Romania and Portugal report surge in corporate insolvencies

In the first half of 2026, Romania saw a 43.1% increase in the number of companies entering insolvency procedures, rising to 303 cases compared with 217 a year earlier. Assets of insolvent firms grew 216% to 3.35 billion lei, while bankruptcies fell 42%. Preventive concordat filings more than doubled, up 104%. Most affected sectors were commerce, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and transport, with commerce accounting for 70 cases. Adrian Lotrean, founder and CEO of INFINEXA, noted that "the difficulty is extending to larger firms, amplifying effects on suppliers, the labour market and creditors."

In Portugal, June 2026 recorded 151 insolvency declarations, a 17.1% month‑on‑month rise, while the six‑month total showed a slight 0.7% decline from the same period in 2025. Company‑initiated filings fell 7.6%, but third‑party filings grew 7.7%. Lisbon, Porto and Braga led the numbers of cases. Sectors with notable increases included telecommunications (+50%) and hospitality (+26%). Conversely, extractive industry, agriculture and wholesale saw declines. Insolvency closures also rose, with a 14% increase in June and over 20% year‑to‑date. Business creation slowed, with 26,940 new firms in H1 2026, 5.6% fewer than a year earlier.