In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

CMS has advised automotive manufacturing company Ford Otosan Romania on a EUR 435 million financing from a syndicate of banks, arranged by coordinating mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners Societe Generale and BRD Groupe Societe Generale.

Suciu Popa has advised Meta Estate Trust on its acquisition of the Poiana SPV 6814 company and its real estate asset rights in Romanian winter resort Poiana Brasov.

On 6 March 2024, the Ministry of Energy received approval from the European Commission (the “Decision“) for the contract-for-difference financing scheme in support of onshore wind and solar PV installations to promote the transition to a zero net-zero economy. On 27 March 2024, a non-confidential version of the Decision was published in the State Aid Register on the Commission’s competition website.

In March the European Commission approved a EUR 3bln (RON 15.22bln) Romanian scheme to support installations producing electricity from onshore wind and solar photovoltaic. The approval relates to an initiative launched for consultations by the Ministry of Energy in August 2023, aimed at implementing a Contracts for Difference (CfD) support mechanism for low-carbon technologies (the "CfD Scheme").

As everybody knows, grid connection is a big challenge, perhaps the biggest challenge, the renewables encounter nowadays in Romania and elsewhere. According to the data available on the Romanian TSO website, over 20 GW of wind and solar projects seem to have obtained grid connection endorsement (Romanian: aviz tehnic de racordare – “ATR”) to the extent the total installed capacity in the country is about 18.5 GW and the consumption does not expect a serious take-off in the foreseeable future. An even bigger capacity might be in the queue to obtain ATR.

Clifford Chance has advised Nofar Energy on the engineering, procurement, and construction agreement and the operation and maintenance agreement with CJR Renewables for two photovoltaic projects in Romania with a capacity of 315 megawatts.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised ELI Parks on leasing 4,500 square meters of logistics and office space in ELI Park 4 to Sika.

While the business landscape is well-acquainted with the established Merger Control regime (MC), characterized by extensive practice and ongoing efforts by the Competition Council to streamline processes, attention must also be directed towards two additional control regimes that have been implemented: the investment control regime and the subsidy control regime.

Former Managing Associate Ramona Birlog has been appointed to a Partner position with Firon Bar-Nir during the latest promotion round in the firm's Litigation and Insolvency department.

Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii has advised NTT Data on its agreement with the BMW Group to set up a joint venture in Cluj-Napoca to enhance software competencies and foster digital transformation. Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen reportedly advised BMW.

Hidroelectrica's acquisition of the ABC and Calnicel platform business lines from UCM Resita (reported by CEE Legal Matters on December 22, 2023) closed on March 11, 2024, as announced by PeliPartners and Voicu & Asociatii.

BNT Gilescu Valeanu & Partners has advised Czech renewable energy producer Solar Global on its acquisition of a ready-to-build project for a 4.6-megawatt photovoltaic park in Arad County, Romania.

Senior Partner Marta Popa – who has been with Voicu & Asociatii since its inception in 2001 – has been appointed a Deputy Managing Partner at the Bucharest-based firm.

Rizoiu & Poenaru, working with Clifford Chance, has advised the Affidea Group on its acquisition of cancer care provider MedEuropa Romania. Biris Goran, working with Linklaters, advised the sellers.

CMS has advised the Cicor Group on its full acquisition of the Evolution Medtec Romanian engineering company.

Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile & Partners has announced the appointment of Violeta Saranciuc and Alexandru Iorgulescu to the firm's partnership. The two new partners will join the management teams of the international arbitration and restructuring & insolvency departments, respectively.

Criminal defense lawyers Adrian Sandru, George Zlati, and Dorel Herinean have joined forces to launch the Lexure legal hub in Romania.