Dear people and organizations, institutions and initiative groups involved in ESC, Erasmus+ and SEE projects,
Please read the following information carefully. It contains important informations regarding the set of measures in place in Romania, in state of emergency since 16 March, translated in English!

You have a list of the most important official sources of information in relation with COVID-19 in Romania HERE.

You have a list of 15 recommendations for responsible social behaviour against COVID-19 available HERE (issued by the Romanian autorities)

We update this news item regularly this message aims to keep you informed and safe. The National Agency is in constant communication with the organizations with approved projects and we are exploring together alternative forms of engagement of the participants in the activities they came in Romania for (or similar ones). Also, be assured that for all particular situations are analized case by case scenario in order to take the best decisions for both the organizations and participants.

All measures in place during the emergency state are still available below.

Measures in place during the state of alert (starting with 15th of May - update on 15.05.2020)

As of 15 May 2020, Romania has entered in a state of alert (one level lower than state of emergency) for 30 days through the decision no. 24/14 May 2020 of the National Committee for Emergency Situations.

The full decision is available here (in Romanian) and here (in English). Please note that further measures will be taken by relevant public authorities to regulate activity in various sectors and that measures taken during the state of emergency that have not been specifically cancelled by authorities remain in place.

Main measures in place relevant for your activities are translated below (important notification: this is not an official translation)

Face mask

Obligativity to wear face mask covering nose and mouth at all times in all commercial spaces, public transport, at work and other indoor spaces. 

Movement outside residence

It is allowed to move outside home/residence from 15 May 2020 with strict observance of prevention measures and avoiding to form groups bigger than 3 persons that do not belong to the same family. Parks are open to the public, except children playgrounds.

It is forbidden to organise demonstrations, meetings, concerts in public spaces, as well as any cultural, scientific, sports, entertainment, gambling, fitness, swimming (use of pools) or similar activities in indoor spaces. Excepted from this rule are worship activities with public participation that can take place outside places of worship, as well as private rituals taking place in places of worship (i.e. churches) with the participation of maximum 16 persons; personal care activities organised in specifically designated places with respect of all the rules in place; professional sports training; cultural activities taking place in specifically designated places of museums, libraries and exhibition halls which take place with the respect of the rules in place; leisure and sports activities outdoors with a maximum of 3 people such as cycling, mountain trekking, running, hunting, fishing, and similar activities. 

Movement within Romania between localities

It is forbidden to leave your residence locality (city, village, etc) with the following exceptions:

- professional interest

- humanitarian and volunteering activities

- agriculture and commerce of agricultural goods

- care and administration of properties, as well as issue of relevant documents that entail access to rights

- participation at medical care treatment

- care for family members or people in need

- sports and leisure activities that can be done with the participation of maximum 3 people (cycling, trekking, hiking, fishing, hunting etc.

Such movement is justified with an affadavit. Model in Romanian here and translation in English (Romanian version to be used, this translation is for reference resons only) here.

Travel abroad

The entrance of foreign citizens and stateless persons in Romania is forbidden. Excepted from this rule are: family members of Romanian citizens, family members of EU/EEA and Switzerland citizens with residence in Romania, people possessing a long term residence permit in Romania, people travelling in professional interest proven through visa, residence permit or equivalent documents; diplomatic staff and staff of international organisations, tranzit passengers, passengers travelling for imperative reasons and people in need of international and humanitarian protection.

Commercial flights to/from Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, United Kingdom, Holland, Spain, United States of America, Turkey and Iran are suspended for a period of 14 days starting 15.05.2020, with some exceptions.

Commercial transport by car/bus to and from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Holland and Turkey is suspended until 1 June 2020.  

Several border crossing points remain closed.

Quarantine and isolation

All people arriving in Romania from abroad must undergo 14 days of quarantine/isolation at home together with all people living with them. Those who do not have this possibility or do not want to expose their families can choose institutionalised quarantine in spaces provided by authorities. People who disrespect quarantine/isolation measures will be placed in institutionalised quarantine for 14 days and will have to pay the value of accomodation and food for this period. People who are in institutionalised quarantine on 15 May 2020 will finish their 14 days in these spaces.

At the order of commander of action, buildings, neighbourhoods, localities, regions can be placed under quarantine. Communities placed under quarantine during the state of emergency remain under quarantine until a decision to end the measure will be taken.

Medical care

Dental care for non-emergency cases is allowed, with the respect of prevention and control rules. General medical care for non-emergency cases is allowed with the condition that appointments are made and forbidding patients in waiting areas. Hospitalisation of non-emergency patients is allowed in on-COVID hospitals. Access of family members in hospitals is forbidden, however a system of informing families must be in place.

School and universities

All courses are suspended in schools and universities until the end of the school/university year. It is allowed to organise for 2 weeks after 2 June 2020 preparation activities for students in terminal years and to organise the national exams while strictly respecting the prevention measures. 

Work organisation

All public institutions and authorities and all economic operators must organise the activity so that work takes place at the home of the employees, and if this is not possible they should take measures to ensure: a. epidemiological triage – checking the body temperature at the entrance in the workplace; b. mandatory disinfection of hands at the entrance in the workplace; c. the respect of rules concerning open space offices and of the rules concerning the functioning of hotels; d. for entities with more than 50 employees, the starting/ending hours of work programme should be staggered on intervals of minimum 1h and over a minimum of 3 h, with 20% of staff involved. Access of people with a body temperature over 37.3 degrees is forbidden. 

Access to public institutions/commercial spaces

Activity is organised so that a minimum of 4sqm is ensured for every client/person and a minimum 2m distance are respected at all times between 2 persons; access of people with a body temperature over 37.3 is forbidden and surfaces are disinfected regularly. 

Public transport

Is organised respecting the specific rules. 

Restaurants

Serving and consumption activity in common spaces in restaurants, hotels, motels, pensions, cafes and other public space (including teraces) is forbidden. Services such as drive-in, room sercvice, take away and so on are excepted from this rule. 

Malls

Commercial activity in spaces with a surface of more than 15000sqm in which more economic operators function is forbidden with the exception of those selling food, veterinary products, pharmacies, optical care and cleaning services, as well as the activity of commercial operators who have direct access from the exterior and can close communication with the rest of the complex.

Residential care centre

Are obliged to ensure functioning for elderly, residential centres for children and adults with and without disabilities, as well as for other vulnerable caegories and to impose isolation conditions for the staff during work time.

Measures in place during the emergency state (15th of March - 14th of May)

Measures instituted by Military Orders 1-7 (last update on 6th of April)

Movement of all persons on the territory of Romania 

The affidavit (self-declaration for leaving the premises) to be filled in Romanian HERE. - updated on 30.03.2020

Translation in English (for understanding content purpose only, for official purpose please make sure you fill in the Romanian version) HERE. - updated on 30.03.2020

1. All movement outside the household of all persons on the territory of Romania is forbidden with the following exceptions:
   • In professional interest, between the household and workplaces;
   • To ensure basic needs of people and pets as well as basic goods for professional activity;
   • To receive medical assistance that cannot be delayed or given remotely;
   • For justified reasons such as care of children, elderly, sick or people with disabilities, or death of a family member;
   • Short movement nearby the household for individual physical activity, as well as for the needs of pets.
   • To donate blood
   • For agricultural work
   • For the sale of agricultural goods.
2. Movement of people over 65 years old outside the household is allowed only between 11:00-13:00 for the following reasons:
   • To ensure basic needs of people and pets as well as basic goods for professional activity;
   • For justified reasons such as care of children, elderly, sick or people with disabilities, or death of a family member;
   • Short movement nearby the household for individual physical activity.
3. People over 65 can move outside the household for professional interest, for agricultural work, and to receive medical assistance that cannot be delayed or given remotely outside the hours mentioned at point 2. People over 65 can move nearby the house shortly for the needs of pets between 11:00-13:00 and 20:00-21:00.
4. Commercial operators (shops) and public institutions should prioritise the access of people over 65 in the timeframe 11:00-13:00 and other age categories are requested to use the rest of the day. People over 65 can move outside the household for professional interest and for agricultural work outside the hours mentioned at point 2.
5. Reasons for the movement of persons outside are checked by authorities. People must present:
   • Work ID or work certificate issued by the employer for movement in professional interest
   • Affidavit (self-declaration) for all other movement
   MODELS OF AFFADAVIT is available in EN translation and the MODEL in Romanian to be completed are available above.
   They can be presented to authorities also using the phone, tablet and/or other electronics.
6. It is recommended that all work that can be done from home to be done so.

Travel in and out of Romania

• Ban of commercial flights from/to the following countries: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Iran, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, United States of America.
• All persons entering Romania will have to undergo isolation at home (yellow zone) or quarantine (red zone). The decision is made by authorities at entrance in the country. The list of countries in the red and yellow zone is available here and regularly updated.
• Entrance in Romania of foreign citizens and stateless persons is forbidden except for transit situations through transit corridors agreed between Romania and other states. Exceptions are made for: family members of Romanian citizens, EU, EEA, Switzerland citizens with residence in Romania; those in possession of a long term visa and residence permit in Romania; those who have a professional interest proven through visa, residence permit or equivalent document; diplomatic and international organisations’ staff, military staff bringing humanitarian aid; passengers in transit or travelling for medical emergencies; people in need of international protection and other humanitarian reasons.
• All non-essential travel is to be delayed or cancelled. (MO1)
• The Romanian Foreign Affairs has requested Romanian citizens abroad to return to Romania with emergency.
• All mobilities/exchanges of experience that have not started yet are suspended until further notice. (MO 1)

Places under total quarantine

• Suceava municipality and 8 additional localities (Adâncata, Salcea, Ipotești, Bosanci, Moara, Șcheia, Pătrăuți and Mitocu Dragomirnei) are under total quarantine. The rest of the county functions as a safety zone. This means no travel in and out of the quarantine zone except for essential deliveries and work, no travel within the county and other exceptional measures to be instituted by the County Emergency Committee. The measure was necessary due to the high number of infections and deaths at county level. (MO 6/30 March 2020)
• Ţăndărei city (county Ialomiţa) is under total quarantine since 4 April 2020. This means no travel in and out of the quarantine zone except for essential deliveries and work, no travel within the county and other exceptional measures to be instituted by the County Emergency Committee. The measure was necessary due to the high number of infections and deaths at city level. (MO 7/4 April)

Expiring documents

• Documents issues by the authorities that expire during the state of emergency can be renewed in 90 days after the end of the state of emergence

Medical treatment

• All hospitals have instituted special procedures for medical triage in the context of the pandemic
• Stomatology cabinets suspend their activity, except for emergencies.
• Only medical treatment that cannot be delayed should be thought. Most primary care practitioners offer phone consultancy and issue prescriptions online. 

Isolation/quarantine

• If a person in isolation at home leaves their home without permission of authorities, they are considered people with high risk of contagion and are placed in institutionalised quarantine with security. They will also have to cover the costs of the quarantine. People in quarantine that leave the quarantine without permission of the authorities are placed in a subsequent 14 days quarantine and they will cover the costs of the additional quarantine. All penal measures and fines are applied as well.
• A system of communication and verification of isolation and quarantine will be developed by the authorities.
• Penalties: Failure to respect the measures foreseen in the military orders, as well as those in place through other orders, leads to consequences ranging from fine to penal case with possibility of prison time as foreseen by the law.

Other measures

• All public education activities are suspended until the end of the state of emergency. This includes all levels of education from pre-school to university.
• Ministry of National Defence (the Army) will ensure, at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the protection of various objectives (i.e. buildings), public order with staff and vehicles and will support the activity at the borders.
• Public institutions and economic operators always need to visibly mark the area dedicated to citizen/client access and the area dedicated to public/client relations in order to ensure the respect of a safety distance of 1,5 m between people. Most public institutions have suspended face-to-face public work and are responding to requests via email and telephone.
• Price for electric energy, thermal energy, fuel and gas cannot go higher than the price of 29 March 2020. (MO 4/29 March 2020)
• Local authorities must identify all homeless people and provide for their care and shelter.
• Shops in commercial centers suspend their activity except for those that sell food products, pharmaceutical products or cleaning services.
• All religious masses can be held without people and streamed in mass-media and online. Religious acts such as baptism, weddings and funerals can be held with a maximum of 8 people. Receiving communion (Eucharist) for suffering believers can be done at hospital or at residence.
• Where necessary, access is limited to ensure the required social distance.
• All public institutions, and companies with over 99 employees, are working with de-phased schedule in order to diminish the traffic and number of people in traffic in major cities.
• All medicine and medical equipment required for the treatment of COVID-19 cannot be exported from Romanian territory for the next 6 months.

State of emegency in Romania info (Presidential Decree in RO HERE) 

On 16 March 2020 the President of Romania has declared state of emergency in Romania. There is the possibility that it will be extended with new decrees. The decree provides for measures in place right now and allows the possibility for further restrictions to be imposed as needed.

What is foreseen in the State of emergency decree:
1. State of emergency for the entire territory for 30 days.
2. Some may be fundamental rights and freedoms are restricted:
- Freedom of movement
- Right to family life and privacy
- Inviolability of home
- right to education
- freedom of assembly
- right to private property
- right to strike
- economic freedom.
3. All school (pre-school, school, university) is suspended for the time of the state of emergency.
The decree foresees measures of immediate emergency that are applied through military order of the Minister of Interior Affairs with the agreement of the Prime-Minister. Please follow official sources and request your organisations to inform you about the latest measures.