The EU structural funds absorption represents an opportunity to sustain economic growth and to reduce the development gap, which under the circumstances of international financial crisis becomes a new challenge for Romania. Romania-insider.com takes a look at the operational programs designed to improve the economic and social conditions in Romania.

*IMF asking for Oltchim and Cuprumin privatization in the new agreement, which also includes EU funding – in Ziarul Financiar
*Provident makes half a million euro in nine months – in Ziarul Financiar
*Goodyear Dunlop will open five Premio franchises by the end of the year – in Ziarul Financiar
*Patriciu's stores on wheels start selling in Bucharest – in Ziarul Financiar
*EC grants EUR 124 million for Arad- Timisoara highway – in Gandul

A Chinese – Romanian public- private partnership will fuel the development of a EUR 500 million production units for cellulose and paper at the Somes Dej factory in Cluj – Napoca county. Chinese company Avic International Holding will partner SCR Romania, the majority shareholder in Somes SA Dej. The Romanian company will have to invest EUR 150 million into the project.

Medium and large companies will submit their fiscal declarations for October online only, according to Romania's Fiscal Agency ANAF. The National Electronic System will allow tax payers to submit declarations 100, 101, 102, 120, 130, 300, 301, 390 and 710 from November 25. Find out where companies should submit those.

Romania’s potential new financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund will also include a loan accord with the European Commission, similar to the one signed in 2009, Romanian representative to the IMF, Mihai Tanasescu, said Thursday.

The European Commission has approved a EUR 124.3 million financing for the Arad – Timisoara highway from the EU's Cohesion Fund. The project includes a 44.5 km highway between Arad and Timisoara, out of which 12.25 km represent the Arad bypass. The highway segment is part of the 7th priority transport corridor which crosses Romania from Nadlac to Constanta.

Romanian authorities and representatives of the International Monetary Fund discussed Thursday about the privatization of Oltchim and Cuprumin, as well as stake sales in other state-owned energy companies, according to the Economy Ministry. The meeting included talks on company activity optimization, which would include stake sales, reorganization in view of privatization and the recapitalization of several companies, by drawing investment.

Romanians buy less than last year but several products stay at the top of the shopping list, such as water, medicine, sweets, coffee, according to Daedalus Group. Around 60 percent of Romanians have said they buy less this year than they did last year.

The traditional retail market in Romania is worth EUR 15 billion and traditional stores will survive the fight with modern formats and the financial and economical crisis, according to Milos Ryba, senior retail analyst with Planet Retail consultancy firm.

Telecom company Cosmote Romania's roaming voice traffic tripled during the period May – August 2010 compared to the same period of last year, while the data traffic grew five-fold during the same period, the company has announced. Cosmote users traveled to Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece and Spain.

The EU structural funds absorption represents an opportunity to sustain economic growth and to reduce the development gap, which under the circumstances of international financial crisis becomes a new challenge for Romania. Romania-insider.com takes a look at the operational programs designed to improve the economic and social conditions in Romania.

*IMF asking for Oltchim and Cuprumin privatization in the new agreement, which also includes EU funding – in Ziarul Financiar
*Provident makes half a million euro in nine months – in Ziarul Financiar
*Goodyear Dunlop will open five Premio franchises by the end of the year – in Ziarul Financiar
*Patriciu's stores on wheels start selling in Bucharest – in Ziarul Financiar
*EC grants EUR 124 million for Arad- Timisoara highway – in Gandul

A Chinese – Romanian public- private partnership will fuel the development of a EUR 500 million production units for cellulose and paper at the Somes Dej factory in Cluj – Napoca county. Chinese company Avic International Holding will partner SCR Romania, the majority shareholder in Somes SA Dej. The Romanian company will have to invest EUR 150 million into the project.

Medium and large companies will submit their fiscal declarations for October online only, according to Romania's Fiscal Agency ANAF. The National Electronic System will allow tax payers to submit declarations 100, 101, 102, 120, 130, 300, 301, 390 and 710 from November 25. Find out where companies should submit those.

Romania’s potential new financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund will also include a loan accord with the European Commission, similar to the one signed in 2009, Romanian representative to the IMF, Mihai Tanasescu, said Thursday.

The European Commission has approved a EUR 124.3 million financing for the Arad – Timisoara highway from the EU's Cohesion Fund. The project includes a 44.5 km highway between Arad and Timisoara, out of which 12.25 km represent the Arad bypass. The highway segment is part of the 7th priority transport corridor which crosses Romania from Nadlac to Constanta.

Romanian authorities and representatives of the International Monetary Fund discussed Thursday about the privatization of Oltchim and Cuprumin, as well as stake sales in other state-owned energy companies, according to the Economy Ministry. The meeting included talks on company activity optimization, which would include stake sales, reorganization in view of privatization and the recapitalization of several companies, by drawing investment.

Romanians buy less than last year but several products stay at the top of the shopping list, such as water, medicine, sweets, coffee, according to Daedalus Group. Around 60 percent of Romanians have said they buy less this year than they did last year.

The traditional retail market in Romania is worth EUR 15 billion and traditional stores will survive the fight with modern formats and the financial and economical crisis, according to Milos Ryba, senior retail analyst with Planet Retail consultancy firm.

Telecom company Cosmote Romania's roaming voice traffic tripled during the period May – August 2010 compared to the same period of last year, while the data traffic grew five-fold during the same period, the company has announced. Cosmote users traveled to Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece and Spain.