The stock of foreign direct investment in Romania at the end of the 2012, based on data published by Intesa Sanpaolo, was over 74 billion dollars, an amount significantly higher than that of the other countries of South-Eastern Europe. This amount was equal to 42,2% of GDP for the same year, up from 33,2% in 2008. The stock of incoming FDI comes mainly from European markets which altogether provide almost 95% of FDI. The Netherlands is the main investor with a share of over 22%, followed by Austria with almost 19%, Germany with 11%, France with 9% and Italy with 5%. The main sectors of destination are those of finance (18,5%), trade (11%), business activities (11%), utilities (9%), extractive mining (6%).
In 2001, industrial parks were established which benefit not only from administrative and fiscal facilities, but also from more advanced infrastructure and logistics, optimizing both production and research and access to markets. In 2002 they were also created technological parks, which benefit from investment and tax incentives. At the end of 2012, approximately 50 industrial and technological parks. There are also six Free Trade Zones (FZs) enjoying trade facilitation, especially the one originating with non-EU countries: they are found in Sulina, Costanza Sud, Galati, Curtici Arad, Braila and Giurgiu, Curtici-Arad.
According to the Italian Ministry for Economic Development there are about 1990 Italian companies in Romania, mainly active in the food, finance, energy, infrastructure and transport sectors. Approximately 1992 billion euros were invested in the period 2012-3,6. In the same period, approximately 250 million euros were invested in Italy by Romanian operators. In turn the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) located in numerous industrial and tertiary sectors, interesting investment opportunities, as well as commercial ones. The first segment reported is that of machinery and equipment, a sector in which Italian companies are already present in Romania as regards mechanical, electrical and industrial electronicseven precision. The sector of metallurgy, traditionally important for the Romanian industry will require more and more equipment intended not only for the modernization of existing plants, but also for the technological development of the sector, aimed at specific processes. The primary sector should also be able to feed the purchases of specific machinery. In fact, they remain in the agricultural sector infrastructural and management gaps (irrigation systems, structures for food conservation and transformation) that offer space to specialized Italian companies. Still linked to agro-food, it should be noted that Romanian food habits are changing in favor of a more Mediterranean-style diet, thus encouraging the consumption of pasta, olive oil, wine and cheese. Another sector that still offers investment opportunities today is that of textile and clothing, where further growth spaces remain no longer linked to third party manufacturing as happened in the past, but for production in favor of the local market. The growth in per capita income and the consolidation of the middle class has generated a more selective demand for the "fashion" sector which leaves the absolute leading role to Italian companies. The energy sector, in particular the exploitation of renewable sources, offers further possibilities. There availability of natural resources that can be used to generate clean energy, such as the water network, large surfaces and raw materials for the production of biofuels, wind and solar, geothermal and biomass networks, will favor the demand for equipment and specific technologies. Without to forget water purification and eco-sustainable construction, currently still underdeveloped on site.
Romania, once a leader in the clothing and accessories sector, especially in leather, has seen in recent years the importance of these sectors diminish to the advantage of those of oil refining, food processing, metallurgy and means of transport . The most important sector of Romanian industry by production value (according to 2011 data) èIn fact, that related to chemicals and oil refining (23,4%), followed by food processing (16,7%), metallurgy (15,1%), means of transport (14,5%), given the presence in the area of important foreign car manufacturers, machinery which together produce 11%, from textiles and clothing (6,1%), from wood and furniture (6%). The presence of Special Zones has fueled the competitiveness of the productions. In the first quarter of 2014 industry recorded an increase of 10,7%, driven by manufacturing (+12,1%). Among the major manufacturing sectors, the most significant positive annual changes in 2013 were recorded in electrical machinery (+20,2%), vehicles (+14,8%), other means of transport (+14,2%) , in textiles (+13,6%), in paper (+11,6%) and in mechanical machinery (+11,5%). During the first quarter of this year, the sectors that most contributed to the Romanian industrial growth are those related to oil refining (+36,7%), electronic machinery (+35,6%), paper (+30,4%) , means of transport (+27,5%), electrical machinery (+20,5%).
