CAEN division 38 · section E
EU funds for waste collection and recycling
“Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery”. The programmes that companies in this sector fall under, based on the CAEN lists in the official guides.
- Programmes on the CAEN list
- 6
- Open to all sectors
- 17
- Active companies in Romania
- 3,312
On the eligible CAEN list
Programmes that include CAEN 38
- Open North-East Regional Programme 2021-2027 — Investments for the modernisation of micro-enterprises, Call 2 (PR/NE/2026/P1/RSO1.3/2/1) until 28 October 2026 · all 6 CAEN 38 classes
- Open South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027, Action 1.5 — industrial parks (call PRSE/1.5/A/1/2026) until 26 February 2027 · 4 of the 6 CAEN 38 classes
- Coming soon State aid scheme for products with a trade deficit in the manufacturing industry (HG no. 486/2026) from 15 October 2026 · 1 of the 6 CAEN 38 classes
- Coming soon South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027: Action 1.6, Operation A.1 – Increasing the competitiveness of micro-enterprises in the Danube Delta ITI (call PRSE/1.6/A.1/ITI/1/2026) 4 of the 6 CAEN 38 classes
- Coming soon TechUp România — state aid for research and production in advanced technologies (HG 643/2026) 4 of the 6 CAEN 38 classes
- Coming soon Regional Participation Fund (FPR) — BID loans with a 40% grant for SMEs in the North-East, South-East and Bucharest-Ilfov all 6 CAEN 38 classes
Currently open for applications: 2 programmes.
Any sector
Open to all sectors
Programmes without a restrictive CAEN list (possibly with a few excluded activities), which companies in CAEN 38 can also apply to.
- Open PoCIDIF — Support for innovative technology projects (Measure 1.1.2) until 16 October 2026
- Open EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026 — grants for deep-tech research (Horizon Europe) until 28 October 2026
- Open I3 Instrument Strand 2a (I3-2026-INV2a) — interregional innovation investments in less developed regions until 12 November 2026
- Open e-Mobility RO, sub-measure 1 — charging stations for electric vehicles on motorways, expressways and TEN-T national roads until 27 November 2026
- Open SME Fund 2026 (Ideas Powered for Business) — vouchers for patents, plant varieties and geographical indications until 4 December 2026
- Open SME Eco-Tech — grants for the green and digital transformation of SMEs until 30 December 2026
- Open PoCIDIF 6.1 — digitalisation services through EDIH hubs for SMEs and town halls until 30 December 2026
- Open Digital Europe — cybersecurity (ECCC, call DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11) until 14 January 2027
- Open Refinancing IMM INVEST PLUS and IMM PLUS — 80% FNGCIMM guarantee for working capital loans
- Open BID portfolio guarantees for SMEs — 70–80% guarantee for new loans of up to 10 million lei
- Coming soon Horizon Europe — "Proof of market": commercialisation of research results by start-ups and SMEs from 13 October 2026
- Coming soon e-DRIVE — replacing company fleets and passenger transport vehicles with zero-emission vehicles
- Coming soon Diaspora Investește Acasă — BID grant and guarantee for new companies set up by Romanians abroad
- Coming soon e-MOVE RO — recharging infrastructure for zero-emission mobility
- Coming soon PR Bucharest-Ilfov 2021-2027 — Call PR BI P1/1.1/1/2026: Support for developing an innovative conceptual model (Proof of Concept)
- Coming soon Innovation Fund IF26 Heat Auction — auction for decarbonising industrial heat
- Coming soon PEO — support for employers: childcare for children aged 0–6 and flexible working arrangements (actions 3.c.1 and 3.c.2)
Where CAEN 38 companies are located
The counties with the most active companies with main CAEN code 38:
Other divisions in section E
36 water collection and distribution · 37 sewerage and wastewater treatment · 39 decontamination
Frequently asked questions
What EU funds are available for waste collection and recycling in 2026?
We track 6 open or announced programmes whose CAEN list includes classes from division 38: North-East Regional Programme 2021-2027 — Investments for the modernisation of micro-enterprises, Call 2 (PR/NE/2026/P1/RSO1.3/2/1); South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027, Action 1.5 — industrial parks (call PRSE/1.5/A/1/2026); State aid scheme for products with a trade deficit in the manufacturing industry (HG no. 486/2026); South-East Regional Programme 2021-2027: Action 1.6, Operation A.1 – Increasing the competitiveness of micro-enterprises in the Danube Delta ITI (call PRSE/1.6/A.1/ITI/1/2026). In addition, 17 programmes are open to any sector.
What does CAEN 38 mean?
CAEN division 38 (rev. 2) is “Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery”, with 6 activity classes, in section E — Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities. Eligibility is checked against the exact class (4 digits) in the programme's list.
How many active companies are there in waste collection and recycling?
3,312 active companies have their main CAEN code in division 38; 2,075 had employees in their latest financial statements and 148 were established in the last two years. Most are in Bucharest (413), Ilfov (218) and Prahova (177).
Does it matter whether the CAEN code is primary or secondary?
It depends on the guide: some programmes require the funded activity to be the main code, while others accept a secondary code authorised at the investment location. Companies now hold codes under CAEN revision 2 or 3; the lists here include the equivalences between the two revisions.
A waste collection and recycling company?
We check your company's CAEN codes against the lists of open programmes and tell you where you fit — free of charge, before any contract.