PBESProceedings of Business and Economic Studies2209-26412209-265XBio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/PBES.v9i9.15633ArticleInstitutional Barriers to Chinese Enterprises’ Investment in Romania under the EU’s Dual-Level Regulatory Framework: Challenges and Response Strategieshttps://artdesignp.com/journal/PBES/9/9/10.26689/PBES.v9i9.15633XiaQunyue2026992026-09-30In recent years, bilateral trade between China and Romania has grown steadily, yet the scale of Chinese direct investment in Romania remains modest. As a member state of the European Union, Romania’s investment policy environment is shaped simultaneously by EU-level regulation and by national legislation, producing a dual-layer institutional framework that has become increasingly restrictive toward non-EU investors in sectors deemed strategic. This paper examines the institutional barriers confronting Chinese enterprises in Romania, focusing on the EU Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation (EU) 2019/452, Romania’s national screening mechanism under Government Emergency Ordinance 46/2022, sector-specific restrictions in telecommunications and nuclear energy, and constraints in Romania’s public procurement regime. Drawing on the cases of Huawei’s exclusion from Romania’s 5G network, the termination of the China General Nuclear Cernavodă nuclear project, and the successful Bucharest Ring Road contract, the paper identifies the structural sources of policy risk and proposes response strategies centered on regulatory compliance, sector selection, and localized cooperation, offering practical reference for Chinese enterprises and for China-Romania economic cooperation.Foreign direct investment screening, Romania, European Union, Chinese outward investment, Public procurement

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