POPESCU & ASOCIATII wins in court a complex file for its client, Sometra SA, part of Mytilineos Holdings, the world leader in the industrial and energy sector, having as object the closure of one of the 68 landfills for which Romania has been sanctioned by the European Court of Justice, following several infringement proceedings opened against Romania.

Based on the arguments brought by POPESCU & ASOCIATII lawyers and the technical solution proposed, the court obliged the Romanian State to approve one of the most innovative projects in the field, unprecedented and of unparalleled value in Romania and to issue environmental permits for closure the landfill located in Copsa Mica region in Romania. The favorable solution obtained in court also represents a valuable precedent for the circular economy and the waste management sector, so important for the European Union, in the context of the infringement procedure carried out against Romania by the European Union.

At the end of 2021, the European Commission decided to send Romania again before the Court of Justice of the European Union for non-compliance with the Court's decision of October 18, 2018, which finds that our country has not fulfilled its obligations under Directive 1999/31/EC on closure and rehabilitation of 68 landfills. The Directive sets standards for the protection of human health and the environment, in particular surface water and groundwater, soil and air, against the adverse effects caused by the collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of waste, aiming to prevent or reduce the negative effects of waste storage throughout its life cycle.

The team that obtained the client's favorable decision included lawyers specialized in litigation, environmental law, but also PPP and was coordinated within POPESCU & ASOCIATII by Octavian POPESCU, Partner and Dana BIVOL, Partner.

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POPESCU & ASOCIATII is a frontline law firm in Romania, providing premium clients with exceptional integrated services, both in Romania and abroad, in all relevant practice areas and especially in industries of interest to active economic players.

POPESCU & ASOCIATII and its lawyers are included in the elite of the Romanian business lawyers in areas such as Corporate/Mergers and Acquisitions, Litigation, PPP and Acquisitions, Restructuring and Insolvency, Tax and White-Collar Crime, based on extraordinary capabilities in the legal sector and client’s feedback, recognitions granted by the latest editions of all the renowned legal directories such as Chambers & Partners, IFLR 1000, Benchmark Litigation and Legal 500 EMEA.

The company was included on the short list of Benchmark Litigation Awards for Law Firm of the Year in Litigation and by Europa Property, the publication specialized in commercial real estate in Central and South-Eastern Europe, in the category Law Firm of the Year in Romania in Real Estate within the SEE Real Estate Awards, 15th edition.

An unparalleled performance is represented by the exclusive award of highly Commended Law Firm in Southeastern Europe at the 2021 edition of The Lawyer European Awards. POPESCU & ASOCIATII has thus become the first law firm in Romania, with less than 3 years of activity, obtaining this recognition, the positioning in The Lawyer ranking targeting a regional category, dominated by big names in the European law.

POPESCU & ASOCIATII has also received the awards for the Best Litigation Law Firm in Romania, the Best Banking Law Firm in Romania, the Best Real Estate Law Firm in Romania and has been recognized among the best White-Collar Crime law firms in Romania, based on the extraordinary experience and acknowledgement of the local legal market, at the Romanian Law Awards Gala.