ASE Study: Value vouchers generated over 1.4% of GDP in 2024

The event was opened by the French ambassador Nicolas Warnery, who highlighted the importance of meal vouchers, a French innovation from the '60s, now essential for millions of citizens in France and Romania. Prof. Univ. Dr. Adriana Alexandru Davidescu presented simulations showing that the elimination of vouchers would lead to losses of 18.99 billion lei and over 150,000 jobs lost.

In contrast, indexing them with inflation could add 0.14% to GDP and generate additional jobs. Lect. Univ. Dr. Cosmin Cepoi demonstrated that households receiving vouchers consume 4% more, with the benefits being greater for vulnerable populations. Prof. Univ. Dr. Cristian Păun emphasized the role of vouchers in financial inclusion and proposed the elimination of taxes on them.

In the end, the research team recommended maintaining and indexing social vouchers as essential mechanisms for economic and social balance, stimulating GDP and creating jobs.