Tax Refund Romania — VAT and Excise Recovery for EU Transport

Romanian transport companies operating across Europe pay two types of recoverable tax on diesel: VAT and, in some countries, excise duty. Most hauliers know about VAT recovery; fewer know that excise refunds exist — or that the two follow completely different processes.

VAT recovery — available in all 27 EU states

Any VAT-registered Romanian company can reclaim VAT paid on business expenses in other EU member states. The mechanism is the same everywhere: you file electronically through Romania's ANAF using Form 318, and the refund country's tax authority processes your claim. The most common recoverable items for hauliers are:

• Diesel fuel — the largest single item by value
• Road tolls, vignettes, bridge and tunnel fees that include VAT
• Vehicle repairs and spare parts
• Driver accommodation and ferry crossings

See VAT Refund Romania — complete guide for the full step-by-step process.

Excise duty recovery — country-specific

Unlike VAT, excise duty refunds are not standardised across the EU. Each member state decides whether to offer a partial refund of excise duty on diesel to commercial road hauliers. Currently, the main countries with active schemes include:

• France — partial refund of TICPE (domestic excise on energy products) for vehicles ≥ 7.5 tonnes
• Hungary — refund scheme for diesel used in international road transport
• Belgium — professional diesel scheme with reduced excise rate
• Spain — partial refund via the gasoil profesional scheme

Each country has its own application form, deadline and qualifying conditions — separate from the VAT process.

How much money are we talking about?

For a typical Romanian fleet of 20 trucks doing regular EU routes, the annual recoverable VAT alone can reach €15,000–€40,000 depending on mileage and refuelling patterns. Add excise refunds from countries like France and the total can be significantly higher.

Why many companies leave money unclaimed

The process requires tracking invoices by country, by quarter, by expense category, matching them to EU expenditure codes, and filing before the annual deadline (September 30). For a busy fleet manager, the administrative burden often outweighs the perceived benefit — until they see the actual numbers. That is exactly the gap eurotaxe.ro fills: upload your invoices, and the platform handles everything else.

Key deadlines

• VAT claims: September 30 of the year following the invoice period (no extension)
• Excise claims: varies by country — typically 3-12 months after the fuel purchase

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