Relatively recently, the legislative process has once more turned its attention to the former Draft Law amending Law no. 186/2013 on the establishment and operation of industrial parks (DL-x no. 250/2014) adopted by the Senate on 28 April 2014 and by the Chamber of Deputies, as decisional chamber, on 4 May 2022 ("Amending Law"). The Amending Law will enter into force after promulgation by the Romanian President, who, nevertheless, has the prerogative of sending it back to the Parliament for re-examination.

Suciu Popa and Dentons have advised SNGN Romgaz on its acquisition of the ExxonMobil subsidiary that owns 50% of the rights and obligations for the Neptun Deep project in the Black Sea. Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen advised the seller.

Filip & Company has advised Medicover on its acquisition of Laurus Medical network of clinics. Firon Bar-Nir advised the seller.

To ensure the implementation and realisation of infrastructure projects, including those financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the Romanian Government adopted the Emergency Ordinance No. 26/2022 on amending and supplementing certain regulatory acts in the field of public investment (GEO 26/2022). GEO 26/2022 entered into force upon its publication with the Official Gazette of Romania on 21 March 2022.

The past months have brought some important decisions from European data protection authorities (“DPA”) with respect to the use of cookies and the transfer of personal data outside the EEA, especially to the USA. This article aims to highlight the context and content of the decisions in question. 

MPR Partners has successfully represented insolvent electricity supplier Getica 95 Com in a dispute with three Auchan Group companies – Auchan Romania S.A., Coresi Business Park S.A., and Ceetrus Romania S.R.L.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised Al start-up Druid on its USD 15 million series A financing round led by Karma Ventures and Hoxton Ventures. Cobalt advised Karma Ventures. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe reportedly advised Druid as well. Hoxton was reportedly advised by Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo.

DLA Piper has announced that former Counsels Andra Trantea and Paula Corban-Pelin have been promoted to Local Partner with the firm’s Romanian office.

MPR Partners has represented the Bacau Municipality in a dispute with CET SA over the Bacau district heating plant.

Popescu & Asociatii has successfully represented Sometra SA, part of Mytilineos Holdings, in court proceedings concerning the closure of one of the 68 landfills for which Romania has been sanctioned by the European Court of Justice, following several infringement proceedings opened against Romania.

Bondoc si Asociatii has advised the Bucharest Municipality on the private placement and admission to trading of 55,500 bonds with a total issuance nominal value of RON 555 million. The issuance was intermediated by a syndicate of BRD Groupe Societe Generale and Raiffeisen Bank. Dentons advised the banks.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised Element Industrial on the lease of 16,000 square meters of warehouse space in Eli Park 3 to Ferro Romania.

Deloitte Legal's Romanian affiliate Reff & Associates has advised Knauf Insulation on its acquisition of the Gecsat glass mineral wool factory located in Tarnaveni from Gecsat SA shareholders.

Former KPMG Legal Romania Partner and Head of Technology, IP, and Data Privacy Cristiana Fernbach has joined Amber as General Counsel.

Clifford Chance has advised the Green Group on a EUR 127 million financing from a syndicate of banks. Filip & Company advised the lenders. Linklaters reportedly advised the lenders as well.

The Ministry of Finance has recently announced officially the opening of a call for submission of applications under the state aid scheme regulated by Government Decision no. GD 807/2014 for financing assets. The period for submitting financing requests is scheduled between 15.06.2022-26.07.2022, when investors may file the relevant documentation.

Ijdelea & Associates has advised Black Sea Oil & Gas on the engineering, procurement, and construction contract for a 50-megawatt photovoltaic project with an unidentified contractor.

After the recent alignment of Romanian state aid law with applicable European law, the procedure for granting state aid in Romania has also been updated as follows: