Addleshaw Goddard’s infrastructure and energy practice has been active across Central and Eastern Europe, with projects spanning battery storage, energy investments and motorways in Poland, disputes in Romania, and offshore wind development in Lithuania, according to Partner Marton Eorsi who highlights the growing necessity of private sector involvement in CEE, particularly in transport, energy transition, and urban mobility.

The target for renewable energy consumption in Europe is to reach at least 42.5 percent by 2030 for all sectors, under Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Known as RED III, it encourages the conclusion of power purchase agreements (PPAs) by requiring member states to adopt various measures.

Kinstellar has advised Solida Capital on the acquisition of Victoria Center in Bucharest from Manova Partners. PeliPartners reportedly advised Manova Partners.

George Zlati, Adina Ionescu, and Simona Chiperi have established Zlati, Ionescu, Chiperi – ZIC Legal – in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Intellectual property rights (IPRs) such as trademarks, patents, and designs, help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand their business and stand out from competitors, protecting their creations and developments, and making it easier to grow through innovation and creativity.

Iablonschi & Asociatii has advised Cultivate Capital Partners Fund Cooperatief on the phased acquisition of a logistics complex in Stefanestii de Jos, Romania.

IPA Legal has advised RebelDot on a partnership with the Visa Cash App RB F1 team.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised Catalyst Romania Fund II on a EUR 2.3 million investment in Footprints AI, which also saw SeedBlink and other private investors participate. BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised Footprints AI.

Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Partner Anca Diaconu talks about competition in Romania in 2025.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around we asked: If you have a formal partnership track, how do you handle lawyers on it who do NOT end up living up to the requirements to make a Partner?

We are living in very interesting times with spectacular innovations in technology. The law is hardly keeping up with all these changes. Companies and authors of intellectual property works are also challenged and need to adjust to the new evolving environment.

Contributed by Bancila, Diaconu si Asociatii.

Filip & Company has advised the Adrem group on the sale of 20% of the shares in Adrem Energy Solutions to ROCA Investments. Popovici, Nitu & Asociatii advised ROCA Investments.

The latest DLA Piper GDPR Fines and Data Breach Survey provides a comprehensive overview of data protection enforcement trends across Europe, including the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. CEE countries are in the mid-range in terms of total GDPR fines imposed since the regulation became applicable in 2018 and for last year, but enforcement activity is steadily increasing. Here are the latest trends and legal developments in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

There are not many legal sectors that experience the ground-breaking changes which employment law faces every year on the Romanian market. In the past 3 years, our legislator’s appetite to regulate and overregulate matters like avoiding harassment at work, amending long established legal templates, or the new law on social dialogue have strongly shaken the peaceful climate of employment relationships.

In an eagerly awaited development, Romania has taken a step forward in fostering more clarity on essential concepts relevant for foreign direct investment (FDI) screening, by publishing draft guidelines (the "Guidelines"), anticipated to enter into force in March 2025. While the Guidelines may not bring major surprises for practitioners who have been working in the FDI trenches since the regime came into force in April 2022, the formal codification of the authority's practice is a welcome step toward greater transparency and predictability.

Effective from 2 February 2025, the provisions of Chapter 1 and 2 of the EU Regulation no. 2024/1689 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (“EU AI Act”) regarding AI literacy and the ban on use of AI systems that pose unacceptable risks have entered into force.

Dentons, working with Kirkland & Ellis, Grette, and Akund Forbes, has advised Helmerich & Payne on the USD 1.97 billion acquisition of UK-headquartered KCA Deutag International Limited. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling reportedly advised KCA Deutag International Limited.