The international situation is forcing Europe to fight for its place in a new world, and depending on the direction it takes, “it will have a seat at the table or it will be on the menu,” said Volker Raffel, president of AHK Romania, at the opening of the New Year’s Reception.
The annual event of AHK Romania at the Palace of Parliament brought together almost 800 participants, business leaders, as well as representatives of the Romanian government and Presidency, civil society, the press and academia.
Europe’s urgent needs now are a common financial market, which would finance its own emerging technologies, as well as protecting the intellectual property and content of online platforms, mostly American. These platforms generate advertising revenue, using this content and, in addition, store the personal data of EU citizens.
Although Europe has become a middle-level power today, it remains very relevant economically. To maintain this relevance, unity is also needed in the approach to economic policies. “I recently read an estimate that the lack of European unification in terms of technical standards and common policies represents a barrier equivalent to a 44% tariff, while we complain about the 15% tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Excessive bureaucracy, which hinders economic development, overlaps all this,” explained Volker Raffel, President E.ON Romania. His call was for a common approach to these issues: “less mutual reproaches towards foreigners and multinationals and more collaboration, working together and combining our strengths.”
“Europe is strong when we are united, when we make full use of the single market, when we defend our common values and further develop our partnerships. Only through joint action can we ensure prosperity and competitiveness,” added Sebastian Metz, general director of AHK Romania.
The contribution of companies – through investments, jobs and innovation – is essential in ensuring European prosperity. However, they need trust and cooperation with state institutions and civil society. To strengthen this commitment, the member companies of AHK Romania are launching a call for unity and have chosen the theme for 2026 “Together for a stronger Europe. Trust creates tomorrow”.
Not only the private sector, but also the Romanian state needs trust. Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu invited the business community to a dialogue that would allow finding common solutions to strengthen the trust of citizens and the business environment in the Romanian state: “Since taking office, this government has had to take some unpopular measures that have caused problems for companies and citizens. These were not easy decisions to make, but I say that it is a government that has come to clean up after someone left the tap open. I think that is what society and the business community should do: to make sure that no one ever forgets the tap open again. If we want foreign and Romanian investments, if we want integrated production networks, research and development centers and value-added chains, then we must completely reform every element of the interaction between the state and the private sector,” she said.
The awarded companies at the event were: DRM Dräxlmaier Romania Sisteme Electrice Schaeffler Romania, the Bosch Group in Romania and the Tășuleasa Social Association.
The awards were presented, by category, by the Minister of Economy Irineu Darău, the Presidential Advisor Radu Burnete, the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragoș Pîslaru, and, respectively, the Head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Mihai Jurca.
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In the “Business Excellence” category, the winner was DRM Dräxlmaier Romania Sisteme Electrice, with the project “Innovation in motion: transforming DRÄXLMAIER Satu Mare”. The company was rewarded for its ability to transform and adapt to current and future challenges. Thus, the automation level reached 80–90%, the team’s technical knowledge expanded from 25 to 35 technologies and investments of €59.5 million were made, which led to the creation of over 400 new jobs.
The Schaeffler Romania Group won with the project “Schaeffler Kids: Children’s voices describing a large company”, in the “Our Employees our Success” category. It is a campaign featuring a video featuring employees’ children, conveying the company’s core values and the spirit of the large Schaeffler family. The initiative reached a wide audience through social media and strengthened its connection with employees and the local community.
The Bosch Group in Romania came first in the “Innovation and new Technologies” category with the project “Danger detected – danger avoided: Tram Forward Assist from Bosch Engineering”. The Bosch solution is a combination of radar sensors and cameras, which constantly monitor the area in front of the tram and warn of frontal collisions with possible obstacles – other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists. The system provides additional assistance to drivers, increasing traffic safety, which leads to fewer delays, breakdowns and repairs of trams.
The award in the “Responsibility for the Future” category went to the Tășuleasa Social Association and its project – Via Transilvanica. With a length of over 1,600 km, the route crosses picturesque natural areas with welcoming communities and remarkable cultural history. The project protects biodiversity, supports less developed villages and honors cultural heritage.
The competition launched last year attracted 161 projects, the largest number to date, reflecting the dynamism and maturity of the Romanian-German business environment.
The event was supported by: Premium Partners E.ON, Delgaz Grid, DRÄXLMAIER, Lidl, Penny, Siemens and Siemens Energy.
About the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Romania)
AHK Romania is the official representation of the German economy. Established in 2002, AHK has over 700 members and offers companies an important platform for networking, exchanging information and experiences. Through the services it offers and the events it organizes, AHK Romania actively supports German companies in their entry into the Romanian market and is also a partner of Romanian companies interested in the German market. Starting with January 1, 2020, the Competence Center for the Republic of Moldova also operates within AHK Romania. We thus want to intensify business relations between companies from Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Germany and to significantly contribute to the economic development of the Republic of Moldova.
Theme of the year 2026: Together for a stronger Europe. Trust creates tomorrow
The Romanian-German business community believes that trust creates the force that develops companies, partnerships and contributes to the economic strengthening of Europe. A true bridge builder between countries, markets and cultures, AHK Romania represents reliability, continuity and trust. It is at the same time a platform and partner for companies seeking new directions and wishing to expand. Through constant dialogue with the political, economic and social environment, AHK Romania creates stability, stimulates innovation and offers companies the opportunity to succeed across borders.