After a 2025 marked by high levels of activity, Romania’s logistics and industrial real estate market started 2026 with a visible cooling in demand.

Data cited by Colliers, based on Eurostat data and public transaction monitoring, indicates a 56% decline in leasing demand in Q1, down to approximately 80,000 sqm.

The evolution comes amid a sharp deterioration in business confidence in the logistics sector, with Romania recording one of the steepest declines in the European Union relative to historical averages, surpassed only by Slovakia, Germany, Belgium, and Hungary. However, Colliers notes that Romania remains in the mid-range of the European ranking, while the manufacturing sector continues to show relative resilience.

The structure of demand suggests reconfiguration rather than a broad contraction. Nearly three-quarters of Q1 contracts represent new demand, with a direct impact on occupancy levels. At the same time, more than 50% of transactions are linked to production spaces, significantly above the historical average.

A substantial share of activity is driven by renegotiations and portfolio optimization, in a cautious investment environment. Internal and external uncertainty factors continue to influence corporate decisions, from domestic consumption to geopolitical conditions.

Despite the short-term decline, fundamentals remain strong: a logistics space deficit compared to Central and Eastern Europe, ongoing infrastructure expansion — with nearly 900 km of highways under construction — and steady developer interest. The current stock of over 8 million sqm could exceed 9 million sqm by the end of 2027.