The head of Romania’s Competition Council is entering the final weeks of his third term in office, while legislative changes adopted in recent years allow him to seek another mandate at the helm of one of the country’s most powerful economic institutions.
Romania’s Competition Council is preparing for one of the most important leadership transitions of recent years, as the mandate of its current president, Bogdan Chirițoiu, expires at the end of June 2026. After nearly 17 years leading the institution, Chirițoiu does not rule out the possibility of a new term, particularly since the current legislation no longer imposes a clear limit on the number of consecutive mandates. In a statement given to NewsCenter.ro, Chirițoiu noted that “anyone can run,” suggesting that a fourth term remains an open option.
The procedure for appointing the President of the Competition Council
The institution he leads is one of the most influential regulatory authorities in the Romanian economy. The Competition Council investigates cartel agreements, price-fixing practices, abuses of dominant market position, and economic transactions with a significant impact on competition. In recent years, the authority has imposed fines totaling hundreds of millions of euros on companies operating in strategic sectors such as construction, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, and services.
Bogdan Chirițoiu was first appointed President of the Competition Council in 2009 during the presidency of Traian Băsescu. He subsequently received additional mandates in 2014 and 2021. Each term lasts five years, and until 2020 the legislation explicitly limited the institution’s leadership to two mandates.
The situation changed with the adoption of Emergency Ordinance No. 6/2020 during the government of Ludovic Orban. Through the legislative amendments introduced at that time, the restriction on the number of mandates was removed. As a result, the law currently allows mandates to be renewed without an explicit limit, giving Bogdan Chirițoiu the legal possibility to seek a fourth term.
The appointment procedure involves several state institutions. The candidate is proposed by the institution’s Consultative College, receives the Government’s endorsement, is heard by Parliament, and is ultimately appointed by presidential decree. Although the current head of the authority has not officially announced his candidacy, his statements indicate that there are no legal obstacles preventing him from continuing in office.
Fines imposed by the Competition Council
One of the largest recent sanctions was imposed in 2023 on Holcim, Romcim, and Heidelberg Materials, which were fined more than €43 million for exchanging commercially sensitive information regarding prices and production volumes. In 2024, the authority also sanctioned egg producers for coordinating prices during a period marked by high food inflation.
At the same time, the institution is handling two of the most sensitive investigations of recent years: the ROBOR case and the investigation into the agricultural seed market. Both inquiries have major economic and political implications and could result in fines amounting to tens or even hundreds of millions of euros.
The ROBOR investigation concerns suspicions of coordination among banks in setting the benchmark interest rate used for loans denominated in Romanian lei. The case has been the subject of intense public debate in recent years, particularly following allegations of manipulation of financing costs for households and businesses. Although the banking sector has denied any anti-competitive agreements, the investigation remains one of the most sensitive issues in the Romanian economy.
In parallel, the agricultural seed market investigation has become a strategic case for the agribusiness sector. The inquiry targets major international companies and local distributors, examining commercial policies, discount systems, and possible price-fixing practices.
Market sources claim there is pressure to finalize these investigations before the expiration of Bogdan Chirițoiu’s current mandate. Representatives of the Competition Council have stated, however, that the investigations are at an advanced stage and that the institution aims to complete them without compromising legal procedures.
Critics of Chirițoiu’s leadership
Alongside these economic investigations, Bogdan Chirițoiu’s leadership has faced constant criticism from political circles in recent years. Among his most vocal critics has been PSD Senator Daniel Zamfir, who publicly accused him of failing to intervene adequately during crises affecting the energy sector, the RCA insurance market, and the ROBOR benchmark, and who called for his resignation during parliamentary hearings.
There have even been legislative attempts to replace the leadership of the Competition Council and reintroduce limits on the president’s mandates. Nevertheless, the legislative amendments adopted in 2020 remain in force, and the current legal framework allows Bogdan Chirițoiu to run again.
In the coming months, one of the most important issues for the business environment will be how the major ongoing investigations are finalized and who will lead the institution in the years ahead. The Competition Council remains one of the most powerful authorities in the Romanian economy, and its decisions directly influence strategic sectors and companies with a significant market impact.
A brief profile of Bogdan Chirițoiu
An economist by training, Bogdan Chirițoiu graduated from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies and pursued further studies at the Central European University in Budapest. Before taking over the Competition Council, he served as a presidential adviser on economic policies and was involved in public-sector reforms and economic analysis.
During his tenure, the Competition Council has become one of Romania’s most active regulatory authorities. According to the institution’s data, approximately 90% of the fines it has imposed have been upheld by the courts. Among the most significant investigations completed in recent years are those concerning the cement market, the pharmaceutical sector, the egg market, archiving services, and the agricultural machinery market.
