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Eco labels might give Romania hoteliers a 10-year tax holiday

Romanian tourist housing facilities of up to 40 rooms providing eco-friendly services might get a 10-year tax holiday if a recent draft law tabled with the Chamber of Deputies clears Parliament.

The draft law, initiated by MPs Lucia Varga and Cristian Burlacu of the opposition National Liberal Party (PNL) provides for a Value-Added Tax reduction to 9 percent, from a current 19 percent, for the same facilities. The new draft amends the relevant European directive, which was introduced into the Romanian legislation four years ago but did not provide for any incentives for the tourist operators that want to provide eco-friendly services.

Under the new draft law, qualifying for the incentives could be individuals, family businesses and legal persons. In order to receive an eco label, the applying operators would have to meet three out of six criteria, including the use of alternative energy sources to cover at least 15 percent of the total energy use, the use of ecological electrical bulbs on the premises to a proportion of at least 50 percent of the total, the use of eco-friendly detergents and the promotion of traditional Romanian ecological products.

If the draft law clears Parliament, the Tourism Ministry will have 45 days after its publication in the Official Journal of Romania to modify the application norms for the classification of tourist housing facilities.

In late July 2008, the Saturn Hotel of the homonymous Black Sea resort was the first in Romania to be awarded an eco label for its tourist services by the then Tourism Ministry. The hotel met 37 of the mandatory criteria and 21 of the optional ones, out of 84 mandatory and optional criteria. The criteria mainly focus on reduced electricity and water usage, reduced chemicals usage and selective waste collection.

Various actions have so far been started off in a bid to transform the Romanian tourism in an ecological incubator. In February 2006, the administration of the Retezat national park started a Life Natura 2000 promotion project for Mts. Retezat, toward which the European Commission contributed 500,000 euros. Environmental Minister Nicolae Nemirschi announced early this March that more than 3,000 ha of woodland will be afforested this autumn under a 25-million-euro national project.

The Environmental Ministry has informed that Romania will earmark 8.6 billion euros throughout 2013 for environmental projects. The project funds will come from European grants, which will be invested in green products, renewable energy systems, water and waste management. Substantial amounts are also in the pipeline to be invested in promoting biodiversity and protecting nature, as well as for integrated projects for the revival of urban and rural travelling.

 

Sursa: http://www.rompress.ro

Tags: romania draft euro

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