EU Green Deal Criticized for Economic Strain on Romania

The European Union’s Green Deal has lowered its own greenhouse‑gas emissions by about 14 % since its launch, yet global emissions have risen roughly 5 % and the EU now accounts for only 6 % of worldwide output. Analysts note that European industry has lost competitiveness, with many factories relocating abroad, and that the bloc’s real GDP is about 7 % higher than in 2019 but productivity growth remains sluggish. Compared with rapid expansions in India (37 % growth) and China (33 % growth), Europe’s economic advance is modest, a trend highlighted in the Draghi report which warns of long‑standing productivity shortfalls.

Former Romanian economy minister Eugen Teodorovici has argued that the Green Deal is damaging Romania, insisting the country cannot be held to the same decarbonisation standards as larger, more polluting EU members. He called for long‑term derogations, pointing to the relatively low emissions of the national airline TAROM and warning of an impending water crisis. Government forecasts predict reduced summer precipitation, especially in Dobrogea, the Bărăgan and western regions, heightening concerns over energy system resilience and climate‑related droughts.