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The twenty imports Romania is best placed to replace.

Romania imported USD 114bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 89bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.

USD 9.3bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
109products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
1067products Romania already exports well
12,471public purchases of goods joined to a product family, from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU)
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Romania already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Romania would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition carries public buyers from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU), 24,619 award notices from 2025-11-03 to 2026-11-02, joined to each product's customs heading through a crosswalk we authored. The buyers are shown as context and do not change the score, because award values in these records include framework ceilings and outliers that would distort it. The regional layer (where the capability sits) is built only where a country publishes regional trade by product, and Romania does not publish it in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Glass: carboys, bottles, flasks, jars, pots, phials and other containers of glass, (not ampoules), used for the...HS 701090

    Comes fromBulgaria 43%, 47 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 31m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 185m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Bulgaria supplies 43 per cent (1).

    USD 185mdown 18% on 2022
  2. 2

    Cement: portland, other than white, whether or not artificially colouredHS 252329

    Comes fromUkraine 65%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthElectrical energy (exports USD 691m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 31m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 38m
    Public buyers in the family125 awards from 42 buyers. Most frequent: COMPANIA NATIONALA de ADMINISTRARE A INFRASTRUCTURII RUTIERE S.A. prin DRDP CLUJ

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 77m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 22 per cent (2); Ukraine supplies 65 per cent (2).

    USD 77mup 37% on 2022
  3. 3

    Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plasticsHS 721070

    Comes fromItaly 47%, 33 source countries
    Nearest export strengthIron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width less than 600mm, plated... (exports USD 14m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 33m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 365m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 484m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 45 per cent (1); Italy supplies 47 per cent (1).

    USD 484mdown 12% on 2022
  4. 4

    Dog or cat food: put up for retail sale, used in animal feedingHS 230910

    Comes fromHungary 42%, 36 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMeat preparations: of swine, meat or meat offal (including... (exports USD 33m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 30m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 205m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 391m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 38 per cent (1); Hungary supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 391mup 21% on 2022
  5. 5

    T-shirts, singlets and other vests: of cotton, knitted or crochetedHS 610910

    Comes fromPoland 21%, 94 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTrousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts: men's or... (exports USD 161m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 46m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 296m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2).

    USD 296mup 21% on 2022
  6. 6

    Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa: n.e.c. in chapter 18HS 180690

    Comes fromGermany 26%, 55 source countries
    Nearest export strengthChocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa: in blocks... (exports USD 33m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 71m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 55m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 282m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 23 per cent (2).

    USD 282mup 37% on 2022
  7. 7

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420

    Comes fromTurkey 43%, 31 source countries
    Nearest export strengthIron or steel (excluding cast iron): tubes, pipes and hollow... (exports USD 74m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 4m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 13m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 274m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 26 per cent (1); Turkey supplies 43 per cent (1).

    USD 274mdown 42% on 2022
  8. 8

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, urea, whether or not in aqueous solutionHS 310210

    Comes fromEgypt 44%, 35 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 14m; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 213m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 258m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 30 per cent (1); Egypt supplies 44 per cent (1).

    USD 258mdown 56% on 2022
  9. 9

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721310

    Comes fromTurkey 43%, 14 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 3m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 239m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 227m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); Turkey supplies 43 per cent (1).

    USD 227mdown 4% on 2022
  10. 10

    Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers), napkin liners and similar articles, of any materialHS 961900

    Comes fromPoland 44%, 41 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 15m
    Public buyers in the family33 awards from 12 buyers. Most frequent: Universitatea Tehnica Din Cluj Napoca

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 218m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 32 per cent (1); Poland supplies 44 per cent (1).

    USD 218mup 7% on 2022
  11. 11

    Electrical inductors: n.e.c. in heading no. 8504HS 850450

    Comes fromGermany 45%, 60 source countries
    Nearest export strengthElectrical machines and apparatus: parts of the electrical goods of... (exports USD 49m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 54m; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 631m
    Public buyers in the family56 awards from 25 buyers. Most frequent: Distributie Energie Oltenia S.a.

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 186m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1); Germany supplies 45 per cent (1).

    USD 186mup 7% on 2022
  12. 12

    Boilers: central heating boilers (excluding those of heading no. 8402)HS 840310

    Comes fromItaly 45%, 32 source countries
    Nearest export strengthBoilers: parts of central heating boilers (excluding those of... (exports USD 24m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 9m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 179m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 33 per cent (1); Italy supplies 45 per cent (1).

    USD 179mdown 14% on 2022
  13. 13

    Vinyl chloride polymers: monofilament, of which any cross-sectional dimension exceeds 1mm, rods, sticks and profile...HS 391620

    Comes fromGermany 47%, 35 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 17m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 94m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 174m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 28 per cent (1); Germany supplies 47 per cent (1).

    USD 174mdown 16% on 2022
  14. 14

    Trailers and semi-trailers: (other than tanker type)HS 871639

    Comes fromGermany 49%, 33 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTrailers, semi-trailers and other vehicles not mechanically... (exports USD 80m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 22m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 58m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 169m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 27 per cent (1); Germany supplies 49 per cent (1).

    USD 169mdown 4% on 2022
  15. 15

    Undenatured ethyl alcohol: of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol. or higherHS 220710

    Comes fromHungary 53%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFlours, meals and pellets: of meat or meat offal, greaves (exports USD 18m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 209k
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 165m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); Hungary supplies 53 per cent (1).

    USD 165mdown 10% on 2022
  16. 16

    Stoppers: caps and lids, of base metalHS 830990

    Comes fromPoland 49%, 39 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 14m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 97m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 20 per cent (2); Poland supplies 49 per cent (1).

    USD 97mup 11% on 2022
  17. 17

    Candles, tapers and the likeHS 340600

    Comes fromPoland 69%, 41 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 20m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 80m, top 20 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 33 per cent (1); Poland supplies 69 per cent (2).

    USD 80mup 6% on 2022
  18. 18

    Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300490

    Comes fromGermany 20%, 60 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMedicaments: containing antibiotics (other than penicillins... (exports USD 71m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1.8bn; 5 more lines in the heading, USD 714m
    Public buyers in the family103 awards from 24 buyers. Most frequent: Spitalul Clinic Judetean Mures

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 4.2bn, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 44 per cent (1).

    USD 4.2bnup 43% on 2022
  19. 19

    Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity...HS 870332

    Comes fromGermany 33%, 45 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVehicle parts: silencers (mufflers) and exhaust pipes: parts thereof (exports USD 197m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 124m; 7 more lines in the heading, USD 977m
    Public buyers in the family189 awards from 94 buyers. Most frequent: Inspectoratul General pentru Situatii de Urgenta

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 764m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 33 per cent (1).

    USD 764mup 49% on 2022
  20. 20

    Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10HS 210690

    Comes fromPoland 14%, 75 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFood preparations: bakers' wares n.e.c. in heading no. 1605, whether... (exports USD 236m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 146m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 24m
    Public buyers in the familynone matched to this product family

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 599m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Romania's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1).

    USD 599mup 20% on 2022

The bill and its path, the sources and their unit values, who exports the line well, the nearest strengths, the public buyers where a country publishes them, and the method. We reply by email. Privacy

One line per customs heading. Products Romania already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Plastics: other articles n.e.c. in chapter 39 imports USD 1.2bn, exports USD 525m, top source Germany 29%
  • Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326 imports USD 847m, exports USD 408m, top source Germany 24%
  • Electrical apparatus: plugs and sockets, for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts imports USD 551m, exports USD 251m, top source Germany 56%
  • Electrical apparatus: n.e.c. in heading no. 8536, for switching or protecting... imports USD 507m, exports USD 236m, top source Germany 41%
  • Food preparations: bakers' wares n.e.c. in heading no. 1605, whether or not... imports USD 432m, exports USD 236m, top source Germany 24%
  • Iron or steel (excluding cast iron): tubes, pipes and hollow profiles (not... imports USD 248m, exports USD 74m, top source Turkey 67%
  • Insulating fittings: of plastics, for electrical machines, of insulating... imports USD 225m, exports USD 54m, top source Germany 35%
  • Pumps and compressors: parts, of air or vacuum pumps, air or other gas... imports USD 249m, exports USD 91m, top source China 24%
  • Rubber: unvulcanised, compounded with carbon black or silica, in primary forms... imports USD 250m, exports USD 93m, top source Germany 35%
  • Machines and mechanical appliances: having individual functions, n.e.c. or... imports USD 472m, exports USD 316m, top source Germany 36%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 1446 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Public buyers, context only, never scored: 24,619 award notices from Tenders Electronic Daily (EU), 2025-11-03 to 2026-11-02, of which 15,672 were classified by the buyer as goods and 12,471 joined to a product family through a crosswalk we authored, because no official one exists. Only notices whose code names a specific product group are joined; broad division codes are left out. The join is a family, not an exact line, and the counts are a floor.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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