List of Documents/Authorizations
Documents required to start a fish farm in Romania
Within the National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Register of aquaculture units is operational, having administrative nature and including all production capacities. The aquaculture production units are included in the Register of Aquaculture Units and receive an aquaculture license, issued by the Agency.
For the registration of the aquaculture units and the issuance of the aquaculture license, the applicants must submit the following documents to the territorial branches of the National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture:
a) application form, according to Annex 1;
b) Report/statement of the aquaculture production unit, according to Annex 2;
c) concession/lease/association contract and other documents attesting the ownership/administration in order to carry out the aquaculture activity;
d) the sketch and the zoning plan of the aquaculture unit;
e) copy of the identity document of the owner/administrator and/or copy of the statute of the company that manages the production unit, showing that it has aquaculture in the object of activity;
f) copy of the Certificate of fiscal registration;
– issued by the National Trade Register Office for sole traders, sole partnerships and family partnerships, commercial companies, national companies, autonomous administrations, economic interest groups, cooperative companies, cooperative organizations, European companies, European cooperative companies and European interest groups with head office in Romania
– issued by the National Agency for Fiscal Administration for associations and other entities without legal personality and legal persons that are not registered in the trade register;
g) copy of the environmental authorization, for the business establishment for which the aquaculture license is requested;
– issued by the Environmental Protection Agencies in the counties where the business establishment is located;
h) copy of the water management permit for the business establishment for which the aquaculture license is requested;
– issued by the Romanian Waters National Administration/Basin Administration related to the business establishment;
i) sanitary-veterinary registration;
– sanitary-veterinary authorization of the aquaculture production unit issued by the Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate from the county in which the business establishment is located;
j) ascertaining certificate with the declaration of the business establishment issued by the Trade Register Office;
k) the agreement of the legal owner of the reservoir, showing that aquaculture activities can be carried out.
Within 10 days, the territorial branch of the Agency verifies the authenticity of the data entered in the submitted documentation and concludes the fact-finding report, according to Annex 3. On the basis of the fact-finding report and the documentation submitted, the Agency shall proceed with the issuance of the aquaculture license and the registration of the aquaculture production unit in the Register of Aquaculture Units.
The aquaculture license is non-transferable and is issued for an indefinite period.
The template of the aquaculture license is provided in Annex 4.
Any modification regarding the change of owner/administrator, production capacities and cultured species will be communicated to the Agency within 30 days after occurrence, in order to update the Register of Aquaculture Units and issue a new aquaculture license, if applicable.
Upon proposal of personnel with rights for inspection and control, the aquaculture license is cancelled/suspended for a 90 days period, in case the economic operator does no longer comply with the conditions that were the basis of issuing the aquaculture license or uses the production capacity for other purposes than the ones declared. The aquaculture production units for which the aquaculture licenses were cancelled will be excluded from the Register of Aquaculture Units.
Financing opportunities/tools/instruments available for the aquaculture sector in Romania
New financing opportunities
I. Funding programmes
I.1 Operational Programme for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs 2014-2020 (POPAM) (https://www.ampeste.ro/popam-2014-2020/programul-operational-pentru-pescuit-si-afaceri-maritime-2014-2020.html) managed by the General Direction for Fisheries – Managing Authority for the Operational Programme for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs (DGP-AMPOPAM).
Through the Operational Programme for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs 2014-2020, Union Priority 2 (PU2) – Fostering environmentally sustainable, resource-efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge-based aquaculture, projects proposed by fish farmers, research institutes, educational units, etc. can be funded, projects that would contribute to the increase of the production in aquaculture.
In April 2021, the General Direction for Fisheries – Managing Authority for the Operational Programme for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs launched a call for proposals through POPAM 2014-2020, Measure II.2 – Productive Investments in Aquaculture.
Eligible applicants are companies with NACE code 0321 – Marine aquaculture or 0322 – Freshwater aquaculture as registered object of activity.
Both companies with an operational history and newly established companies, organized in the following forms, are eligible for funding:
- Sole traders, sole partnerships and family partnerships (established under the Government Urgency Ordinance no. 44/2008, with subsequent amendments);
- General partnerships, limited partnerships, public limited companies, partnerships limited by shares and private limited companies (established based on Law no. 31/1990, republished, with subsequent amendments);
- Legally established associations that carry out economic activity;
- Fishery cooperative companies, that carry out economic activity in the aquaculture sector;
- Research units with production activity in the field of aquaculture that carry out economic activity, in accordance with the provisions of art. 95, para. (2) lit. (a) of REGULATION (EU) NO. 508 of May 15, 2014.
The intensity of the financial support, depending on the type of applicant is as follows:
-100% of the total eligible costs of the operation when the beneficiary is a body governed by public law;
-75% of the total eligible costs of the operation when the beneficiary is a fishery cooperative, which carries out economic activities in the field of aquaculture;
-75% of the total eligible costs of the operation when the beneficiaries are legally established associations, which carry out economic activities;
-50% of the total eligible costs of the project (including eligible VAT) for SMEs and NGOs with economic activity in the field of aquaculture;
-30% of the total eligible costs of the project (including eligible VAT) for enterprises that do not fall within the definition of SMEs and NGOs with economic activity in the field of aquaculture.
For the implementation of the project, the beneficiary will ensure the co-financing of the investment through: contribution in kind, cash contribution constituted by the beneficiary, financing sources (bank credit) or combinations of them.
Eligible activities:
- a) productive investments in aquaculture;
- b) investments in diversification of aquaculture production and cultivated species;
- c) investments in the modernization of aquaculture units, including the improvement of working conditions and safety of aquaculture workers;
- d) investments in the improvement and modernization of animal health and welfare, including the purchase of equipment to protect farms from wild prey;
- f) investments aimed at increasing the quality or value of aquaculture products;
- g) investments in the restoration of existing ponds or lagoons used for aquaculture by removing sludge or investments to prevent sludge deposition;
- h) investments in diversification of revenues achieved by aquaculture enterprises by developing complementary activities;
The deadline for submission of proposals is 18.06.2021, at 14:00.
More information available in the Guidelines for Applicants:
https://www.ampeste.ro/docs/POPAM/Ghiduri/2021/II.2/Final/GHID_-MASURA_II.2._editabila.pdf
II. Loans granted by banks
Banks grant legal entities (companies, farmers, etc.) different types of loans for regular business or for investment (e.g. purchase of equipment, production expansion or investments in buildings).
Banks that grant loans:
BANCA TRANSILVANIA (https://www.bancatransilvania.ro/pentru-companii/)
BANCA COMERCIALĂ ROMÂNĂ (BCR) (https://www.bcr.ro/ro/business )
CEC BANK SA (https://www.cec.ro/agricultura/credite/credit-pentru-investitii)
RAIFFEISEN BANK (https://www.raiffeisen.ro/imm/produse-si-servicii/finantare/ )
B.R.D. – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE (https://www.brd.ro/companii )
UNICREDIT BANK (https://www.unicredit.ro/ro/imm.html#home )
ALPHA BANK (https://www.alphabank.ro/imm/credite )
INTESA SANPAOLO BANK (https://www.intesasanpaolobank.ro/corporate/credite-corporate.html )
EXIM BANK (https://www.eximbank.ro/credite-pentru-investitii/ )
OTP BANK (https://www.otpbank.ro/ro/imm/credite )
BANCA ROMANEASCA (https://www.banca-romaneasca.ro/pentru-companii/creditare/ )
ING BANK (https://ing.ro/imm )
PATRIA BANK (https://www.patriabank.ro/imm/credite )
LIBRA BANK (https://www.librabank.ro/Persoane_juridice )
FIRST BANK (https://www.firstbank.ro/firstbank/pentru-afacerea-mea/imm )
III. Loan guarantees
III.1 SME INVEST ROMANIA Programme/AGRO SME INVEST Subprogramme
(https://www.fngcimm.ro/imm-invest)
SME INVEST ROMANIA Programme is the government’s response to the health and economic crisis in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and is intended to support the business environment, facilitating SMEs’ access to funding, by accessing one or more loans for investments or loans/working capital lines of credit guaranteed by the National Credit Guarantee Fund for SMEs (FNGCIMM) in the name and for the account of the Romanian state, through the Ministry of Public Finance.
AGRO SME INVEST Subprogramme aims to provide state guarantee facilities for loans to small and medium-sized enterprises and small companies with a medium-size market capitalization in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and the food sector, which access a loan from a FNGCIMM partner bank for regular business needs or for investments.
AGRO SME INVEST Subprogramme also includes a non-reimbursable component of a maximum of 10% of the value of the guaranteed financing, provided that it does not exceed the limit of 120,000 EUR for each enterprise operating in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
By Government Emergency Ordinance no. 16/2021 it was established that the SME Invest Programme / AGRO INVEST Subprogramme will have a limit of one billion RON and that the state aid scheme can be accessed until June 30, 2021. The period in which the grant payment can be made is between the date of entry into force of the provisions of this emergency ordinance and the date of June 30, 2022.
Registration in the program can be made on the website https://www.imminvest.ro/.
Partner banks:
BANCA TRANSILVANIA
BANCA COMERCIALĂ ROMÂNĂ (BCR)
CEC BANK SA
RAIFFEISEN BANK
B.R.D. – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE
UNICREDIT BANK
ALPHA BANK
INTESA SANPAOLO BANK
EXIM BANK
OTP BANK
BANCA ROMANEASCA S.A.
ING BANK
FIRST BANK
CREDIT AGRICOLE
PATRIA BANK
LIBRA BANK
PORSCHE BANK
PRO CREDIT BANK
VISTA BANK
IDEA BANK
GARANTI BANK
TECHVENTURES BANK
III.2 Guarantees granted from the IFN SA Rural Credit Guarantee Fund (http://fgcr.ro/ )
III.2.1 Guarantees for loans dedicated to financing projects of private beneficiaries of POPAM 2014-2020
Based on the Agreements concluded with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the IFN SA Rural Credit Guarantee Fund provides guarantees in favor of the financing institutions with which it has concluded Working Agreements, in order to guarantee loans granted to private beneficiaries of POPAM 2014-2020 for investment projects with co-financing from this programme.
The FGCR guarantee can cover up to 80% of the value of the loan and the difference up to the value of the loan and the related interest will be provided by borrowers with goods owned by them or by third party guarantors, when the loan is granted.
III.2.2 Guarantees granted for loans to finance investments in the field of aquaculture without financing from POPAM 2014-2020
Based on the Agreements concluded with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the IFN SA Rural Credit Guarantee Fund provides guarantees in favor of the financing institutions with which it has concluded Working Agreements, in order to guarantee loans granted to farmers, natural and legal persons, for investments in the field of aquaculture without financing from POPAM 2014-2020.
The FGCR guarantee can cover up to 80% of the value of the loan and the difference up to the value of the loan and the related interest will be provided by borrowers with goods owned by them or by third party guarantors, when the loan is granted.
More information at: http://fgcr.ro/produse/
List of financial institutions with which FGCR has concluded Credit Guarantee Working Agreements:
ALPHA BANK ROMANIA S.A.
BANCA COMERCIALĂ ROMÂNĂ (BCR)
B.R.D. – GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE
BANCA CENTRALĂ COOPERATISTĂ CREDITCOOP
BANCA TRANSILVANIA S.A.
BANCA ROMANA DE CREDITE SI INVESTITII S.A.
BANCA ROMÂNEASCĂ S.A.
IMOCREDIT IFN S.A.
BANK LEUMI ROMANIA S.A.
BANCA COMERCIALA FEROVIARA
CEC BANK S.A.
CREDIT EUROPE BANK
CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK ROMANIA S.A.
EXIMBANK S.A
IDEA BANK S.A.
INTESA SANPAOLO BANK ROMANIA S.A.
LIBRA INTERNET BANK S.A.
OTP BANK ROMANIA S.A.
PATRIA BANK
FIRST BANK
PROCREDIT BANK
RAIFFEISEN BANK S.A.
UNICREDIT BANK S.A.
AGRICOVER IFN S.A.
FINANCE ONE IFN S.A.
IV. Aquaculture insurance
There are companies in Romania that offer insurance for fisheries business, insurance that may include: insurance of fish, buildings and equipment in aquaculture farms, boats and fishing equipment, etc.
GROUPAMA ASIGURĂRI S.A (https://www.groupama.ro/sites/default/files/pid_aqua_1.pdf )
OMNIASIG (https://omniasig.ro/ro/persoane-juridice/asigurari/agricole/animale )
CITY INSURANCE (https://www.cityinsurance.ro/default/asigurare-animale-de-ferma/ )