International review has had a positive influence on funding decisions in Romanian universities. As members of the first overseas grant-review panel to operate in the country, we are therefore concerned to learn that the research minister intends to discontinue the use of international referees (Nature http://doi.org/jwn; 2012) in a scheme originally drawn up to improve the country's scientific and ethical standing.

Every proposal we adjudicated — for postdoctoral fellowships or grants for early-stage researchers and senior principal investigators — was evaluated by at least three anonymous international experts and by external rapporteurs. These panels each examined about 100 applications, with particular emphasis on the merit of proposals and on the integrity of CVs. We were impressed by the overall quality of this innovative system.

Young Romanian scientists will be heartened to learn that this round of grant funding met all international standards of scrutiny and peer review. It will be most unfortunate for Romania to thwart this progress towards improving its international research status.