Want to Start Exporting? A First-Year Plan for Romanian Companies

In short. A Romanian company that does not export yet can usually make its first foreign sale within 12 months if it prepares in the right order: test its export readiness (capacity, export pricing, certifications, English, payment terms), choose one nearby EU market, open no more than three sales channels (a B2B directory profile, one trade fair or visit, one distributor search), answer every inquiry within one business day, and get paid through secure terms. Being findable early matters, because buyers can discover you while you are still preparing.

Most Romanian companies that "want to start exporting" are not held back by a lack of good products. They are held back by uncertainty: Where do I start? Which country? What do I answer when a German buyer writes in English and asks for a price "DAP Munich"? What if they do not pay?

This guide is for Romanian SMEs that sell only at home today and want a realistic first export year: a readiness self-test, choosing a market, the first three channels, a reply template, pricing, samples, payment and a 12-month plan.

Is exporting realistic for a small Romanian company?

Yes. Across the EU, small and medium-sized enterprises make up around 98% of exporting enterprises, although large companies generate most export value. For a Romanian SME, the EU single market also removes customs formalities on goods sold to other member states.

According to Eurostat's analysis of international trade in goods by enterprise size, SMEs represented 98% of exporting enterprises in the EU in every year from 2017 to 2022, and accounted for 37% of the EU's export value in 2022.

For Romania specifically, the EU is the natural starting point. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), Romania exported goods worth €96.6 billion in 2025, and 71.3% (€68.9 billion) went to other EU member states (INS data reported by Business Forum, February 2026).

How do I know if my company is ready to export?

Run a self-test on five areas: capacity, export pricing, certifications and documents, English, and payment terms. If most answers below are "yes", you are ready to start. Each "no" is not a stop sign but an item for your first three months.

The export-readiness self-test

Score one point for every "yes".

1. Capacity

• [ ] Can we deliver an extra order of 10–20% of our current monthly output without delaying domestic customers?
• [ ] Do we know our realistic lead time for a first order (production + packing + transport)?

2. Export pricing

• [ ] Do we know our full unit cost, not just materials and labour?
• [ ] Do we have a price list in euro for at least one Incoterm (for example EXW or FCA)?

3. Certifications and documents

• [ ] Do we know which EU rules apply to our product (CE marking, food labelling, REACH, packaging)?
• [ ] Is our company registered for intra-EU transactions (valid VAT number in VIES) and do we have an EORI number for non-EU shipments?

4. English communication

• [ ] Is there at least one person who can reply to an email in clear English within one business day?
• [ ] Do we have an English website page, catalogue or company profile?

5. Payment terms

• [ ] Do we know what payment terms we can afford to offer (advance, partial advance, 30 days)?
• [ ] Do we have a way to check a new foreign buyer before shipping (VAT check, company register, credit report)?

How to read your score

For the paperwork side of point 3, see our guide to export documents and certifications for Romanian companies.

How do I choose my first export market?

Choose one market, not five. For most Romanian SMEs, the first market should be a nearby EU country that already buys your type of product and where you can communicate. Score three candidates and commit to the top one for 12 months.

Why an EU neighbour is usually the right first market

Inside the EU there are no customs declarations or import duties, product rules are harmonised for most goods, and transport is shorter and cheaper.

Romania's existing trade flows confirm where demand already exists. An analysis by Moneycorp Romania based on INS data, published in July 2024, listed Germany (21.3%), Italy (10.7%), France (6.8%) and Hungary (6.6%) as Romania's largest export destinations, followed by Bulgaria and Poland (Energynomics, July 2024). Buyers there already know Romanian suppliers.

A simple market scoring table

Score each candidate from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong):

Our export markets overview and country pages such as exporting to Germany and Italy summarise buyer expectations and typical channels per country.

Practical rule: if a buyer has already contacted you from a specific country, put that country first.

What are the first three sales channels I should use?

Start with three channels that complement each other: a B2B directory profile, so buyers can find you; one trade fair or market visit, so you meet buyers face to face; and a targeted search for one distributor or importer. Together they cover being found, meeting buyers and reaching volume, without the cost of an office abroad.

Channel 1: a B2B directory profile (being found)

Buyers looking for suppliers in a new country usually start online: search engines, AI assistants and B2B directories. A structured English profile with products, certifications, markets and contacts gives them something concrete to find.

On Romanian Supplier, buyers can browse Romanian companies and products across 18 industries. The directory currently lists 11,113 Romanian companies (September 2026). Each profile is reviewed by our team before publication. Information that companies declare themselves, such as certifications, markets or number of employees, is marked as declared; Romanian Supplier does not audit factories. A profile works while you are still preparing, and it is the cheapest channel to start with.

Channel 2: one trade fair or market visit (meeting buyers)

A trade fair lets you meet dozens of buyers and competitors in a few days. In your first year, visit before you exhibit: collect contacts and learn price levels.

If you decide to exhibit, look at national pavilions. The Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (ARICE) runs the Export Promotion Programme, which can partly cover stand costs, transport of exhibits, promotional materials and some travel costs at selected international fairs and economic missions; the 2026 edition opened applications on 23 July 2026 through ppe.arice.gov.ro, and participation is subject to selection (StartupCafe, July 2026).

Channel 3: one distributor or importer (reaching volume)

A distributor buys from you, holds stock and resells locally. You give up margin, but gain language, logistics and customers; for consumer goods, food and building materials it is often the realistic route to volume.

To find one, ask contacts at fairs, contact the economic office of the Romanian embassy, and use the free partner search of the Enterprise Europe Network.

If you want a broader view of how to sell abroad without a local presence, read how to export without a foreign office.

How do I answer my first foreign inquiry?

Reply within one business day, in English, with a short, structured answer: thank the buyer, confirm you can supply, give a price with the Incoterm, minimum order, lead time and payment terms, offer a sample, and ask two or three qualifying questions. A precise reply builds more trust than a long brochure.

Buyers usually contact several suppliers at once. Many first inquiries are lost not because of price, but because the reply comes a week later, in Romanian, or without a price.

A reply template you can adapt

``` Subject: Re: [Product] – offer from [Company name], Romania

Dear [Name],

Thank you for your inquiry about [product]. We are [Company name], a manufacturer based in [city], Romania, producing [product category] since [year].

Based on your request, here is our offer:

• Product: [name, code, short specification]
• Price: EUR [x] per [unit], [Incoterm 2020, e.g. FCA Iasi / DAP Munich]
• Minimum order: [quantity]
• Lead time: [x] weeks from order confirmation
• Payment terms: [e.g. 30% advance, 70% before dispatch]
• Certifications / documents: [e.g. CE declaration, ISO 9001, technical sheet]
• Offer valid until: [date]

We can send [a sample / samples of two variants] within [x] working days. The sample cost is EUR [x], which we deduct from your first order.

To prepare the best proposal, could you tell us:

1. The expected annual volume?
2. The delivery address or region?
3. Any specific packaging or labelling requirements?

Our company profile, with products and certifications, is available here: [link].

Kind regards, [Name], [Role] [Phone, email, website] ```

Avoid replies without a price ("please call us") or without a delivery term, which buyers cannot compare; use the Incoterms® 2020 rules published by the ICC. Put key numbers in the email body, not only in a PDF, and never promise a lead time you cannot meet.

How should I price my products for export?

Build your export price from your full unit cost, add packing and documents, choose a delivery term (Incoterm), then add your margin. Start with an EXW or FCA price, which keeps transport risk with the buyer, and offer a DAP price only once you have a reliable freight quote. Always quote in euro for EU buyers.

A simple export price structure

Avoid reusing the domestic price list and underpricing to "get in": a very low first price is hard to raise later.

VAT note: intra-EU B2B sales of goods are usually invoiced without Romanian VAT under the reverse-charge rules, provided the buyer has a valid VAT number. Check it in the European Commission's VIES service before invoicing.

Should I send free samples to foreign buyers?

Send samples, but rarely for free. A common approach is to charge for the sample and its transport, then deduct that amount from the first order. This filters out buyers who are only collecting information, while showing serious buyers that you are confident in your product.

Light, low-value samples can be free for buyers who have shared volume and company details. For higher-value samples, charge cost and transport and credit it against the first order. Keep a record of every sample, because the full order must match it, and follow up within a week of delivery.

Before sending, verify who the buyer is: check the VAT number in VIES, look up the company register in their country and review their website. If something does not add up, do not ship.

How do I make sure I get paid?

For new foreign buyers, protect yourself with an advance payment, or a partial advance plus balance before dispatch. Once you know the buyer, you can move gradually to open account terms of 30 days, ideally backed by export credit insurance. For large or non-EU orders, discuss a letter of credit with your bank.

Payment options from safest to riskiest for the exporter

What EU law says about late payment

Inside the EU, Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions sets the framework. Under it, the contractual payment period between businesses should not exceed 60 calendar days unless expressly agreed otherwise and not grossly unfair to the creditor; statutory late-payment interest is the reference rate plus at least eight percentage points; and the creditor can claim at least €40 as a fixed sum for recovery costs (Directive 2011/7/EU, EUR-Lex). State your terms on the offer, order confirmation and invoice.

For receivables you cannot carry alone, ask about export credit insurance from private insurers or from EximBank, Romania's export credit agency, and check the current conditions directly.

Why should I list my company before I am "ready"?

Because buyers search on their own timeline, not yours. A profile published while you prepare can generate inquiries and show which countries and products attract interest. Waiting until everything is perfect means starting from zero visibility.

Four practical reasons:

1. Buyers find you while you prepare, months before your first fair.
2. Inquiries are market research: the countries and products buyers ask about show where demand exists.
3. Visibility builds over time. Search engines and AI assistants need time to discover a company; a profile published in month 1 has had a year to be indexed by month 12.
4. Review adds credibility. Every Romanian Supplier profile is reviewed by our team before publication. The review checks the profile, not the factory, so keep declared information accurate.

At home, Fabricat în RO, run by the same team and promoting Romanian producers since 2014, offers national visibility. Buyers checking a supplier often look for signs that it is active and known at home too.

What does a realistic first year of exporting look like?

A realistic first year moves from preparation (months 1–3), to visibility and outreach (months 4–6), to first samples and trial orders (months 7–9), and to repeat orders and review (months 10–12). The table below is a template; adjust the timing to your sector and capacity.

Month-by-month first-year export plan

When you reach month 12, use our 2027 export plan template to set goals, budget and KPIs for your second year.

An illustrative example: a small producer's first export year

This scenario is illustrative. "Company A" is fictional and does not describe a real company.

Company A, a 22-person producer of wooden kitchen accessories in north-eastern Romania, has never exported. In January, the owner takes the readiness self-test and scores 5 out of 10: capacity and quality are fine, but there is no euro price list, no English documentation and no clear payment policy.

Months 1–3. The owner registers the company profile in English with eight products and clear photos. The team builds its first FCA price list in euro. Three countries are scored: Germany, Austria and Hungary. Germany wins on imports and on one earlier inquiry the owner had ignored.

Months 4–6. The profile brings two inquiries, one from Austria and one from the Netherlands. Both get a templated reply within a day. The owner visits a German housewares fair as a visitor and collects 14 contacts.

Months 7–9. Four paid samples go out. The Dutch buyer orders a trial pallet with 50% advance payment and 50% before dispatch. A German distributor asks for exclusivity; Company A offers one region for one year, against a minimum volume.

Months 10–12. The trial order arrives on time and the Dutch buyer reorders on 30-day terms after a credit check. Year 2 will focus on Germany through the distributor.

No office abroad and no large budget: a findable profile, a clear price, a fast reply, paid samples and secure payment terms.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a special licence to start exporting from Romania?

For most goods, no special export licence is needed. You need a valid Romanian VAT number registered for intra-EU transactions (checked in VIES) and, for shipments outside the EU, an EORI number. Some goods, such as dual-use items, certain food or animal products, have extra requirements. Check your product before your first order.

How long does it take to get the first export order?

It depends on the sector. A structured plan often leads to samples within six to nine months and a first trial order within the year; companies already receiving inquiries move faster.

How do I protect myself from non-payment by a foreign buyer?

Check the buyer before shipping (VAT number in VIES, company register, website), ask for an advance or partial advance on first orders, and move to open account only with repeat buyers, ideally with export credit insurance. For large non-EU orders, consider a letter of credit.

Is a listing on Romanian Supplier a verification of my company?

No. Every profile is reviewed by the Romanian Supplier team before publication, but the platform does not audit factories. Information such as certifications, export markets and employee numbers is declared by the company and marked as declared. Read more about how Romanian Supplier reviews company data.

Can I list my company if I do not export yet?

Yes. A published profile lets buyers find you while you prepare, and early inquiries help you choose your first market.

Start your first export year with a profile buyers can find

Your first export year starts with one decision: becoming visible to buyers already looking for Romanian suppliers. Register in English, add products, certifications and target markets, and let your profile work while you prepare.

• Register your company: List your company (Romanian version: Listează compania). Every profile is reviewed by our team before publication.
• Try the Basic plan for 30 days: a 30-day Basic trial is available for any claimed profile, with up to 3 products, 10 photos and 1 video, and your website and phone number visible to buyers. See all plans on the pricing page.
• Prepare in parallel: read how to export without a foreign office, check the export documents and certifications you need, and plan year two with the 2027 export plan template.

Buyers can find you before you feel fully ready. Make sure there is something for them to find.

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