The Smart Energy Association (AEI) warns that the voucher scheme for natural gas payments, discussed for the 2025-2026 cold season, risks not being a real support for the population. According to the organization, the funding for these vouchers would indirectly come from consumers’ money, through higher gas bills.
„In a period when people fearfully calculate their bills from month to month, any initiative that promises financial support seems, at first glance, welcome. However, when the state comes up with the idea of a gas voucher, a natural question arises: is this a necessary measure or just a decision with an image impact?” stated the president of AEI, Dumitru Chisăliță, in a press release.
The law for vulnerable consumers, the existing solution
In this context, AEI representatives emphasize that Romania already has a legal mechanism aimed at supporting those affected by high energy costs: the Law for Vulnerable Consumers.
"This law provides assistance for individuals and families with low incomes, precisely the category that needs the most protection. Instead of improving, simplifying, and expanding this system where necessary, the state seems to choose a parallel path: a new law, a new program, a new voucher," the press release states.
According to the analysis, "this action resembles more populism than public policy."
"A voucher is easy to communicate but debatable in terms of efficiency"
"Populism works simply - it does not build long-term solutions but delivers quick, easy-to-understand measures that can be easily presented in front of cameras. A voucher is exactly this type of instrument - easy to communicate, electorally appealing, but debatable in terms of general efficiency," notes the specialist.
He points out that the current support system for vulnerable consumers is often bureaucratic and does not include all those on the brink.
"Many Romanians earn 'a little too much' to receive support, but 'much too little' to easily cope with price hikes. In this gray area, the state can argue that the voucher is a quick and applicable solution without paperwork and trips to the town hall," Chisăliță mentioned.
500,000 beneficiaries and a cost of 300 million lei
According to the president of AEI, approximately 500,000 Romanians would qualify to receive the vouchers, which would imply an allocation of around 300 million lei, considering that heating is used at most six months a year.
"We believe that the future average gas price in Romania, for the end consumer, will be around 360 lei/MWh with VAT included (the offered price average), we notice an increase in VAT revenues due to the gas price hike of about 800 million lei/year. Subtracting the 300 million lei for vouchers, the state would benefit by 500 million lei in state budget.
In other words, the increase in gas prices would allow for the possibility of offering vouchers and obtaining a significant gain in the state budget (in addition to the 500 million lei, approximately 2.8 billion lei from taxes, surtaxes, excises, taxes, etc., would be added). Thus, the state will provide vouchers from the money that consumers will pay additionally (a consumer living in a house will pay an extra 200 lei/month on gas and will receive a voucher of 100 lei/month!!!)," explained Chisăliță.
Same amount for everyone, an unfair solution
The specialist considers it unjust to grant the same amount to all beneficiaries without considering incomes and consumption levels.
While for some consumers, energy expenses, even with assistance, can reach 71% of their income, for others, these represent only 11%, according to the AEI analysis.
At the same time, Chisăliță emphasizes that Romania's issue is not the lack of legislation but the lack of functional laws.
"Any new scheme that overlaps with an existing one means more confusion for citizens, more administrative costs, and ultimately, more room for inefficiency and waste. It is important to provide support to vulnerable consumers through vouchers and assistance with gas payments, but these measures must be built on fair and transparent criteria," he added.
Aid must be targeted, not transferred to other consumers
The analysis also indicates that support should not be granted "to everyone" but differentiated based on incomes, assets, consumption, and energy consumption efficiency, so that it reaches those who truly need help.
At the same time, any compensation scheme should avoid transferring costs to other consumers.
"It is not fair for the population or companies that fully pay their bills to bear, through higher tariffs, the expenses generated by poorly conceived aid. The correct solution is a system funded clearly, responsibly, and sustainably, which does not have chain effects on the entire market," the research specifies.
AEI: The voucher should be funded from private funds, not from bills
The Smart Energy Association proposes that the voucher should not be funded entirely by the consumers who receive it, but from private funds, provided that the mechanism is transparently explained.
"Social aid must be a real form of protection, not a populist measure or a burden redistributed in secret. In conclusion, the gas voucher can be presented as social support, but in the form proposed today, it risks becoming just an image exercise. If the state truly wants to protect the population, the solution is not to invent another program but to strengthen an existing one and to devise coherent policies, not momentary campaigns, simultaneously with vouchers from private funds. People no longer need beautiful promises but fair, efficient, and sustainable measures," the specialist notes.