Labor shortages have emerged as a pressing issue across CEE, prompting diverse responses from governments, businesses, and the public as they navigate the challenges of workforce gaps and economic sustainability.

Gladei & Partners has advised the Trans-Oil Group on refinancing its USD 500 million, senior secured Eurobond due 2026.

On November 7, 2024, M&A experts from Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine participated in a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss the FDI screening regimes in their country and key developments in the area on the horizon.

Vizdoaga Law Office and Dolea & Co have announced a collaboration between the two firms.

The topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has lately become an actual and increasingly important aspect in Moldovan law. Until recently scarcely regulated, the activity involving GMOs was subject to significant legal loopholes. This led to the inherent risk pertaining to GMOs being difficult to control, especially with agriculture playing an important role in the national economy.

Bancassurance is a strategic partnership in which a bank collaborates with an insurance company to offer insurance products to the bank’s customers. This mutually beneficial arrangement not only allows banks to generate extra income through the sale of insurance policies, but also enables insurance companies to broaden their customer reach without the need to expand their sales teams.

Moldova is in the process of implementing substantive legislative changes, according to PwC Legal Head in Moldova, Ilona Panurco, who outlines the country’s efforts to align with EU acquis, including updates in digital, environmental, and financial regulations.

Contributed by Dolea & Co.

The Law on Personal Data Protection (LPDP) significantly influences the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems in the Republic of Moldova. As companies increasingly adopt AI technologies, awareness and understanding of LPDP requirements application is crucial to ensure compliance and protect the rights of individuals.

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?

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.

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 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.

ACI Partners Managing Partner Igor Odobescu, Nagy es Trocsanyi Founding Partner Peter Nagy, Kinstellar Partner Radovan Grbovic, Law Office Vujacic Partner Sasa Vujacic, and Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Partner Robert Rosu discuss recent litigation trends across CEE, driven by the impact of economic shifts and regulatory changes in their jurisdictions.

On February 29, 2024, energy experts from Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Turkiye, and Ukraine sat down for a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss the key developments in the field of oil & gas over the past few years.

On December 29, 2023, Law no.429/2023 on amendments of the Law on natural gas no.108/2018 entered into force. The amendment contains some provisions regarding the creation and maintenance of natural gas stocks. Thus, the government will undertake the necessary measures to ensure the use, until November 1 of each year, of the natural gas storage capacity in the storage facilities of other countries that are part of the Energy Community and of the member states of the European Union.

In a detailed discussion on Moldova’s evolving fintech sector, ACI Partners Head of Fintech and E-Payments Nicolina Turcan highlights significant progress, largely driven by technological advancements, cross-border market integration, and the country's need to align its regulatory framework with EU regulations and directives and adjust its payment infrastructure.

This legislative monitoring report covers the introduction of new rules regulating public procurement in international relations, the adoption of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and EFTA member states, the introduction of new rules regulating trademarks from 2027, the adoption of the regulation on audiovisual content. The document also provides for the approval of the regulation on the environmental management of mercury waste, the adoption of the law on hunting and the protection of game resources, the implementation of the national programme for the development of creative industries "Creative Moldova" for the years 2024-2027, as well as the optimisation of the use of industrial parks.