ING Bank Romania contests the fine of 405.91 million lei received in the case concerning the coordination of ROBOR quotations

ING Bank Romania is challenging the decision of the Competition Council dated September 28, 2026, under which the bank was fined 405.91 million lei in the case concerning the coordination of banks’ conduct when setting the ROBOR index. The institution maintains that the allegations and the fine are unfounded and announces that it will use all legal avenues to have the decision annulled.

ING Bank is the second sanctioned bank to confirm receipt of the decision and announce that it will challenge it, after Exim Banca Românească. Under the procedure, the competition authority publishes decisions after notifying the entities concerned, with the document being sent to the bank within the statutory four-month period from the plenary’s decision.

On June 7, the Competition Council announced total fines of 3.73 billion lei for ten banks, the largest sanction in the institution’s history. The authority claims that the banks monitored one another’s quotations, and that communications between them distorted the formation of ROBOR, affecting the interest rates on some loans denominated in lei.

ROBOR influences loans granted before 2019 to individuals who did not switch to IRCC, as well as loans to companies and certain public entities. The bank says it has conducted its business in compliance with the law and is confident that the courts will assess the case objectively.