Romania’s Accession to the European Union in 2007: Implications for Small Business and the Accounting Profession

Abstract. Romania’s primary claims to fame have been as the home of Vlad Tepes, the warlord on whom the character Dracula was based, and for the 1989 revolution that led to the downfall of the president, Nicolae Ceausescu. Romania is now emerging from its history as a hard-line Communist country, and its citizens are hopeful of a bright new future as members of the European Union (EU). This paper discusses the changes that have taken place in Romania recently, particularly from the perspective of opportunities for SMEs and the accountants who advise these enterprises. On January 1 st 2007, Romania was granted membership of the EU. This event has marked a tangible move from the old Communist system to a more market-oriented society. Romanians are looking forward to a better standard of living, to being a part of a bigger business community, and Romanian small businesses are preparing for the changes that EU membership requires. This paper questions whether the opportunities presented by these changes have been fully appreciated by Romanian accountants, and discusses the likely impacts of these changes on the development of the accounting profession, and its relationship with SME clients