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CMS’ team recently acted in a contentious IP matter for a leading software company. It also handles transactions for clients in the software sector, including advising Intel on its multi-jurisdictional acquisition of mobile navigation company Telmap. Corporate partners John Fitzpatrick and Horea Popescu lead the practice.

Musat & Asociatii’s IT team has ‘a strong understanding of the local business and legislative environment’. It advised General Motors on the regulatory aspects of the proposed installation of the GM Infotainment system and On-Star System into cars on sale in Romania. It also advised Apple Inc regarding sales of its products in Romania through the Apple Store, and represented Facebook in a project relating to music management embedded in Facebook pages. Other clients include Discover Europe, First Data and Intel. Catalin Baiculescu is ‘responsive, influential and well connected’.

Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen assisted Orange during ANCOM’s tender process to bid for the rights to use certain radio frequencies, and recently advised an international automotive manufacturer on the implementation of eCall devices. Other clients include Microsoft Romania, Nokia Romania and Level 3 Communications. Adina Chilim-Dumitriu is the practice head.

Popovici Nitu & Asociatii is recommended for its handling of complex matters. In 2012, it advised Orange Romania on the expansion of its 3G licence, and assisted Hewlett-Packard Romania with various matters including the implementation of public procurement contracts for e-prescription software and an electronic health register. The team also handles corporate and transactional matters, including the merger of GTS Telecom and Datek Telecom.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii provides ‘an excellent service’ to clients including Cosmote Romania, for which it recently acted in a public consultation regarding the regulatory framework applicable to mobile virtual operators. It also represented Vodafone in its bid for usage rights relating to various radio frequencies. Other clients include Ericsson Telecommunications, PokerStars and Cinema City. Vlad Cercel and Şerban Pâslaru are the key lawyers.

bpv Grigorescu Stefánicá’s team is ‘very responsive, reliable, and good value for money’. In addition to corporate matters, it also provides more specialist advice, including acting for MediaCafé on trade mark and copyright matters, and advising The Institute for Computers on software and technology services procurement. Alexandru Rusu and Catalin Grigorescu are recommended.

Biris Goran SCPA has significant IP expertise. Highlights included acting for Inspire Multiplex Private on the registration of its trade mark portfolio, and advising Red Bull Romania on IP matters and sponsorship agreements relating to advertising and promotional campaigns. Ana Maria Andronic heads the team.

Bulboaca & Asociatii has ‘in-depth market knowledge and a strong team that provides excellent value for money’. It advised The Walt Disney Company on the provision of electronic content in Romania, and Verizon Romania on the provision of telecoms services. Practice head Razvan Stoicescu is ‘a brilliant adviser – he has excellent legal expertise and combines this with fantastic technical understanding’.

Clifford Chance Badea’s IT and media practice mainly focuses on corporate advice. Recent highlights include advising Innova Capital on its acquisition of card-processing business PayNet. Daniel Badea and Nadia Badea are the key partners.

Dentons acted for OMV Petrom during contractual negotiations concerning its outsourcing of data processing to IBM. It was also selected to advise Gucci on a review of its website terms and conditions. Other clients include Medicarom and CHS. Managing partner Anda Todor is the key figure.

Eversheds Lina & Guia handled a number of corporate matters for clients, and also advised Cosmote on compliance issues and represented another client in an IP dispute with a privately owned broadcaster. Christian Lina heads the practice.

Peli Filip represented a large mobile services operator in an abuse of dominance case, and acted for a major cable distributor in disputes with a broadcaster and the National Audiovisual Council of Romania. Carmen Peli and Cristina Filip are recommended.

RTPR Allen & Overy (Radu Taracila Padurari Retevoescu SCA in association with Allen & Overy LLP) provides corporate support to various clients in the IT, telecoms and media sector. It recently advised KapschBusinessCom on its acquisition of Squario IT Solutions, and assisted 3TS Capital Partners with its purchase of a stake in Avangate. Costin Tărăcilă heads the team.

Vernon | David is ‘an outstanding firm with excellent legal knowledge’. The team is particularly strong in trade mark and other brand management matters, and in 2012 it represented Kosarom in a trade mark dispute. It also acted for BSB in trade mark registration litigation. Practice head Luiza Gijga is ‘highly knowledgeable in the field of intellectual property’.

Vilau & Mitel’s expertise covers corporate advice to media and IT industry clients, and IP enforcement for multinational semiconductor chip manufacturers. Madalina Paisa heads the practice.

Andra Musatescu Law & Industrial Property Offices handles the full spectrum of IT, telecoms and media work for clients such as Orange, EMI and a number of IT and media companies. Recent mandates include various trade mark matters, media-related brand protection work, and patent filings. Practice head Andra Musatescu is recommended.

Buzescu Ca’s ‘responsive and committed’ team advised Google on issues relating to its Romanian subsidiary’s registration with the Data Protection Agency. It is also advising the European Network and Information Security Agency on a study relating to data collection and storage. Other clients include Keydrive and Cobalt IT. Senior associate Magda Alexandru has ‘good knowledge of Romanian data protection law’.

D&B David si Baias continues to represent Orange in three Competition Council investigations. Sorin David is the main contact.

Adrian Roseti heads Drakopoulos Law Firm’s team, which advised Upstream Romania on negotiations with Vodafone regarding e-commerce software solutions, and acted for Reckitt Benckiser on a number of TV and online advertising campaign matters.

Platis Bazilescu LLLP advised eBay on the hosting immunity regime, and represented Infoclick and Newsphone Hellas in tenders before ANCOM. Nicoleta Gheorghe heads the group.

Stratula Mocanu & Asociatii is noted for its film and TV practice. It advises UPC on issues such as cable network permits and negotiations with TV stations. Cosmin Mocanu and practice head Sorin Stratula give ‘great technical advice’.

Voicu & Filipescu SCA represented a large cable telecoms company in litigation against the Customers Protection Agency, and advised a home credit business on data protection and cloud computing issues. Other clients include Dell Services and UPC. Daniel Voicu heads the team.

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Legal Developments in Romania for IT, telecoms and media

Legal Developments in Romania

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • Romania: Wind of change on the Romanian renewable energy market - part II

    In the Legal Insights edition of 18 March 2013, we presented the potential changes to the Romanian renewable energy scheme, resulting from an unofficial working draft Government Emergency Ordinance (GEO) circulated on the market. This Tuesday (2 April 2013), a draft Government Emergency Ordinance on the amendment of Law no. 220/2008 was officially published on the website of the Ministry of Economy. The public is invited to submit comment within the next 30 days, to the e-mail address dezbateri_publice@minind.ro .
  • Romania: Wind of change on the Romanian renewable energy market

    Romania seems to be one of the most attractive CEE jurisdictions for renewable energy investments, due to the generous support scheme which generated increasing enthusiasm over the past few years. Implemented in 2005, the support scheme for renewable energy (RES) consisting of tradable green certificates (GCs) combined with mandatory acquisition quotas was improved in 2008 and subsequently in 2010, but was only applicable as of mid-2011, upon state aid clearance from the European Commission (EC).
  • How can the Romanian Constitution be revised

    Although its stability over time represents the essence of the Romanian Constitution (the “Constitution”) and of any constitution, such fundamental law within the Romanian legal system should at the same time, at any moment, represent both a frame of reference for the Romanian social, political and economical life and a reflection of such. Given the accelerated changes within the society, in order for the Constitution to be brought in line with the overall social, political and economical evolution and perspectives, a procedure for its revision and also the limitations in what regards the possibility for the Constitution to be revised are established by this fundamental law itself. .
  • Romania: New financial and fiscal legislative amendments

    Government emergency ordinance no. 8/2013 for the amendment and supplementation of Law no. 571/2003 regarding the Fiscal Code and the regulation of certain financial and fiscal measures (published in the Official Gazette no. 54/23.01.2013) enters into force starting from 1 February 2013. GEO 8 introduces a number of important amendments and supplementa-tions in the fiscal legislation. We shall further present some of the amendments related to di-rect taxation, respectively to social insurance.
  • COMMITMENTS PROCEDURE IN ANTITRUST CASES BEFORE THE ROMANIAN COMPETITION COUNCIL

    1. Background The Romanian Competition Law no. 21/1996 (the " Law ") has been adopted and amended on various occasions so that it reflects the evolution of the competition law provisions in the EU. On 6 July 2010 the Law has been substantially amended, introducing among other institutions the commitments procedure for anticompetitive practices. Previously, the commitments were available only in merger cases under the form of remedies. The commitments procedure has been detailed in RCC guidelines issued in December 2010 (the " Guidelines "), which have been amended at the end of year 2012.
  • Romania: Proposed new OTC trading arrange-ments for electricity

    Friday (11 January 2013), the Romanian energy market regulator (ANRE) published on its website for public consultation a proposal for a procedure and regulation on OTC electricity trading (the "Proposal"). ANRE has invited stakeholders to submit their comments by 21 January 2013.
  • VAT challenges in 2012; there’s plenty to come

    If the Romanian taxation system were under any sign, it would surely not have been Libra this year. Hence, the unbalanced practice of abrupt or disputed changes to the tax legislation persisted in disregarding the principles set forth in art. 4 of the Romanian Fiscal Code, whereby (i) the code is to be amended solely based on a law, (ii) the amending law must be advocated for, as a rule, six months prior to its entry into force, and (iii) any amendment to the code will enter into force starting the 1st of January following the year it was adopted.
  • The new 2012 Arbitration Rules of the Court of International Commercial Arbitration Court

    Authors: Luminita Popa, Partner Musat & Asociatii, Iulian Popescu, Partner Musat & Asociatii
  • Termination of Distribution Agreements in Romania

    The absence of a contract regulating the duration and termination of a distribution relationship does not necessarily entitle a party to abruptly terminate the agreement without facing financial exposure to the other party. In particular, a reasonable notice period should be given to allow the other party to adapt its business operations.
  • Guarantees under the New Civil Code

    After the New Civil Code entered into force on October 1, 2011, significant amendments were brought to the legal framework regulating the guarantees’ field, either by effective legislative changes to the existing institutions or by introduction of new types of guarantees. The New Civil Code also changed the terminology in the field (e.g. “mortgage” designates both securities over real estate and movable assets, while “pledge” is now referring only to a security interest with dispossession).

Press Releases in Romania

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to