So what is your outlook on being a freelancer in Europe? Do you think it's possible? Don't you think it's just better to straight go set up a proper business?
I'm a freelancer in Europe. I work with non-EU clients exclusively. It's definitely possible and superior to being local, I'd say because I get paid in USD and consume in RON at a 4:1 exchange rate.
Setting up a small business costs $100 it's not a big deal and you can totally service EU clients if you find them and break through all of these cultural barriers, but why bother? Just work with English-speakers, charge more, work less, have extra free time.
The only ones who lose are those who are behind the times and stick to their ineffective ways.
If you're a patriot and want to help your local businesses, go to them directly, be like "Yo I've been doing these things working with these companies from these places and they got these results. Let me bring these results for you too."
Then they'll say "Oh that stuff only works there because they're stupid. It'll never work here" so then you can put your money where your mouth is and ask for a $0, percentage-based contract where you invest in the copy and the ad placements and you bring the leads and they get the results with no risk while you help them out and make a sizeable profit due to the awful competition.
Then for the 2nd contract to scale up your agreement you ask for money up-front and keep the percentage because why not? Then they'll refer you to their friends and you've got a pipeline of work to deal with super favorable terms and very easy selling (due to the referral trust element) so you can start scaling or investing or whatever else.
This is how I got started 9 years ago or whatever in the fitness niche, although it wasn't with Romanian clients. Some of them were in fact European, but they were personal trainers or gym-owners so they were themselves being hired independently or hiring others like that already. Culture is different in this niche, even in Europe.
So yes. It's possible. It's better than being a wage slave. And it's a great trampoline to use to elevate yourself into actual business and the Fastlane.
Help people. Create value. Everything else is minutiae.