ROMANIA Trends and Developments Contributed by: Carina Vermeșan and Vincențiu Constantin, Andronic and Partners
Romania: A Dispute Resolution Landscape Assessment Romania remains one of the most dynamic dispute- resolution markets in Central and Eastern Europe, but its evolution is no longer driven solely by internal economic growth or regulatory development. Instead, the dispute landscape is increasingly shaped by over- lapping geopolitical, economic and institutional pres- sures, which are directly generating disputes and redefining how they are conducted. The war in Ukraine, the reconfiguration of regional sup- ply chains and the European Union’s strategic defence initiatives – including the SAFE programme (Security Action for Europe) – are transforming Romania into a logistics, energy and defence production hub. In parallel, the conflict involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are exerting additional pres- sure through energy price volatility, inflationary effects and increased regulatory intervention. These develop- ments are not merely a macroeconomic background; they are actively producing disputes across infra- structure, energy, public procurement and regulatory sectors, while also reshaping contractual equilibrium and risk allocation. At the same time, these pressures interact with a judicial system undergoing structural adjustment, marked by procedural delays and insti- tutional recalibration. As a result, dispute resolution in Romania is becoming more strategic, economically driven and context-dependent, requiring an integrated legal and commercial approach. Dispute Resolution Architecture in Romania: Arbitration and Judicial Courts Romania offers two primary avenues for dispute reso- lution: arbitration and judicial courts, each playing a distinct and increasingly complementary role in the current dispute landscape. Arbitration Arbitration has consolidated its position as a pre- ferred mechanism for resolving complex commercial disputes, particularly in sectors such as construction and infrastructure. Its appeal lies in procedural flexibil- ity, confidentiality and the ability to appoint arbitrators with specific technical expertise, features that are par-
ticularly valuable in disputes involving sophisticated contractual frameworks and cross-border elements. At the institutional level, the leading arbitral body is the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR), which has undergone continuous procedural modernisation and, as of 2025, has aligned its rules with international standards, enhancing effi- ciency, including in areas such as emergency arbitra- tion and the administration of complex, multi-party disputes. In parallel, several smaller and more specialised arbi- tral institutions have begun to gain visibility, reflecting a gradual diversification of the arbitration landscape. These include the Bucharest International Arbitration Court (BIAC) and arbitration courts operating under regional Chambers of Commerce. Although these institutions currently handle a lighter caseload, their emergence reflects a wider movement toward greater institutional diversity and flexibility, especially for domestic and mid-value disputes. Judicial courts Judicial courts remain the cornerstone of dispute reso- lution in Romania, particularly in commercial litigation, administrative law, public procurement, insolvency and enforcement matters. Their role remains espe- cially prominent in disputes involving public authori- ties, where arbitration is either unavailable or subject to statutory limitations and where courts provide a structured and accessible forum for adjudication. Romania’s court system operates within a well-defined procedural framework, with jurisdiction distributed across district courts, tribunals, courts of appeal and the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the latter ensuring consistency in judicial practice. This frame- work is particularly engaged in disputes concerning procurement procedures, regulatory measures and administrative acts, areas that have seen sustained activity in recent years, driven in part by increased public investment and EU-funded projects. The system continues to manage a significant volume of cases; meanwhile, ongoing institutional develop-
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