Over the past few years, Romania’s property market has matured from a fragmented landscape into one defined by stability, sustainability, and strategic sectoral shifts. Musat & Asociatii Partner Monia Dobrescu, Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Partner Razvan Gheorghiu-Testa, and Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Partner Vlad Tanase take a closer look at how secondary cities are outpacing the capital in price growth and major players are doubling down on assets.

Over the past years, the legislation dealing with workplace harassment has significantly expanded, with new rules and obligations continuously being added, especially for employers. Anti-discrimination laws, equal opportunity frameworks, and harassment prevention policies have all been gradually enforced, shaping an extensive legal landscape meant to protect employees from abusive behaviors.

Romania is set to implement a significant legal framework aimed at enhancing the accessibility of products and services for all consumers, particularly those with disabilities.

Tuca, Zbarcea & Asociatii has successfully represented the association between China-based CRRC Qingdao Sifang and Romania-based Astra Vagoane Calatori before the Court of Justice of the European Union in a case which rendered Emergency Ordinance No. 25/2021 on the exclusion of non-EU economic operators from public procurement procedures ineffective.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has represented Egger Romania in a dispute over undue charges by an electricity supplier based on a misinterpretation of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 27/2022.

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.

In a constantly changing economy, companies often face the need to adjust their workforce, sometimes resorting to drastic measures such as the collective dismissal process. According to Romanian labor legislation, the process of collective dismissal entails following a rather laborious procedure, aiming to protect both employers and employees in order to prevent abuses and ensure a smoother transition in restructuring situations.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has promoted Serban Paslaru to Equity Partner.

Romania remains an attractive jurisdiction for many foreign investors across various industries, but it faces challenges related to fiscal administration and predictability. A notable example is the introduction of a new taxation regime for large companies, which became effective on January 1, 2024. Naturally, this initiative triggered several reactions from the business community. Initially, efforts were made to prevent the enactment of such legislation or to propose amendments to mitigate the envisaged fiscal impact. Subsequently, in response to the law’s implementation, companies have begun analyzing different restructuring scenarios to establish optimal business structures that would allow them to continue operating while neutralizing the fiscal burden.

Wolf Theiss has advised Banca Comerciala Romana on a EUR 29.5 million credit facility granted to Unirii View. Tuca, Zbarcea & Associates advised Unirii View.

With a growing economy but significant structural deficits, Romania’s healthcare system struggles with underfunding, slow approval processes, and high taxes, making access to new therapies a slow and challenging endeavor, according to Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Managing Associate and Head of Pharma and Medical Devices Dominic Morega.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has advised Romanian entrepreneurs Gianina and Iulian Nica – owners of the retail chain operating under the “La Cocos” brand – on a strategic investment from EBRD, Morphosis Capital Fund II, and CEECAT Capital. Act Legal Romania, working with Mihaela Mindru Law Office, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, and Van Campen Liem, advised the investors.

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.

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.

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.

Contributed by Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii.

Tuca, Zbarcea & Asociatii has advised America House on its recent lease agreements with VSR and Ebury.