Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Economic confidence among logistics sector companies in Romania declined in the first quarter of 2026, according to Eurostat data cited by Colliers, placing the country among the weaker performers in the European Union. Only Slovakia, Germany, Belgium and Hungary recorded larger drops compared with their historical averages.
The softer sentiment is reflected in the property market, where leasing demand for logistics and industrial space fell by 56 percent year on year to around 80,000 sqm in Q1 2026. Colliers notes that this figure is based on publicly available transactions, with additional activity taking place through direct agreements between landlords and tenants.
“The decline in industrial and logistics leasing follows a record year in 2025 and points rather to a temporary cooling of activity than to a structural shift in the market. The local logistics and industrial property market is in a balancing act between short-term pressures and long-term potential. At present, the environment is shaped by numerous uncertainties, both domestic – such as political tensions and weakening consumption at the start of the year – and external, where conflicts and global instability complicate development plans,” said Victor Coșconel, Partner | Head of Leasing | Office & Industrial Agencies at Colliers.
Market activity in the first quarter was influenced by a more cautious approach from occupiers, with many companies delaying expansion decisions and focusing on renegotiations or optimising existing space. Despite this, nearly three-quarters of recorded transactions represented new demand, contributing positively to occupancy levels.
Colliers also highlights a shift in demand structure, with more than half of leased space linked to manufacturing activities, significantly above historical averages in Romania.
“We do not believe that the real estate market can be assessed based on a single weaker quarter, particularly given that the fundamentals supporting Romania in the long term remain solid. This is also supported by favourable elements in the demand structure, such as the high share of new demand in the first quarter, as well as the strong weighting of manufacturing spaces. Furthermore, the progress of infrastructure projects, with nearly 900 kilometres of motorways currently under construction and many more planned, could significantly accelerate the development of the logistics and manufacturing sectors, provided that internal factors are better managed. At the same time, the growing interest of developers in industrial and logistics projects confirms that the outlook remains positive,” added Victor Coșconel.
Romania continues to face a relative shortage of modern industrial and logistics space compared with other Central and Eastern European markets. Total stock has surpassed 8 million sqm and could exceed 9 million sqm by the end of 2027, depending on demand conditions.
Over the longer term, supported by infrastructure investment, competitive costs and labour productivity, the market could expand to around 15 million sqm by the end of the next decade, assuming stable external conditions.
