NRCC launches guide on nearshoring to Romania

The Netherlands Romanian Chamber of Commerce (NRCC) launched on Tuesday a guide on nearshoring to Romania, outlining the benefits and challenges on developing such operations locally.

A company doing nearshoring – a form of outsourcing – transfers a business or IT process to the same or another company in a nearby country, benefitting from closer cultural and economical ties.

The NRCC also launched a white paper addressing the government and Parliament, which highlights the role of nearshoring in attracting fresh foreign direct investments to Romania. The document includes practical recommendations put forward by Dutch investors such as the set up of a bureau for foreign investments or regulation of part time contracts for students.

Huub Drabbe, economic counselor at the Netherlands Embassy, noted that IT and manufacturing are the sectors where Dutch companies nearshored operations to Romania. He suggested Dutch companies could further nearshore payroll and IT locally.

“It has been the successful story of nearshoring in Romania and the CEE,” said Daniela Gladunea, principal associate, attorney at law, at the professional services firm KPMG Romania. She added Western companies have started to tap the Eastern market, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, in order to cut costs and remain competitive.

Bert Steenbeeke, owner of BT&T Software Development, a company providing nearshoring services for Dutch tech companies, says Romania still boasts a large pool of specialists with technical background.

“Right now we can find good people in Romania that we can’t find in the Netherlands,” said Steenbeeke.