It has always been problematic to come with money to the country or to travel with significant sums of cash within the borders of the European Union. The situation has just become even more complex, with fabulous fines being announced on the subject.
Nothing is more important than declaring the amount of money you enter the country with, especially if the value in your wallet exceeds 10,000 euros. Not for nothing, but if you omit this technical detail, you will be fined a large part of the amount and, moreover, you will wake up with a contravention. European Union law on the subject has become even stricter in 2021 to discourage attempts at fraud, money laundering and other financial movements.
The fines have increased, if you bring money to Romania, in cash
Until now, if you failed to declare the amounts of cash with which you entered the country and had over 10,000 euros with you, you were fined with a value between 3000 and 8000 lei, the gesture being a contravention. Unfortunately for those who used to abuse this practice, the Government decided to increase the limit of that fine from 8,000 to 50,000 lei, but not more than 60% of the value of undeclared cash. In other words, you could be left without a very important part of the money you bring into the country.
Although the measure seems to be another one meant to bring money to the Romanian state budget, the reality is a bit more complex. In fact, our country is in line with the relevant international and European customs regulations. The same regulation states that, 'where unaccompanied cash of EUR 10,000 or more enters or leaves the Union, the competent authorities of the Member State through which the cash enters or leaves the Union may request the sender or consignee of the cash; or a representative of them, as the case may be, to make an information statement, within 30 days ”.
As an important detail, if the authorities consider that the cash in question is related to a criminal activity, they can withhold the entire amount by an administrative decision, for a period of time less or longer, between 30 and 90 days.