SHOPPING AND TRAVELLING IN

Help and advice for consumers in Europe European Consumer Centre Romania Cofinanțat de Uniunea Europeană ANPC Acest material a fost finanțat prin Programul pentru Consumatori al Uniunii Europene (2014-2020). 1. General information 1. General information 2. Arriving in Romania by plane, Romania’s currency is Leu (plural train or by car “Lei”) 3. Pricing : 1, 5, 10, 4. Payments Banknote denominations 50, 100 and 500 lei 5. Currency exchange 6. Vat Coins: 1, 5, 10 and 50 bani pieces. 7. Opening hours 1leu = 100 bani 8. Shopping in the ATM (Bancomat): ATM machines supermarkets are available at main banks and at 9. Other types of shops airports and shopping centres. Do 10. Price reductions not expect to find ATMs in remote areas or villages. 11. Sales 12. Product exchange 2. Arriving in Romania by 13. Your rights plane, train or by car 14. Customs duty 2.1. By plane 15. Addresses European Union regulations and the Montreal Convention, have strengthened air passengers’ rights. Here you will find the main information that you need if you decide to travel by plane to Romania.

3 Before departure special conditions. You should ask your travel agency or the You realise you have to change or airline on this point. cancel your flight: • What happens if you reserved • Important! If you planned to and paid a ticket for a scheduledtravel with a non regular flight flight and you cannot take it (“charter”) and you need to due to personal reasons, for cancel your journey, you will not example? You should inform the be able to get any reimbursement airline company or the travel – unless you signed a cancellation agency where you reserved the insurance, which covers you in ticket as soon as possible. If you certain cases. make your request early, you may be able to avoid the cancellation costs. • If you wish to postpone your journey and use the ticket later, you are able to do so, as long as it is still valid, but you have to pay an administration fee to change your booking. • If you wish to cancel your flight, you usually have to return the • Nevertheless, if you cancel your unused ticket in a period of time flight within a certain time in in order to be reimbursed. These advance, it will be sometimes rules may be different for special possible to obtain a partial price tickets or flights subject to refund. You should refer to the 4 general terms and conditions of agreement. different airlines. Damages At the time of departure • In case of delay, if you suffer • The airline company must additional damages, articles comply with the announced 19 and 22 of the Montreal Convention of June 28th 2004 allow a right to compensation. The compensation for damages suffered by passengers is, though, limited to 1000 special drawing rights (SDR), about 1000 € (1SDR = 1,18 €) • In case of loss or delay of luggage, you have to report it schedules, unless they can prove first to the baggage service at a “force majeure”. In certain the airport and fill in a complaint circumstances their liability can form. If the luggage is found, be limited, for example if the the company has an obligation customer or a third party is at to deliver it to the address fault. mentioned on the complaint form and should do this without • When it is the case, the tickets charging any fee. If because of price must be reimbursed within the delay in delivery, you have 7 days, in cash, by bank transfer extra expenses (you were obliged or cheque. A voucher refund can to buy clothes, basic necessities, be made only with your written etc.) the carrier would have to

5 pay you compensation of up to a • if the departure is from within maximum of 1000 SDR. However, the European Union (EU) or if you have to be able to prove the the departure is from a third damage. Therefore remember to country outside the EU to an keep any receipts and invoices. airport within the EU, and the flight is made by a European • Your request for compensation company, you have the right to must be sent to the airline at immediate assistance from the the latest 21 days following the airline company, provided that recovery of the luggage. the delay is of: • In the case of a strike, the airline o company will not respond if: the 2 hours or more for flights up to 1500 km strike is caused by staff who are not directly paid by the airline, o 3 hours or more for the the strike was unpredictable or flights of more than 1500 the company demonstrates that km inside the EU and those it took all the necessary steps to between 1500 km and 3500 km avoid the damage. outside the EU o In case of a delay 4 hours or more for all the flights of more than 3500 km outside the EU • The assistance consists of supplying food and drinks in a sufficient quantity, taking into account the delay, as well as paying for the means of communication so that you can inform your relatives or any other 6 person of the delay (telephone, to the passenger’s original travel e-mail and fax). If the delay is of plan. If needed the company has one or several nights, you must to offer a free return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity. • If you reach your destination with a delay of 3 or more hours, you can ask for the compensations established for cancellations, depending on your flight distance.

In the case of a cancellation

be offered accommodation and • You have the right to assistance the transfer from the airport to from the airline company as in the hotel. the case of a delay. • In any case, when the delay is • The airline company has to announced to be more than 5 give you the choice between: a hours, the company has to offer reimbursement of the full cost of you a rreimbursement of the full the ticket at the price at which it cost of the ticket at the price at was bought, for the part or parts which it was bought, for the part of the journey not made, and for or parts of the journey not made, the part or parts already made and for the part or parts already if the flight is no longer serving made if the flight is no longer any purpose in relation to the serving any purpose in relation passenger’s original travel plan. If needed the company has to 7 offer a free return flight to the flight, this compensation can be first point of departure, at the decreased with 50 %. earliest opportunity. • Please Note! You cannot ask for o a re-routing, this compensation if you were undercomparable transport warned of the cancellation of the conditions, to their flight: final destination at the earliesto At least 2 weeks before date opportunity; OR of the flight you booked OR o a re-routing, under o Between 2 weeks, and less comparable transport than 7 days before, if an offer conditions, to their final of re-routing was made to you destination at fora laterthe same date, but, with datea at the passenger’s convenience, departure schedule allowing subject to avai-lability of seats. you to leave no more than two o Besides these, you have the hours before the scheduled right to claim compensation of: time of departure and to reach o 250 € for all the flights of your final destination less than less than 1500 km, four hours after the scheduled o 400 € for flights between time of arrival OR 1500 and 3500 km within the o Within less than 7 days, if EU, a re-routing was offered to you o 600 € for all other flights. for the same date; but with a departure schedule allowing • If another flight is offered to you, you to leave no more than one and if the time of your arrival hour before the scheduled time is not later than the time of of departure and to reach your arrival of the original reserved 8 final destination less than two 2.2. By train hours after the scheduled time The railway of arrival. is assured by Romanian Railways, • The airline company will not have Regiotrans and Transferoviar to pay the compensation if the Group. cancellation is due to a case of force majeure. International passenger transport In case of an “overbooking”

• You reserved a plane ticket but when arriving at the check in desk, they told you there were no more seats available on the plane? You have the right to receive the assistance, refund or re-routing, compensation (as listed above). • The international railway transport can be realized only based on a valid train ticket, having specified route and chosen class for the journey. • The tickets can be obtained from different sources (international pay offices for long journeys, credited agencies, Internet).

9 • The ticket must compulsorily contain, besides indication of the transporter or transporters, the following remarks: o Serial, number and security elements; the route, the class; the fee, validity dates – year, day, maybe time, and data of this kind. • Besides these compulsory purchased. The cost of the ticket elements, the ticket ismay returned also within 24 hours, and if contain other remarks related to a non-working day occurs on the its usage way, like the name and first business day. After this period, photograph of the passenger compensation is no longer possible.

Usage conditions of the Change of ticket international travel ticket The change of the ticket represents • The international travel tickets the fact that a ticket is changed are valid for a period of two by the passenger, with or without months. tax for another ticket. The change cannot be made only in a certain Return and compensation period settled by the transporter. If Passengers may cancel the ticketit is the case, the rest of the money before departure by presentingis returned to the passenger; the ticket to the authoritiesotherwise at he must pay the the station of departure ordifference. to the agency from which it was 10 2.3. By car The general speed limits on are: In Romania, the standard rules of - 50 km / h in localities, circulation valid in the Member States of the European Union - 90 km / h on national roads, - 130 km / h on the motorway, apply. Circulation is on the- 100 right km / h on “express” roads side of the road. The red light of and on European national roads. the traffic light means stopping. It is forbidden to turn right when it is red at the traffic light. The minimum age for driving a car in Romania is 18 years. Children must be at least 12 years old to be able to sit on the right front. Children under the age of 12 years must travel to the rear seats and wear either a seat belt or travel in Right priority is given when there is an approved car seat (for children under 3 years of age). no mark indicating priority. It is forbidden to use the mobile It is mandatory for you to have phone while driving, unless there is your driving license valid for that a handsfree device. category, the car registration certificate as well as compulsoryThe driver is obliged to display the insurance. Driving licenses issued vignette purchased from customs by a Member State are accepted in or from the gas station at the Romania. bottom of the windscreen and at the same time is obliged to remove 11 it from the windscreen after the recognized insurance evidence and expiry date. Please note that facilitates procedures following non-payment of the fee is being a car accident. If you do not take sanctioned. The cost of vignette isthe Green Card with you, take the variable. insurance certificate.

If you are involved in an accidentIn the event of an accident without in Romania, the insurance policy serious injury, the parties involved should cover any damage or have the obligation to appear damage that may arise. Check the within 24 hours of the accident insurance policy details with your at the police station in which the insurer before traveling to Romania. accident occurred. The police will carry out investigations and release Your insurance agent must provide the necessary documents for you with the green card that must damages. be displayed in the windshield of your car. The Green Paper is If this is a serious accident and not mandatory for travel to the you need to go to the hospital, the EU but serves as internationallyauthorities will handle the papers.

If you are not responsible for the accident under Directive 2000/26/ EC, you can claim damages in your country or place of residence.

3. Pricing

Each vendor is compelled to indicate the price for the products

12 fruits or vegetables, the vendor must indicate only the unit price. In this case the selling price is determined after the product is weighted or measured. The vendor is obliged to issue receipts for most of products.

4. Payments

Credit cards sold in his shop, in a clearly, legible and easy to identifymanner. The Major credit cards including price can be indicated on a tag American Express, Mastercard and near the product or in a catalog/ Visa are accepted in large hotels, list for more products. The price car rental companies and stores must be indicated in lei (the in the main cities. However, credit national Romanian currency)cards are unlikely to prove useful and must include the VAT. The in small towns or away fromtourist vendor can also indicate the price areas. in a foreign currency, along the price in lei, in a clear and easy Travelers’ Checks to understandmanner. For pre- Preferably in US dollars or Euros, packaged products the vendor Travelers’ Checks can be cashed must indicate the selling price and in large banks, some hotels and the unit price, ensuring you are able to compare similar products, selected exchange offices but most of them charge considerable but sold in different quantities. commissions. Do not count on For products sold in bulk, like fresh 13 cashing such checks outside you currency exchange services, and a few other major usually for currencies which are cities. For travel around the more commonly used like Euro, country it is a good idea to carry US Dollars or UK Pounds. Other cash. Small stores and restaurants currencies can be exchanged in might accept EUR but the exchange banks. Due to some problems in the rate offered will not be the best. later years, special rules have been Street handicraft vendors prefer adopted for currency exchange Romanian currency. offices. The most important rules are as follows: Withdrawal of cash • the exchange rates must be You can withdraw cash from your indicated outside the exchange account with you Debit or Credit office and inside; card from every ATMthat shows you card symbol. • the currency exchange rates must be indicated on separate boards than the exchange rates for traveler’s cheques or vouchers; • the font size for exchange rates is clearly set out in the legislation and must be respected; • before the exchange is made, the trader must inform you both verbally and in written on the 5. Currency Exchange currency exchange rates, through a transaction acceptance form You can find many offices who offer signed by both parties. The form 14 must contain information on: trader’s name and address, date, consumer’s name, serial number of consumer’s identity card or passport, the exchanged amount, the amount the consumer must receive, the taxes, the signatures of the consumer and the trader. The form must be made both in Romanian and in English. 7. Openinghours 6. VAT Hypermarkets’ general opening The basic VAT rate in Romania is hours are: 19%. It is called TVA Taxa pe Valoare Adaugata and it is charged on most Mon-Sat: 07:30 - 22:00 Romanian goods and services in our Sun: 08:00 - 20:00 country. A lower rate, 9%, applies to books, medicines, and certain other Shops’ general opening hours are: goods and services. The prices in shops are always including this tax, Mon-Fri: 09:00 - 19:00 except are the shops that are selling Sat: 09:00 - 16:00 (large shops) engross. If you are a citizen of a non EU member state you can ask for a 09:00 - 12:00 (small shops) refund of this tax in certain stores. Sun: closed

15 Banks’ general opening hours are:

Mon-Fri: 09:00 - 17:00 Sat-Sun: closed

Post offices’ opening hours are: Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 19:30 Sat: 09:00 - 13:00 Sun: closed shop to another to buy what you need. Also, some of the prices can You can still find some nonstop be lower. shopswhich are selling some food and beverages and also most On the other hand there are also disadvantages which can petrol stations in big cities are be eliminated if you are careful. opened nonstop. You can find there newspapers, food, beverages One of these disadvantages is but they can be in generalmore that sometimes, due to the high expensive. number of products existing in supermarkets, the employees 8. Shopping in the forget to change the tag prices, so supermarkets there are situationswhen youmay buy a product at another price than The advantages of supermarkets it was showed on the price tag. comes from the fact you can To avoid this, if you are unsure of find lots of product categories,a price, you can use the so called going from food to electronics or electronic price lectors available in clothing, meaning you will not have some supermarkets or you can ask to spend your time going from one 16 the counter employees to tell you if 9. Other types of shops price is right or not. Pharmacies Another disadvantage comes from Pharmacies sell mainly medicines. the fact that, the supermarkets Some drugs do not require being self-service shops, many a prescription, such as light times you cannot find an employeeanalgesics,whereas others do. A to help youwith information list on of the medicines sold without a product. You can el iminate this disadvantage, by gathering prescription is available on the site of the National Medicines Agency information prior to your purchase,www.anm.ro . Some pharmacies, from internet or differentespecially the larger ones, sell also testmagazines. cosmetic products and also plant In many of the supermarkets you products like tea. For plant health must weigh yourself the fruits and vegetables on special scales. You must put your product on the scale, press the button with the picture or number corresponding to the product you choose and then stick the price tag on the bag. Usually, you must bag the groceries by yourself. Plastic bags are available for a fee of at least 0.05 and cosmetic products, such as € for plastic bag, for ecological teas, plant extracts and ointments, reasons. food supplements etc., there are specialized shops, generically 17 designated by the term “plafar”. • by mentioning the new price These products are not considered next to the old price, which will medicines and are sold without a be barred, or prescription. • by mentioning “new price”, “old Markets price” next to the corresponding Markets can be found in many values, or places from big cities to some• byof mentioning the reduction the villages.Usually the vendors percent and the newprice next here are small producers, but there to the old price,which will be can also be found traders which barred. buy from the small producers and resell to consumers. The Some rules must be obeyed when products sold in markets range announcing a price reduction. First, from fruits, vegetables and flowers to dairyproduce, fish and meat. Please note that the products from animal origins must be verified by the sanitary-veterinary authorities prior to the moment of commercialization.

10. Price reductions

Any price reduction must be the reduction ismade by rapport indicated in a clearly, readable to a reference price. The reference and non-equivocal manner for price must have been applied for at each product or group of identicalleast a month before the reduction. products: 18 Second, for some situations the consumers to exchange a product, prices reductions cannot be made even if it is not faulty, in a limited outside the legal periods (the period of time from the delivery sales).

11. Sales

There are two periods for sales. The periods are established by the trader inside the following time limits:

• 15 January – 15 April for fall- winter goods (24-48h). In this case it is advisable • 1 August - 15 October for spring- to ask for awritten confirmation of summer goods. the seller’s agreement to exchange The sales are restricted to non food the product, e.g. on the receipt, a seasonalproducts, like clothing, flyer. shoes etc. It is advisable to check13. Your rights the quality of products, because sometimes on sales, the goods putLegal warranty onmarket are of a lower quality. If the good you bought presents 12. Product exchange a lack of conformity (it doesn’t function properly, it hasn’t the If a product is not faulty, the characteristics you asked for or you seller has no legal obligation to expected, seeing the advertising exchange it. Some sellers allow the made for that good), then you 19 have the right to have that good Burden of proof brought to conformity. This is done by the seller, in a first step, either by Any lack of conformity which repairing or by replacing the good becomes apparent in the first affected by the lack of conformity. six months from the delivery, it The reparatory measure should is presumed to have existed at be free of charge and will be themoment of delivery. In this case taken in a reasonable time period,you do not have to prove the good established by common agreement. have been defective at themoment The existence of the lack of of delivery. If the lack of conformity conformity must be announced to becomes apparent after this six the seller no later than two months months period, you must prove fromthemoment itwas observed. it has existed at the moment of If you do not benefited fromdelivery. the repair or the replacement, or the Commercial guarantee reparatorymeasure was not taken in a reasonabletimeperiodor it caused you a significant inconvenient, then you can ask for the reimbursement of the price you paid or for the reduction of that price. Time limit

The legal warranty applies for any good purchased from a Romanian trader, for a period of two years starting the delivery moment. Besides and not excluding the legal warranty, the seller or the 20 producer can of fer you a so cal when arriving in Romania. No led “commercial guarantee”. additional taxes will be charged on The commercial guarantee must goods bought with taxes included in state that the consumer has legal other EU countries, provided these rights under applicable national goods are for your personal use. legislation governing the sale For certain types of goods, if your of consumer goods and make purchases are equivalent or less clear that those rights are not than the quantities shown below, affected by the guarantee.in The general, they willbe regarded commercial guaranteemust be set as goods for personaluse. If you out in plain intelligible language exceed these quantities, youmay and must contain at least the have to prove the goods are for product identification elements, personal use; otherwise you will the guarantee period, the trader’s have to pay the customduties. obligations maintenance, repair, replacement the name and address of the trader and the service unit. On request by the consumer, the guarantee shall be made available in writing or in another durable medium available and accessible to him.

1. Customs duty

Purchases made for personal use during a trip within the EU do not require any custom declaration

21 Tobacco: 14. Addresses

Cigarettes 800 pieces If you need free of charge assistance to solve your cross Cigarillos 400 pieces border dispute you can contact: European Consumer Centre Cigars 200 pieces Romania - ECC Romania Tobacco 1 kg Bvdul. Aviatorilor 72, Sector 1 Bucharest Alcohol: Tel. 021 3076762 Email: [email protected] Spirits 10 l Web: www.eccromania.ro Intermediate products 20 l Wine 90 l

Beer 110 l

22 Conținutul acestui material reprezintă doar punctul de vedere al ECC Romania și este doar responsabilitatea acestuia; nu poate fi interpretat în niciun caz ca reflectând punctul de vedere al Comisiei Europene și/sau al Agenției Executive pentru Consumatori, Sănătate, Agricultură și Alimente sau al oricărei alte instituții a Uniunii Europene. Comisia Europeană și Agenția nu își asumă nicio răspundere pentru niciun fel de utilizare a informațiilor din acest material. www.eccromania.ro