Romania extends reduced 9% VAT for new home buyers after cyber‑attack

Romanian parliament is set to approve a bill extending the 9 % reduced value‑added tax rate for new apartment purchases. The measure applies to buyers who signed a pre‑sale contract before 31 July 2025, allowing them to close the transaction by 30 September 2025 (and keep the reduced rate until 1 October 2026) despite the shutdown of the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) following a cyber‑attack.

Both Senate committees gave a positive opinion on the proposals, with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) draft moving forward. Lawmakers stressed that the extension is needed because the registry’s IT outage is not the buyers’ fault and that the change has no budgetary impact. The amendment aims to protect thousands of prospective homeowners from facing a jump from 9 % to 21 % VAT, which could add up to €14 000 per apartment.