, or its legal form are considered administrative changes and are not subject to the approval of the Regulatory Committee; they will be resolved by decision of ANRE’s president.
