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Political Finance Database

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Romania

2016

2018

Bans and limits on private income

Public funding

Regulations of spending

Reporting, oversight and sanctions

Question	Value
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties?	Code Yes Comment Ban applies to?donations from abroad consisting in assets necessary for political activity, but does not apply?to propaganda material received from the international politicalorganizations, political party affiliations,political parties or politicalformations in political collaboration. European Union citizens residing in Romania can make donations if they are members of the party.
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates?	Code Yes
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties?	Code No
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates?	Code Yes
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties?	Code Yes
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates?	Code Yes
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties?	Code Yes, above certain threshold Comment The identity of a donor can remain confidential if (s)he so requests, if the annual amount contributed is less than 10 minimum salaries.
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates?	Code No
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties?	Code No Source Art 10.2, 'Political parties can not accept donations or services provided free of charge from a public authority or institution, autonomous administration, national company, trading company or banking company whose entire or majority capital is owned by the state.' (Source: Law on the Financing of the Activity of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns, No. 334/2006)
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates?	Code No Source Art 10, '(2) Political parties can not accept donations or services provided free of charge from a public authority or institution, autonomous administration, national company, trading company or banking company whose entire or majority capital is owned by the state....(5) The provisions of paragraphs 1-4 shall apply accordingly for political alliances, electoral alliances, as well as for independent candidates.' (Source: Law on the Financing of the Activity of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns, No. 334/2006)
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties?	Code Yes Source Art 10.2, 'Political parties can not accept donations or services provided free of charge from a public authority or institution, autonomous administration, national company, trading company or banking company whose entire or majority capital is owned by the state.' (Source: Law on the Financing of the Activity of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns, No. 334/2006)
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates?	Code Yes Source Art 10, '(2) Political parties can not accept donations or services provided free of charge from a public authority or institution, autonomous administration, national company, trading company or banking company whose entire or majority capital is owned by the state....(5) The provisions of paragraphs 1-4 shall apply accordingly for political alliances, electoral alliances, as well as for independent candidates.' (Source: Law on the Financing of the Activity of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns, No. 334/2006)
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate?	Code Yes
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period?	Code Yes, for both natural and legal persons Comment Donations may not exceed 0.025% of the revenue providedfor in the State budget for each fiscal year. Source Art. 6:?(1) Donations received by apolitical party in a fiscal year may not exceed 0.025% of the revenue providedfor in the State budget for that year. (..)?? (Source: Law 334/2006, as amended in May 2015.)
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit?	Code Annual limit is 200 minimum gross salaries (natural person); 500 (legal person)
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election?	Code Yes, for both natural and legal persons Comment Technically the limit is for donations per election year. Source PAGE 10, POINT 35. ?...A ceiling also applies to support from a given donor, which may not exceed in one year 200 minimum gross salaries (MGS) [EUR 28,000] in case of a natural person, and 500 MGS in case of a legal person [EUR 70,000]. These limits are increased for the years where multiple elections are held: 400 MGS for natural persons and per election, and 1000 MGS for legal persons and per election. Donations made by several entities which are under the direct or indirect control of the same legal person must altogether comply with these limits.' (Source: GRECO (2010) Evaluation Report on Romania on Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II))
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit?	Code Limit is 400 (natural person)/1,000 (legal person) minimum gross salaries per election year Comment Note that technically this limit applies for the year when an election is being held (the limit for non-election years is 200/500 minimum gross salaries for natural and legal persons respectively).
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate?	Code No Comment Contribution limits only exist for political parties. Note that partisan candidates can only finance campaigning through their parties, which mean that they have to provide funds to their party (and those funds thereby fall under the contribution limits to parties).
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit?	Code Not applicable
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign?
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties?
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates?
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities?
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes?
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system?

Question	Value
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties?	Code Yes, regularly Comment Annual provision.
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Share of votes in next election Share of seats in next election Comment Political parties receives funding if they a) gain Parliamentary representation OR b) win at least 50?mandates of county counselor and?counselor for Bucharest municipality.
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Proportional to votes received Comment 75% allocated proportionally to votes received in Parliamentary elections, 25% proportionally to votes received in local government elections
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)?	Code Campaign spending Ongoing party activities Comment See list in source.
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Yes
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Number of candidates
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?	Code Yes Comment Independent candidates only
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding?	Code Yes Comment Space is provided for central and local party offices. Political party income is not subject to income tax.
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates?	Code Yes Comment State funding will increase in proportion to thenumber of seats obtained in the election of women candidates
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties?	Code No

Question	Value
38. Is there a ban on vote buying?	Code Yes Comment Both vote buying and selling are crimes punishable by imprisonment.
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend?	Code Yes Comment In relation to election campaigns.
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit?	Code Limit for political parties is the sum of limits for each candidate proposed by th party for local, parliamentary, presidential and European Parliament elections.
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend?	Code Yes
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit?	Code Varies depending on the type of election. Comment From 20 minimum gross salaries (MGS) for each candidate counsellor in communal councils to 10,000 MGS for each candidate for general mayor of the Bucharest municipality. The ceiling for presidential elections is 25,000 MGS.
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities?
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist?

Question	Value
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances?	Code Yes Comment Parties have to report annually.
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code Yes
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code Yes
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances?
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public?	Code Yes Comment On the internet and in the Official Gazette
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors?	Code Sometimes Comment Information must be published about natural and legal persons who during one year have donated more than 10 minimum gross salaries.
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income?
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending?
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates?	Code EMB Comment Permanent Electoral Authority
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations?	Code EMB Court Comment The Permanent Electoral Authority and the Court of Audit.
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations?
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions?	Code Fines Prison Forfeiture Loss of public funding Loss of elected office Comment Fines range from 10,000-100,000 lei.

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