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Institutional recognition of the Romanian Franchise Association (ARF)
The Romanian Franchise Association (ARF), founded in 2006, is recognised as a public-utility association under Romanian law and is the body that, by law, set up and manages the National Franchise Register (RNF). This page lists the official acts behind these facts, so that each statement can be checked at its source.
Key facts at a glance
| Fact | Legal act | Issuer | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARF is referred to as a public-utility association and sets up the National Franchise Register | Law no. 179/2019, art. III | Parliament of Romania | 2019 |
| Public-utility status is granted by Government decision and is not limited in time | Government Ordinance no. 26/2000, art. 39(1) and 42(1) | Government of Romania | 2000 |
| Management of the RNF rests exclusively with ARF | Order no. 1478/2019, Annex 1, art. 2(b) | Ministry for the Business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship | 21 October 2019 (Official Gazette no. 892 of 5 November 2019) |
| Letter of support | ref. 766/AID/05.02.2026 | Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism | 5 February 2026 |
Public-utility status
ARF is recognised as a public-utility association under Romanian law. Law no. 179/2019 (art. III) refers to ARF as a public-utility association. Under Government Ordinance no. 26/2000, public-utility status is granted by Government decision and is not limited in time.
What the status means
Public-utility status does not make ARF a public authority, a regulator or a state institution.
The National Franchise Register (RNF)
Law no. 179/2019 (art. III) provides that ARF sets up the National Franchise Register, in which franchisors may register their disclosure document on request and free of charge.
Management of the register
Under Order no. 1478/2019, the RNF is an electronic register, and responsibility for managing it rests exclusively with ARF.
What registration means
Registration in the RNF is a transparency instrument. It is not an authorisation, a certification of a franchise or an investment recommendation.
External reference
The U.S. International Trade Administration's Romania Country Commercial Guide refers to the “establishment of the National Franchise Registry held by the non-governmental Romanian Franchise Association”. This is a documentary reference, not a recommendation or a guarantee.
Letter of Support from the Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
On 5 February 2026, the Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism issued a letter of support (ref. 766/AID/05.02.2026) addressed to the Romanian Franchise Association. In the letter, the Ministry expresses its institutional support for ARF's involvement in European initiatives and projects in the fields of innovation, digitalisation and technology transfer, including under the Horizon Europe framework. The Ministry also states that it “recognises the strategic role of the Romanian Franchise Association as a national-level infrastructure relevant for supporting, replicating, scaling, and internationalising innovative businesses, particularly in the context of European research, innovation, and entrepreneurship programmes and initiatives”.
“This Letter of Support is issued exclusively for institutional endorsement purposes and does not imply any legal, financial, or budgetary commitment on the part of the Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism.”
The letter does not confer public-utility status, which is provided by law (Law no. 179/2019, art. III), and is not funding, a guarantee, a contract, an accreditation or a standing partnership with the Romanian Government. The letter refers to the association as “Romanian Franchise Association (RFA)”.
The letter is reproduced in its original English version. Descriptions it contains are the Ministry's own wording; ARF's legal status and activities are described on this page on the basis of the legal acts cited.
Redacted copy, not the complete original. The handwritten signature and the registry stamp have been irreversibly masked for online publication. The stamp also covered part of the letterhead and the handwritten registration mark; the registration number and date (766/AID/05.02.2026) are given in the text above. The body of the letter has not been modified. The original is kept, unaltered, in the ARF archive.
Letter of support ref. 766/AID/05.02.2026 (PDF, in English, redacted copy, 1 page, 1.4 MB)
SHA256: 4bbfd06640869788305ddd5f70d3b1fe4deaac5446ab0cc36b0b25d16f67d850
What institutional recognition does not mean
- ARF is not a public authority, a regulator or a state institution.
- Registration in the National Franchise Register is not an authorisation or a certification.
- ARF membership is voluntary and is not a state authorisation or an investment recommendation.
- No document listed on this page provides funding, a guarantee or a standing partnership with any ministry.
Official sources
- Law no. 179/2019 — Romanian Legislative Portal
- Order no. 1478/2019 — Romanian Legislative Portal
- Government Ordinance no. 26/2000 — Romanian Legislative Portal
- U.S. International Trade Administration — Romania Country Commercial Guide
- Letter of support ref. 766/AID/05.02.2026 (redacted copy)
For questions about these documents, write to info@francizor.ro.
ARF overview (English page) National Franchise Register
ARF presentation (Romanian page) ARF public positions Complete guide to the National Franchise Register Franchising in Romania (in Romanian)
Legal information last reviewed: 2026-10-21.
General information only; not legal advice.