Over the past three decades, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has experienced significant economic progress, which has catalyzed the development and sophistication of the legal profession within the region. As most economies in the region transitioned from centralized models to more market-driven frameworks, there arose a complex array of legal needs spanning corporate law, international trade regulations, intellectual property rights, environmental law, and others. This economic transformation has facilitated the growth of robust national law firms equipped to manage both the opportunities and challenges inherent in a rapidly expanding market environment.

Summer is traditionally a slower period for many, including the legal sector, but, if used right, the time can pay dividends for law firms.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With managing firm clients being a critical aspect of firms’ operations, we asked: What are the three most important elements when onboarding a new client?

Romania’s economic landscape has shown both growth and resilience this year, driven mostly by public and private investments and domestic consumption. Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii Managing Partner Florian Nitu, Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Partner Gabriela Cacerea, and Tuca, Zbarcea & Asociatii Managing Partner Gabriel Zbarcea report on the pulse of the Romanian economy, focusing on key sectors, such as infrastructure, energy, IT, and automotive, that are leading this growth despite challenges like inflation, labor shortages, and geopolitical uncertainties.

The competitive landscape in Romania is marked by rigorous enforcement and alignment with EU regulations, making it a challenging, dynamic environment for businesses. Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Partner Andreea Oprisan discusses recent legislative developments and the Romanian Competition Council’s proactive measures in an effort to shed light on this complex legal framework.

In light of Moldova’s recent candidacy for European Union membership, significant political and legal reforms have been undertaken to align the country’s laws with EU standards. Among these changes, the data protection legal framework has seen notable upgrades to mirror the General Data Protection Regulation, with Gladei & Partners Partner Iulian Pasatii emphasizing the introduction of contractual clauses for data transfers and the new concept of subprocessors. According to him, these changes aim to reduce bureaucratic burdens, particularly benefiting Moldova’s IT sector, while presenting opportunities for clearer guidelines and enhanced data protection practices. However, challenges remain as Moldova strives to balance stringent EU-aligned regulations with the flexibility needed for business growth.

In the Inside Track, General Counsels across CEE share the nuances of their roles, challenges, and strategies for success. With organizations continuously challenged to adapt to new and complex legal frameworks, this time we asked: For the implementation of whistleblowing requirements, do you intend to use internal resources or outsource, and why?

Microsoft Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs Head for Central Europe Gabriela Popescu talks about her career and her passion for navigating complex legal landscapes.

Bogdan Plesuvescu has worked in both Moldova and Romania’s banking sectors, progressing from a legal role at Banca Transilvania to CEO of Viktoriabank to Deputy CEO back at the “mother organization.”

An in-depth look at Paul Buta of Musat & Asociatii covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

An in-depth look at Roman Ivanov of Vernon David covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

The use of PPP mechanisms in Ukraine is not common and has been only recently gaining momentum. Even though the Law on Concessions was adopted back in 1999 and the Law on Public-Private Partnership in 2010, these instruments have long been underestimated.

On January 11, 2024, Romania enacted significant amendments to its legislation on public-private partnerships (PPPs). While the country has had a dedicated PPP legal framework since 2002, no major infrastructure projects have been developed through this mechanism. To attract private investors and international financial institutions to participate in such projects in Romania, Government Emergency Ordinance no. 39/2018 on PPPs (GEO no. 39/2018) has been amended substantially.

Slovenia is adopting the EU’s strategy to boost renewable energy (RE) for electricity to enhance decarbonization. Unlike France’s reliance on nuclear power, Germany’s focus on renewables like wind, solar, and hydro hasn’t significantly reduced CO2 emissions, evidenced by its emissions being eight times higher than France’s.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are cooperation agreements between public and private sectors for providing public services traditionally provided by the state and funded by taxpayers. These partnerships involve sharing investments, risks, liabilities, and revenue between the parties, ensuring public welfare by addressing economic challenges in essential sectors. PPPs offer an alternative approach to traditional state-financed projects, allowing faster and more efficient construction of large-scale projects.

In 2021, a new Construction Act (No. 283/2021 Coll.) was adopted in the Czech Republic. This groundbreaking legal norm was designed to solve problems in the permitting process for infrastructure and other projects, such as lengthy administrative procedures, a cumbersome process of obtaining consents and opinions from various authorities, and often a lack of coordination among authorities, which frequently caused inconsistencies in interpreting the law as well as delays.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) offer a way to procure infrastructure and services that traditionally do not include private capital involvement with private finance participation. PPPs have been introduced as a general acknowledgment of the need to solve the infrastructure gap in many countries – especially in emerging market and developing economy (EMDE) countries. EMDE countries need to rely on private resources as a means of accelerating infrastructure development. Attractive for a high degree of flexibility in light of multiple variations across the globe regarding the scoping of a PPP, PPPs enable efficiency and high value for money.

Major infrastructure and industrial projects depend on careful government planning and resources. However, Bulgaria’s government has been in flux since 2021, with six general elections in the last four years. Nevertheless, there have been some legislative developments that could stimulate private investment in the fields of utilities, transport, postal services, energy, and industrial manufacturing.