The immediate impact on taxpayers and local administrations is the strengthening of fiscal discipline in vehicle transactions and the maintenance of predictable energy costs for households. Through Government Emergency Ordinance no. 7/2026 and Government Emergency Ordinance no. 12/2026, the government introduces measures affecting local taxation, the road contravention regime, and the natural gas market.
Taxation of Vehicle Transactions Completed Within a Short Period
Government Emergency Ordinance no. 7/2026 modifies the traditional rule established in Law no. 227/2015 – the Fiscal Code, according to which the vehicle tax is owed by the person who owns the vehicle on January 1 of the fiscal year.
The new regulation introduces the concept of temporarily owned vehicles, applicable to situations where a vehicle is purchased, registered, and resold within the same calendar year. In such cases, the temporary owner owes the tax for that year, even if they did not own the vehicle at the beginning of the year.
The payment regime differs from the standard annual tax system. Instead of the usual two installments, the tax liability must be paid in full at the moment the vehicle is transferred.
The ordinance also introduces additional fiscal discipline measures at the local level:
- sale–purchase contracts for real estate or vehicles are considered void if the buyer does not present proof of the absence of outstanding obligations to the local budget;
- vehicle deregistration from the authorities’ records cannot be completed without full payment of all local tax liabilities.
Driving License Suspension and Payment of Traffic Fines
Legislative amendments correlated with Law no. 239/2025 introduce additional conditions for reducing the suspension period of a driving license. Drivers must demonstrate both passing the verification test and paying all outstanding traffic fines in full.
Additionally, starting in autumn 2026, an automatic suspension mechanism will be introduced for drivers who fail to pay traffic fines within the legal deadline.
Natural Gas Price Capping Mechanism
To avoid price volatility after the expiration of the current scheme on March 31, 2026, Government Emergency Ordinance no. 12/2026 establishes a temporary consumer protection mechanism until March 31, 2027.
The regulation introduces an indirect price cap at the producer level, requiring producers to sell quantities intended for household consumption and thermal energy production at 110 RON/MWh.
Although the mechanism applies upstream, the effect for household consumers remains stable: the final invoiced price cannot exceed 0.31 RON/kWh (VAT included). The measure functions as a transition period toward full liberalization of the gas market while maintaining protection of household purchasing power.