The Romanian Customs Administration and the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) have implemented rules targeting the frequency of personal tobacco and alcohol imports from the European Union. Effective August 2026, the joint order aims to close legal loopholes previously used for illicit commercial trade.
Previously, Romanian law only set quantitative guidelines for personal purchases made in other EU countries, allowing individuals to cross the border multiple times a day with the maximum legal limit. Under the new framework, authorities define “occasional” transport by tying these quantitative limits to specific timeframes.
To enforce these rules, the Romanian Customs Administration has established an electronic registry to track inspections. Customs officers will fill out a physical finding sheet during checks, which must be signed by both the officer and the traveler. This data will be logged electronically to monitor repeat trips.
The Ministry of Finance stated that the measure aims to “increase the level of fiscal compliance and improve revenue collection at the state budget, in a context where excisable products represent a category with a major impact on public revenues.”
The quantitative thresholds for personal use within these designated timeframes are structured as follows:
| Product Category | Maximum Personal Limit | Allowed Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes | 800 units (40 packs) | Once every 40 days |
| Heated Tobacco | 800 sticks (or 250 grams) | Once every 40 days |
| Other Tobacco | 1 kg smoking tobacco / 200 cigarillos / 250g chewing tobacco | Once every 40 days |
| Strong Alcohol | 10 liters | Once per year |
| Wine & Beer | 90 liters of wine (max 60L sparkling) / 110 liters of beer | Once per year |
If an individual exceeds these limits within the 40-day or one-year windows, the transport is deemed commercial. Violators face fines ranging from RON 20,000 to RON 100,000, alongside the immediate confiscation of all offending goods.
