Romania has undertaken the obligation through the N.R.R.P. to adopt in the first quarter of
2023 the Code of Territorial Planning, Urbanism and Construction (C.A.T.U.C.). Thus, the
National Recovery and Resilience Plan (N.R.R.P.) also contains a real estate component in
constituted by chapter C5. Renovation Wave to which a total loan of Euro 2.2 billion is
allocated.
New Code aims is to organise into a single piece of legislation all spatial planning, urban
planning and construction provisions currently governed by several laws, government
decisions and ministerial orders.
Through N.R.R.P. Romania has undertaken to reduce the time required to issue a building
permit by at least 50% by middle of 2025 compared to 2020, from 270 days currently to
135 days, by reducing with approx. 50% the number of permits and authorisations.
In order to achieve this objective, the draft of new Code was published for public debate at
the middle of April 2022. For 30 days anyone could have submitted comments or proposals
for amendments.
When it will enter into force, more than 560 articles of the new Code will repeal and replace
3 very important laws currently regulating land-use planning and construction activities in
Romania, namely: Law 350/2001 on land-use planning and urban planning, Law 50/1991 on
authorisation of construction works, and Law 10/1995 on construction quality, as well as
their methodological rules.
At the same time, within 12 months as of the entry into force date of new Code other
normative acts related to urban planning and construction will be amended and republished.
It is a fundamental change in legislation in an area that is very important for economic, social
and transport activities.
This codification process of all legislation in the field of urban planning and construction into
a single law was started as early as 2016, and continued in March 2021 with the publication
of the preliminary concepts of new Code.
Modifications introduced by new Code are numerous and substantial, of which we can
mention, by way of example:
(i) a difference in legal status and conditions is established between land de-merger and
parcellation;
(ii) Detailed Urban Plan (P.U.D.) is removed from legislation and replaced by a Detailed
Urban Project, the latter not being subject to approval by Local Council Decision as it is
currently the case;
(iii) Single Planning and Construction Permitting Platform will be established which will
include National Single Office for submission of applications and issuance of permits for
construction works;
(iv) building permit will no longer be required, but only a notification to public authority
for certain types of works, such as: garages, covered terraces, stands of less than 50 square
metres or houses of less than 150 square metres in rural areas which are not in built-up or
protected natural areas, if such are carried out on the basis of model projects provided by
local or central public authorities
(v) there will be possible to construct without building permit on the basis of a placement
plan: electric vehicle charging points or waste collection points;
(vi) feasibility study will no longer be required for emergency interventions or routine
repair and maintenance works.
