Romania's workers face EU's highest tax burden, over 40% of gross wages

Employees in Romania surrender about 41.5% of their gross salary to taxes and social contributions, the highest share among European Union members. The EU average is 29.1%, with countries such as Cyprus and Greece at the low end. Families in Romania also bear the EU's top burden at 33.4% of gross earnings.

According to OECD data, Romanian workers take the fewest sick days in Europe, averaging less than one week of medical leave per year, far below the averages in Germany, the Nordic nations and many other EU states.

Labour‑market statistics show that industry and trade together employ nearly 40% of Romania’s 5.1 million salaried workforce, with industry remaining the largest employer despite a loss of over 60,000 jobs in the past year.