Entering into force on February 19, 2021, the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility aimed, according to the European Commission, “to mitigate the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient, and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.” CEE Legal Matters spoke with lawyers from Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, and Romania to learn what each country focused on, with its Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), and what difficulties lie ahead, now that these plans have been submitted to the EC.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has advised Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing on the EUR 10 million technical and aesthetic refurbishment and modernization process of the America House office building in Bucharest.

Contributed by Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii.

Law No. 129/2019 on preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing and amending and supplementing certain legislative acts (“Law 129/2019”) has been amended by the Government Emergency Ordinance No. 53/2022 published in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 394 of 21 April 2022 (“GEO 53/2002”).

Emergency Ordinance No. 58/2022 amending and supplementing consumer protection acts (“GEO No. 58/2022”) was published in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 456 of 6 May 2022. The act entered into force on 28 May 2022.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, working with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has successfully represented the Romanian Rugby Federation before an independent panel appointed by World Rugby in proceedings regarding player eligibility rules for the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.

Law No. 69/2022 amending and supplementing Law No. 8/1996 on copyright and related rights (“Law No. 69/2022”) was published in the Official Journal of Romania, Part I No. 321 of 1 April 2022 and, with the exception of a few provisions which will become applicable 30 days or 6 months after publication, entered into force on 4 April 2022.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) released its judgement in Case C-333/20 Berlin Chemie on 7 April 2022. This extremely important ruling might mark the turning point in the controversial VAT fixed establishment topic. Although numerous European courts had already passed decisions on this issue, the approach taken by tax authorities in many EU Member States, including Romania, have been aggressive and inconsistent, with significant tax assessments made against companies mainly due to uncertainties in the existing legislation.

This review was prepared for Ukrainian refugees by the law firm Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii upon request and in coordination with the international legal network Multilaw and Ukrainian law firm Arzinger. The review is as of March 11, 2022. The review is not a legal advice and is for informational purposes only. For updates, please follow www.multilaw.com and/or www.arzinger.ua

Emergency Ordinance No. 20/2022 for amending and supplementing certain normative acts, as well as for regulating humanitarian and assistance measures (“GEO 20/2022”) was published in the Official Gazette No. 231/2022.

Ordinance No. 11/2022 for the amendment and completion of certain normative acts, as well as for the amendment of several deadlines (“GO 11/2022”) was published In the Official Gazette No. 96/2022. This ordinance brings amendments and completions to both Law No. 227/2015 regarding the Fiscal Code (“Fiscal Code”) as well as to Law No. 207/2015 regarding the Fiscal Procedure Code (“Fiscal Procedure Code”).

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the pandemic’s legal implications, and energy are the hottest topics in Romania right now, with public procurement being a common thread, according to Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Litigation Partner Dan Cristea.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has announced six new partners in its most recent promotion round. As of January 1, 2022, the firm’s new Partners are Mihai Anghel, Oana Gavril, Catalina Mihailescu, Andreea Oprisan, Alexandra Peres, and Alina Ungureanu.

Contributed by Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii.

Intra-group loans and guarantees are frequently encountered in the activity of group companies, especially when centralized capital and liquidity management systems are in place. Intra-group loans are often used as tools to maximize liquidity at the group level while reducing the cost of funds, while the guarantees provide group companies with better access to external financing or high-value commercial contracts.

On April 8, 2021, CEE Legal Matters sat with senior partners from four of Romania’s leading law firms for a Round Table conversation.

It is no easy task this day and age to talk of “legal market trends.”

Technology is part of our lives. And technological development leaves its mark on our lifestyle. We saw that in our own homes when we gave up our traditional landlines and used the fixed broadband Internet connection instead, at higher and higher speeds. We see that when exploring the ever-expanding features and options of our mobile handsets. We also see that while viewing high definition programs or when accessing digital interactive services through our TV sets, and when faced with the option of placing calls using traditional services or through new applications. We can see the technological development when rural areas have access to electronic communications and are thus able to reap the benefits of the digital economy.