Non-governmental organizations in Romania

What is an NGO in Romania?

Answer: A broad definition of the concept of non-governmental organization indicates certain types of entities which are acting separately, as referred to state authority prerogatives. Non-governmental organizations in Romania are legal entities established by natural or legal persons, who intend to conduct activities for general purposes, on behalf of other local communities or in their own personal but non-patrimonial interest.

Our team of lawyers in Romania can provide specialized assistance for the registration of these organizations.

What types of NGOs can be established in Romania?

Answer: From a legal point of view, there are three types of non-governmental organizations: associations, foundations and federations. These are briefly described below by the experts at our law firm in Romania.

Associations correspond to organizations founded by at least three persons who are contributing with material resources or through their intellectual background. As opposing to basic structure of associations, the foundation can be established by one or more individuals who, under a legal document signed by living individuals or dictated by someone’s will, set up a patrimony permanently and irrevocably assigned to achieving a general interest or a specific group’s interests. Federations possess a structure which resembles the joint stock profile and it can be defined as a group of two or more legal entities. The federation can be conceived either from two or more associations or from two or more foundations, on the assumption that each of them will keep its legal personality.

In order to register an NGO in Romania, the founders must provide an initial patrimony. For an association, the law no longer sets a minimum value: the initial patrimony consists of the members' contributions in kind and/or in cash. For a foundation, the initial patrimony must be worth at least 10 times the gross national minimum wage at the date of incorporation (at least 2 times for foundations whose sole purpose is to raise funds for other associations or foundations). Patrimony has its own specific purpose which translates into sustaining the main role of the organization itself. Our Romanian lawyers can provide adequate assistance for drawing up all the needed documents.

What is the registration process for opening an NGO in Romania?

Answer: The registration procedures cover two distinct phases.

One refers to the court decision of either accepting or refusing the registration. The judge verifies the application and orders the registration within 3 days of filing; the decision can be appealed within 5 days of its pronouncement or communication.

The other phase describes all procedures which must take place in order to complete the bureaucratic process including also the validation of the articles of incorporation and the bylaws. Our lawyers in Romania can assist during both of the procedures, as needed.

What documents are needed for opening an NGO in Romania?

Answer: In order to register an NGO in Romania, you need a set of documents to start the procedure. The needed documents for establishing non-governmental organizations in Romania comprise a proof for the name reservations, IDs of the founder members, the proof of owning a registered address, neighbors’ approval (if necessary), the proof of the primary patrimony, the criminal records for founder members or the fiscal certificate for legal persons, together with the articles of incorporation and the bylaws. Those interested can reach out to our lawyers in Romania for complete assistance when preparing the needed documents.

First thing to do when starting to register an NGO in Romania is to verify the availability of the name.  An application form must be submitted to the general registry of the Ministry of Justice. The application form can be found online and costs related to these procedures should be verified before initiating the process. Next step regards the identification of the registered address. 

We are happy to explain all steps of the registration process, specifically drawing attention to less ordinary details that can be of real help in such instances. If you need more information, contact our law firm in Romania now, as our lawyers are always available for future questions. 

by Cristian Darie