Romania is Bulgaria’s Second Largest Trade Partner within the EU
Trade with Romania increased by 7% during the first quarter of 2025, while Bulgarian exports rose by 18.9%, compared to the same period last year. This was announced during a meeting between the Minister of Economy and Industry, Peter Dilov, and the Ambassador of Romania to Bulgaria, H.E. Brândușa Predescu. The Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry, Dontcho Barbalov, also took part in the meeting.
Minister Dilov highlighted that Romania is among Bulgaria’s key and leading foreign trade partners, with a sustained trend in recent years towards strengthening bilateral trade relations. According to data from the previous year, the trade volume between the two countries exceeded EUR 7.3 billion, he noted.
The two parties discussed opportunities for deepening the partnership and implementing joint initiatives, including entering third markets together in sectors such as the food and beverage industry, trade, IT, and outsourcing. They also noted the potential for joint projects in the fields of digitalisation, the environment, energy, and others.
Ambassador Brândușa Predescu emphasised that the two countries enjoy strong bilateral relations, elevated to the level of a strategic partnership. ‘We will continue to partner within regional cooperation programmes,’ she added.
According to her, Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone will open up many new opportunities for businesses on both sides. “I am convinced that your admission to the eurozone will attract greater interest from Romanian investors in Bulgaria,” she said, adding that the number of Bulgarian investors in Romania is also on the rise, with more than 3,300 Bulgarian companies now operating on the Romanian market.
The parties also discussed the accession processes of both countries to the OECD, which is expected to further boost international investor confidence in the region.