USR has submitted a bill aimed at preventing minors from purchasing alcohol and tobacco online.

Romania will implement a new law that requires all online merchants to verify the age of buyers before completing orders for products such as alcohol and tobacco, as well as for age-restricted services like gambling. USR Senator Ciprian Rus, the initiator of the law, emphasizes the importance of protecting minors in the digital realm, considering that they live in an increasingly complex online environment. The project provides for the creation of a public national electronic age verification system, which will respect personal data protection and allow merchants to verify customers' ages for free.

The law does not change existing age thresholds but introduces penalties for non-compliance with the verification obligation, with fines ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 lei and the possibility of suspending the activities of repeat offenders. This measure is considered essential for ensuring adequate protection of children in the digital environment.