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    Doing Legal Research in Romania

    By Dana Neacu

    Published April 2005

    See the Update!

    Dana Neacsu is a reference librarian at Columbia Law School, a lawyer and member of

    the bar of the State of New York, a former Romanian judge (1989-1990) and facultymember of the Romanian University School of Law (1990-1994). She holds an M.L.S.from CUNY (2001), an LL.M. from Harvard Law School (1994), a D.E.A. from CaenUniversit de Droit et des Etudes Politiques (1991), and a Diploma de Drept (J.D.) fromBucharest University School of Law (1989). She is author of the upcoming bookIntroduction to American Law and Legal Research(2005).

    This is an online guide to Romanian legal research. It provides information and links to print and onlineresources and is aimed primarily at researchers outside of Romania needing an overview of Romanianlegal research.

    Update to an article previously published on LLRX.com on December 3, 2001

    Table of Contents

    1. Introduction: The Romanian Legal System

    1.1. The legislative branch

    http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania1.htmhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania1.htmhttp://www.llrx.com/features/romania2.htmhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1._Introduction:_The_Romanian%20Legalhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1._Introduction:_The_Romanian%20Legalhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1.1._The_Legislative_Branchhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1.1._The_Legislative_Branchhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1.1._The_Legislative_Branchhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_1._Introduction:_The_Romanian%20Legalhttp://www.llrx.com/features/romania2.htmhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania1.htm
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    1.2. The executive branch

    1.3. The judicial branch

    2. Romanian Primary Legal Resources

    2.1. Romanian statutory law

    2.2. Textbooks/Treatises

    2.3. Romanian case law

    2.4. European legislation and case law

    3. Romanian Secondary Legal Resources

    3.1.

    Textbooks/Treatises & Legal Journals

    3.2. WWW Meta-sites for legal research

    4. Romanian Legal Organizations (law libraries, law schools, etc.)

    4.1. Romanian law schools

    4.2. Romanian law societies and bar associations

    4.3. Romanian law libraries/library catalogs

    4.4. Romanian law firms

    4.5. Romanian legal publishers

    5. Specific Topics in Romanian Law

    5.1. Administrative law

    5.2. Banking law

    5.3. Bankruptcy and insolvency law

    5.4. Civil law

    5.5. Civil and Criminal procedure

    5.6. Citizenship and Nationality (Immigration)

    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    5.7. Communications law

    5.8. Commercial law

    5.8.1. Competition (Antitrust) law

    5.8.2.Securities

    5.9. Constitutional law

    5.9.1. Electoral law

    5.10. Contract law

    5.11. Corporate law

    5.12.

    Criminal law

    5.13. Employment & labor law

    5.14. Environmental law

    5.15. Family law

    5.15.1. Adoptions

    5.16. Insurance law

    5.17. Intellectual property law

    5.18. International Private law

    5.19. Real property law

    5.20. Taxation law

    5.21. Tort law

    5.22. Trusts and estates law

    6. International Law & EU Expansion

    6.1. EU Expansion

    6.2. Romanias Accession

    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whttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.11_Corporate_%28company%29_law%20%E2%80%93%20Romahttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.10_Contract_lawhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.9.1._Electoral_lawhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.9_Constitutional_lawhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.8.2_Securitieshttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.8.1._Competition_%28Antitrust%29_lawhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.8_Commercial_lawhttp://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Romania.htm#_5.7_Communications_law
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    1. Introduction: The Romanian Legal System

    There are two main legal systems in the world: civil law and common law. TheRomanian legal system belongs to the first group, under which only the Constitutionand other statutory legislation constitute a legitimate source of legal rules.

    Therefore, unlike under the US and other common law systems,

    Formally, the Romanian legal system does not recognize case law or judicialprecedent as a source of legal rules. Previously decided cases therefore are notbinding upon lower courts and do not create law;

    The doctrine provides the rule where the law is silent;

    Trials in the Romanian legal system do not have a pretrial phase during which,for instance, discovery might occur as it does in the common-law system. Instead,discovery or its equivalent occurs as the trial proceeds. In criminal cases,however, there is a pretrial phase;

    There are no jurors, and;

    The judge has a proactive role in searching for the judicial truth.

    1.1. The Legislative Branch

    The Romanian legislative branch is composed of national and local bodies. Its mainnational body is the Parliament, which has two chambers: a lower house, the Chamberof Deputies, and an upper house, the Senate.

    Parliament enacts statutes which are the main source of legal rules. Such statutes areofficially published inMonitorul Oficial(Official Gazette).

    http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/
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    Parliament also is the source of theConstitution,having enacted it as a species of supra-legislation.

    In addition, Parliament may pass a special law enabling the Government to issue ordersin fields outside the scope of organic laws (Constitution,Art. 115).

    The county, urban and rural areas have their own autonomous ruling bodies, which,within defined geographical and jurisprudential boundaries, are empowered to enactbinding decrees within their geographical areas (seeConstitution,Chapter V. Sect. 2-a)

    1.2 The Executive Branch

    The Romanian executive branch has two main components: the Government and thePresident

    The Government consists of aCabinet,which includes thePrime Ministerandministersof the various Ministries.

    The Government issues Decisions and Orders (seeConstitution,art. 108) whose brief subject-matterdescriptions can be viewedon-line.The President may issue Presidential decrees (seeConstitution,art.100). The ministers also issue a large array of rules, regulations, and decisions (Ordine si Hotariri) (seetherules issued by the Minister of Justice). Additionally, national administrative agencies may issue rulesand regulations (Oridine) (see the rules issued by theNational Agency of Control of Exported Products).Finally, the Government appoints a Prefect in each county and in the City of Bucharest, who is itsrepresentative at the local level. (Constitution,Art. 123)

    1.3. The Judicial Branch

    http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.gov.ro/engleza/index.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/index.phphttp://www.presidency.ro/?lang=enhttp://www.presidency.ro/?lang=enhttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/cabinet.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/cabinet.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/cabinet.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-ministru.php?ordcabinet=1http://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-ministru.php?ordcabinet=1http://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-ministru.php?ordcabinet=1http://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-siteuri-min.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-siteuri-min.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-siteuri-min.phphttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.veganet.ro/HOT_GU.htmhttp://www.veganet.ro/HOT_GU.htmhttp://www.veganet.ro/HOT_GU.htmhttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.just.ro/acteincidente.phphttp://www.just.ro/acteincidente.phphttp://www.just.ro/acteincidente.phphttp://www.ancex.ro/RO/rlegis_new_28.08.2003.phphttp://www.ancex.ro/RO/rlegis_new_28.08.2003.phphttp://www.ancex.ro/RO/rlegis_new_28.08.2003.phphttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.ancex.ro/RO/rlegis_new_28.08.2003.phphttp://www.just.ro/acteincidente.phphttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.veganet.ro/HOT_GU.htmhttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-siteuri-min.phphttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/afis-ministru.php?ordcabinet=1http://www.gov.ro/engleza/guvernul/cabinet.phphttp://www.presidency.ro/?lang=enhttp://www.gov.ro/engleza/index.phphttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371
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    The judicial system is divided into civilian and military courts. The civilian courts,generally, continue their pre-1989 structure of being organized at national, county(jude44 in total), and local levels.

    Romanian justice is organized on the principle of double jurisdiction. Therefore, anycase decision from a first-instance court (judecatorie) is subject to a complete de novoretrial on the facts, the procedure and the law by an appeals court (tribunal). Thetribunalehear appeals (de novo) from thejudecatorii. Tribunalemay also act as a courtof first instance for administrative and commercial law cases, including bankruptciesand the more important or serious civil and criminal cases.

    Before 1989, the Minister of Justicewas responsible for the administration of justice.After 1989, the Supreme Court of Justice and lower courts have that responsibility:

    Justice shall be administered by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and other courts of law set upby the law. - (Constitution,Art. 126)

    Additionally, under art. 131 of theConstitution,the Public Ministry is charged with theduty to represent the general interests of society and to defend the legal order, as well asthe individual rights and freedoms. The Public Ministry, which discharges its powers

    through a system of Public Prosecutors, replaced the former Office of the ProsecutorGeneral (Procuratura) which had been established in 1952.

    Civilian judges and Public Prosecutors are nominated by the Superior Council of theMagistracy. Once thereafter appointed by the President, judges are, by law, irremovableand therefore enjoy life tenure, under article 125 of theConstitution.The Council acts asan administrative/disciplinary organ within the Ministry of Justice. (It should be well-noted that, because judicial precedent is not a recognized source of law and thus judgesdo not make law and, further, because normal judges cannot exercise judicial review

    (see below), the professional status and importance of judges is very different, andgenerally less, than that enjoyed by common-law judges.)

    Unlike the US Supreme Court, the Romanian High Court cannot exercise judicial reviewin deciding the constitutionality of legislation. That function is reserved for a differentcourt, theConstitutional Court(seeConstitution,art. 144)

    http://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.just.ro/index.phphttp://www.just.ro/index.phphttp://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371http://www.just.ro/index.phphttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.html
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    2. Romanian Primary Legal Resources

    2.1 Statutes

    Formally, Romanian courts apply only statutory laws, which are created by thelegislature, and in some circumstances by the executive, but never by courts, and thusnever include judicial precedent. The law is structured hierarchically, with theConstitution at the top, then codes and parliamentary statutes, and, at the bottom of thehierarchy, executive laws. Before 1989, Romanian laws issued by the Parliament were

    published in an official journal calledBuletinul Oficial al Republicii Socialiste Romnia,and those issued by the Government were published in Colectia de hotarri aleConsiliului de Ministri si alte acte normative. Those publications became MonitorulOficial al Romaniei(Official Gazette) after the 1989 political changes.

    The Columbia Law School Diamond Law Library has both Buletinul Oficial (theRomanian Gazette) andColectia de hotarriin its collection

    The New York University Law Library hasMonitorul Oficialin its collection.

    Online, some legislation is available through the web page of the official legalpublication,Monitorul Oficial.

    2.2 Textbooks/Treatises

    When a statute is silent as to a particular set of facts, scholarly texts (textbooks andtreatises) are heavily used by judges. The law libraries ofHarvard Law SchoolandNewYork University School of Lawhave large collections of such Romanian works.

    http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&2,2,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&2,2,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&4,4,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&4,4,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&4,4,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/tmonitorul+oficial/tmonitorul+oficial/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=tmonitorul+oficial+al+romaniei&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/tmonitorul+oficial/tmonitorul+oficial/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=tmonitorul+oficial+al+romaniei&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/tmonitorul+oficial/tmonitorul+oficial/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=tmonitorul+oficial+al+romaniei&1,1,http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/tmonitorul+oficial/tmonitorul+oficial/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=tmonitorul+oficial+al+romaniei&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&4,4,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/Wbuletinul+oficial/Wbuletinul+oficial/1,5,5,B/frameset&FF=Wbuletinul+oficial&2,2,
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    Although legislative history is not as an important tool of statutory interpretation as it isin the United States, for those interested in it, the American Bar AssociationsCentraland East European Law Initiative (CEELI) has posted on line a number of domesticdraft law assessments in the Commercial, Environmental, Executive, and Media fields.Since these assessments are made, however, by non-Romanian consultants, their status

    as legislative history or even its equivalent is questionable.

    2.3 Case Law

    The Romanian legal system, like any other civil law system, does not recognize legalprecedent as stare decisis.

    For example, although courts at every level are aware of the Constitutional Court'sdecisions holding laws unconstitutional, being officially published inMonitorul Oficial(Law No. 47 of 18 May 1992), they do not bind ordinary courts faced with similar cases.Every time a court is confronted with an unconstitutional statute, it has to defer thematter to the Constitutional Court, and await its decision in every such case, before thematter at issue can be retried upon one partys request. Selected decisions of theConstitutional Court are availableon-line.

    On the other hand, the Supreme Court's decisions (which, of course, are limited tostatutory application and interpretation and do not address issues of constitutionality)are consciously followed by lower courts judges in an effort to unify the law of the land.Although there is no system of general publication of judicial decisions similar to that inthe US (see the Atlantic Reporter, etc.); there are specialized collections of selecteddecisions heavily edited (and selected) by their academic authors, such asDrept civil:spete si solutii din practica juriciara, which contain summaries of legal decisions in civillaw matters.

    New York Universitys Law Library has such a collection authored by Profs. T.R.Popescu & I.P. Filipescu,Drept civil : spete si solutii din practica juriciara,which waspublished in 1970.

    http://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.ccr.ro/default.aspx?page=laws/law47http://www.ccr.ro/default.aspx?page=laws/law47http://www.ccr.ro/default.aspx?page=laws/law47http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.ccr.ro/http://www.ccr.ro/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Drept+civil+:+spete+si+solutii+din+practica+juriciarahttp://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Drept+civil+:+spete+si+solutii+din+practica+juriciarahttp://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Drept+civil+:+spete+si+solutii+din+practica+juriciarahttp://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Drept+civil+:+spete+si+solutii+din+practica+juriciarahttp://www.ccr.ro/http://www.ccr.ro/default.aspx?page=laws/law47http://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.htmlhttp://www.abanet.org/ceeli/countries/romania/legalinfo.html
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    It should be noted that the Romanian High Court has created anelectronic database,which contains alldecisions from 2003. The summaries are in Romanian and the search may be done by typing wordscontained in the text of the decision.

    2.4 European Legislation and Case Law

    Romania ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights andFundamental Freedoms(with only onereservationregarding military discipline).

    By ratifying this convention, Romania has agreed to enforce the rights guaranteed by theconvention, including the right of individual petition to, and the obligatory jurisdiction

    of, the European Court of Human Rights. Accordingly, any Romanian citizen may bringa case against the Romanian State before the Court and the decision will bebindingupon the Romanian State.

    Some of the Courts decisions regarding Romania may be viewed athttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asp , while its current docket may be viewed athttp://www.echr.coe.int/BilingualDocuments/PendCase.htm.

    3. Romanian Secondary Legal Resources

    3.1 Textbooks, Treatises & Legal Journals

    Textbooks/Treatises:

    Instead of textbooks, so common in North American law schools, the most common typeof legal academic work in Romanian law schools is the legal treatise, which explainslegal principles as applied to one legal area. Harvard Law School,New York UniversityLaw School,andColumbia Law Schoolall carry Romanian legal treatises.

    http://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://www.echr.coe.int/BilingualDocuments/PendCase.htmhttp://www.echr.coe.int/BilingualDocuments/PendCase.htmhttp://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/screens/opacmenu.htmlhttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/screens/opacmenu.htmlhttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/screens/opacmenu.htmlhttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/screens/opacmenu.htmlhttp://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/http://hollisweb.harvard.edu/http://www.echr.coe.int/BilingualDocuments/PendCase.htmhttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asphttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/cadreprincipal.htmhttp://www.scj.ro/jurisprudenta.asp
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    Legal Journals:

    The major public law schools have their own law reviews. For example the BucharestFaculty of Law publishesAnalele Universitatii Bucuresti. Drept, and the Cluj Faculty ofLaw publishesAnalele Facultatii de drept din Cluj.

    The Columbia Law School Diamond Law Library has in its collection AnaleleUniversitatii Bucuresti. Dreptas well asAnalele Facultatii de drept din Cluj.

    Additionally, one of the most influential Romanian law reviews isDreptul (The Law),which superseded Revista Romana de Drept (The Romanian Law Review) whichsuperseded Justitia Noua (New Justice), published by Uniunea Juristilor DemocratiDin Romnia (The Union of Romanian Democratic Lawyers). Other legal periodicalsare Studii si Cercetari Juridice (Legal Studies and Research), and Revueroumaine dessciences sociales. Serie de sciences juridiques, both published by the Institute of LegalResearch of the Romanian Academy. One of the most useful legal periodicals for apractitioner isRevista de Drept Comercial(The Review of Commercial Law) publishedby a commercial publisher, which contains notes, commentaries, and articles on newlyevolved legal issues.

    For example, the Columbia Law School Diamond Law Library has Dreptul in itscollection, while the New York University Law Library hasRevista Romana de Dreptinits collection, as well asRevue roumaine d'tudes internationales.

    Although not published in Romania, The East European Constitutional Review,whichis published by New York University Law School and Central European University, alsocontains articles focused on Romania, such as Constitution Watch: A country-by-

    country update on constitutional politics in Eastern Europe and the ex-USSR.

    3.2 WWW Meta-sites for legal research

    http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Analele+Universitatii+Bucurestihttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Analele+Universitatii+Bucurestihttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Analele+Universitatii+Bucurestihttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDreptul+/tdreptul/1,13,14,B/frameset&FF=tdreptul&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDreptul+/tdreptul/1,13,14,B/frameset&FF=tdreptul&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&1,1,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0&3,3,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0&3,3,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0&3,3,http://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/http://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/http://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/vol7num3/constitutionwatch/romania.htmlhttp://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/vol7num3/constitutionwatch/romania.htmlhttp://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/vol7num3/constitutionwatch/romania.htmlhttp://www.law.nyu.edu/eecr/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0&3,3,http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R/Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&extended=0/1,3,3,B/frameset&FF=Xrevista+romana+de+drept&SORT=R&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDreptul+/tdreptul/1,13,14,B/frameset&FF=tdreptul&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Analele+Universitatii+Bucurestihttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Analele+Universitatii+Bucuresti
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    General sources:

    TheGlobal Legal Information Network (GLIN)is a U.S.-governmental database

    which maintains and provides a database of laws, regulations, and othercomplementary legal sources.

    http://www.findlaw.com/12international/countries/ro.html (part of theFindLaw legal search engine)

    http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/(An English guide to foreign andinternational databases edited by Mirela Roznovski, New York University LawLibrary)

    http://www.ucd.ie/~law/staff/todowd/en_juridic.html (A database of

    information about Moldavian & Romanian Law assembled and maintained byJohn ODowd)

    http://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/coduri.htm (Romanian database of various legalcodes)

    http://legal.dntis.ro/index.html (Romanian database of central legal codes,assembled and maintained by Iulian Gherghevici)

    http://www.priweb.com/internetlawlib/79.htm (This English-language databaseis a portion ofPritchard Law Webs Internet Law Library,which is the successor

    to the US House of Representatives Internet Law Library)

    http://www.washlaw.edu/forint/europe/romania.html (Legal search enginemaintained by Washburn University School of Law Library)

    http://www.corpvs.org (CORPVS WEB is a Romanian legal database)

    Specific Sources:

    http://www.hr.ro/digest_archive.htm (Herzfeld & Rubins Romanian Digest an update of Romanian legislation)

    Miscellaneous:

    http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/romania.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/law/guide/romania.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/law/guide/romania.htmlhttp://www.findlaw.com/12international/countries/ro.htmlhttp://www.findlaw.com/12international/countries/ro.htmlhttp://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/http://www.ucd.ie/~law/staff/todowd/en_juridic.htmlhttp://www.ucd.ie/~law/staff/todowd/en_juridic.htmlhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/coduri.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/coduri.htmhttp://legal.dntis.ro/index.htmlhttp://legal.dntis.ro/index.htmlhttp://www.priweb.com/internetlawlib/79.htmhttp://www.priweb.com/internetlawlib/79.htmhttp://www.washlaw.edu/forint/europe/romania.htmlhttp://www.washlaw.edu/forint/europe/romania.htmlhttp://www.corpvs.org/http://www.corpvs.org/http://www.hr.ro/digest_archive.htmhttp://www.hr.ro/digest_archive.htmhttp://www.hr.ro/digest_archive.htmhttp://www.corpvs.org/http://www.washlaw.edu/forint/europe/romania.htmlhttp://www.priweb.com/internetlawlib/79.htmhttp://legal.dntis.ro/index.htmlhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/coduri.htmhttp://www.ucd.ie/~law/staff/todowd/en_juridic.htmlhttp://www.law.nyu.edu/library/foreign_intl/http://www.findlaw.com/12international/countries/ro.htmlhttp://www.loc.gov/law/guide/romania.html
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    http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0230 (U.S. government database lastupdated in 1989)

    http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2211.html(Australasian Legal Information

    Institute)

    4. Romanian Legal Organizations (law libraries, law schools, etc.)

    4.1 Romanian law schools

    TheRomanian higher education systemcomprises both public and private law schools.The major public law schools are faculties within the major universities: BucharestUniversity Faculty of Law,Iasi University,andCluj University Faculty of Law. Asidefrom those, there are few other public schools, and scores of private law schools whoattract those who failed the entrance exam to the public law schools.

    Students at both public and private law schools have to pass an admission test (or have

    obtained certain grades in high school and, for private schools, pay certain fees), andmust complete four years of study.

    Generally, the first year includes:

    General Theory of Law, Romanian State and Law History, Romanian Constitutional Lawand Political Institutions, Roman Law, Civil law (I), Management, Political Economy orPhilosophy, Sociology, Latin, and/or a foreign language.

    The second year includes:

    Civil law (II), General Penal Law, Administrative Law, International Public Law,Financial Law, Criminology, Accountability, and International Protection of HumanRights.

    http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0230http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0230http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2211.htmlhttp://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2211.htmlhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0079%29http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0079%29http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0079%29http://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.uaic.ro/default.php?t=site&lang=ENhttp://www.uaic.ro/default.php?t=site&lang=ENhttp://www.uaic.ro/default.php?t=site&lang=ENhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://law.ubbcluj.ro/indexeng.htmhttp://www.uaic.ro/default.php?t=site&lang=ENhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://www.unibuc.ro/en/fac_fdrept_enhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0079%29http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2211.htmlhttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rotoc.html#ro0230
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    The third year includes:

    Civil Law (III), Special Penal Law, Procedural Penal Law, Trade Law Work and Social

    Security Law, EU Law, Banks and Currency Law, Competition Law, Intellectual PropertyLaw, International Trade Law, International Private Law, Criminal Investigation, (IV),Procedural Civil Law, Forensic Pathology, Family Law, Civil Jurisprudence, PenalJurisprudence, and License Examination Training.

    As in the US, after graduation and receipt of an approved law degree, students mustpass a National Examination in order to legally practice law. Unlike in the US, aftergraduation, candidates must complete two years of supervised practical training leadingto an examination, which once passed ensures full qualification.

    4.2 Romanian law societies and bar associations

    Law Societies:

    Law students have always been organized-- before 1989, as part of the so-called Communist Party, per

    each public law school, and after 1989, these associations became organized according to interests lessideological and more economic or commercial, see, for example,ELSA.

    Professional/Bar Associations:

    After 1989, the rules of legal practice were provided by Law no. 51 of 7 January 1995, onthe profession of advocate.

    Currently, Romanian jurists have a variety of professional associations:

    The largest one isUniunea Nationala a Barourilor din Romnia UNBR(The Romanian National BarAssociation):

    http://www.elsa.ro/http://www.elsa.ro/http://www.elsa.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.uar.ro/http://www.elsa.ro/
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    Str. Dr. Rureanu nr. 3-5, Etaj 2, Sector 5, Bucureti, Romnia

    CF 4315794

    Tel: +4021-313-8631 / -4875 / -4876

    Fax: +4021-313-4880

    E-mail:[email protected]

    Each county, including Bucuresti (Bucharest), the capital, also has bar associations. SeeBaroul Bucuresti

    (The Bucharest Bar Association), str. dr. Raureanu nr. 3-5, sector 5, Telephone: 0213.154.538, Fax:0213.121.084.

    4.3 Romanian law libraries/library catalogs

    Generally, each public law school, each court of appeal, and district courts in majorcities have a law library.

    The Ministry of Justice and the Institute of Legal Research of the RomanianAcademy have their own law library as well. In addition, theLibrary of the Romanian Academystores over 7 million books,

    some of them of legal interest. TheNational Libraryalso contains legal titles and is opened to everybody older

    than 16. Its catalog can be accessedon-line. TheLibrary of the Chamber ofDeputiesmainly serves members of Parliament.

    4.4 Romanian law firms

    After 1989, the state bar became privatized and currently there are many private lawfirms in the cities where courts are located. Additionally, international law firms haveopened offices in Bucharest. Some of them may be contacted via the Internet:

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.baroul-bucuresti.ro/Index_main.htmhttp://www.baroul-bucuresti.ro/Index_main.htmhttp://www.baroul-bucuresti.ro/Index_main.htmhttp://www.acad.ro/academia2002/acadrom/pag06_01.htmhttp://www.acad.ro/academia2002/acadrom/pag06_01.htmhttp://www.acad.ro/academia2002/acadrom/pag06_01.htmhttp://www.bibnat.ro/biblioteca.htmhttp://www.bibnat.ro/biblioteca.htmhttp://www.bibnat.ro/biblioteca.htmhttp://w2.bibnat.ro/tfe/cautare_avansata.phphttp://w2.bibnat.ro/tfe/cautare_avansata.phphttp://w2.bibnat.ro/tfe/cautare_avansata.phphttp://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://diasan.vsat.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=11http://w2.bibnat.ro/tfe/cautare_avansata.phphttp://www.bibnat.ro/biblioteca.htmhttp://www.acad.ro/academia2002/acadrom/pag06_01.htmhttp://www.baroul-bucuresti.ro/Index_main.htmmailto:[email protected]
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    http://www.legal500.com/lfe/frames/ro_fr.htm (The Legal500.coms listing of46 law firms).

    4.5 Romanian legal publishers

    Regia Autonom Monitorul Oficial publishes Romanian legislation, including theRomanian Official Gazette, and collections of foreign translations of Romanian laws.

    5. Romanian Legal Research: By Topic

    5.1 Administrative law

    Romanian administrative law is legally framed by the following statutes:

    Law no. 69/1991, about local public administration, and the laws onadministrative procedures;

    Law no. 29 of 7 November 1990; Law no. 29 of 7 November 1993 published inMonitorul Oficial26 July 1993; Law no. 161 of 19 Apr 2003 regarding the assurance of transparency in the

    exercise of authority by public officers and functionaries in economic affairs andprevention and criminalization of public corruption, which was published inMonitorul Oficial2003 no. 279;

    and Law no. 7 of 18 February 2004, which is known as the code of conduct forpublic officials, and which was published inMonitorul Oficial23 February 2004.

    It should be well noted, however, that the term administrative law has a meaning quitedifferent from its common-law counterpart. It is not agency law, in the common-lawsense, but deals with the entire, and relatively autonomous, body of law within thejurisdiction of the Government as opposed to that deriving from Parliamentary statutorylaw.

    http://www.legal500.com/lfe/frames/ro_fr.htmhttp://www.legal500.com/lfe/frames/ro_fr.htmhttp://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.monitoruloficial.ro/http://www.legal500.com/lfe/frames/ro_fr.htm
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    5.2 Banking law

    After 1989, the Romanian Parliament adopted banking laws mirroring the privatizationchanges, and they can be accessed on line athttp://www.bnro.ro/. Currently, Romaniahas a multitude of private banks, a list of which can be found athttp://banca.dot.ro/bnr.php3.

    Law no. 312 of 28 Jun 2004(the Romanian National Bank) inMonitorul Oficialno. 582, of June 30 2004, replaces previous legislation regarding the RomanianNational Bank.

    Law No. 58 of 5 Mar 1998consolidated banking law and also covers the establishment of foreign-held banks. It was published inMonitorul Oficialno. 121, of 23 March 1998.

    Strong supporters of economic changes in Eastern Europe, theWorld Bankand theInternationalMonetary Fund (IMF)have been increasingly involved in Romanian politics. Both institutions supportthe privatization of Romanian financial institutions, whose legal regime was established by Law no.83/1997. Their economic power, and Romanias financial condition, means their decisions frequently hadlegal, as well as political, consequences.

    However, since this guide was first written in 2000, the World Bank's conditionalcommitments to Romania, totaling US$3 billion, have remained unchanged. (See,World Bank Romania)

    5.3 Bankruptcy and insolvency law

    Originally, issues of bankruptcywere governed by the Commercial Code. Currently,Law no. 64 of 22 June 1995 regulates both the procedures for reorganization incommercial insolvencies and those for judicial liquidation. In addition,

    Law no. 83 of 15 April 1998(modified by the Government Ordinance no 186 of 19November 1999), published in Monitorul Oficial no.159 of 22 April 1998,regulates the procedures fo r judicial liquidation of banks, and

    Law No. 149/2004 (insolvency code) further amends Law No. 64/1995.

    http://www.bnro.ro/http://www.bnro.ro/http://www.bnro.ro/http://banca.dot.ro/bnr.php3http://banca.dot.ro/bnr.php3http://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://www.worldbank.org.ro/eng/wbrom/index.shtmlhttp://www.worldbank.org.ro/eng/wbrom/index.shtmlhttp://www.worldbank.org.ro/eng/wbrom/index.shtmlhttp://www.imf.org/http://www.imf.org/http://www.imf.org/http://www.imf.org/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ROMANIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:275159~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:275154,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ROMANIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:275159~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:275154,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ROMANIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:275159~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:275154,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ROMANIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:275159~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:275154,00.htmlhttp://www.aneir-cpce.ro/chapter5/ba1.htmhttp://www.aneir-cpce.ro/chapter5/ba1.htmhttp://www.bnro.ro/http://www.bnro.ro/http://www.bnro.ro/http://www.aneir-cpce.ro/chapter5/ba1.htmhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/ROMANIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:275159~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:275154,00.htmlhttp://www.imf.org/http://www.imf.org/http://www.worldbank.org.ro/eng/wbrom/index.shtmlhttp://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://www.bnro.ro/En/Legi/L_StatBNR/http://banca.dot.ro/bnr.php3http://www.bnro.ro/
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    5.4 Civil law

    The body of Romanian law that defines the entire Romanian legal system is codifiedunder the title of Codul civil romn (The Romanian Civil Code). The Code came intoforce on Dec. 1, 1865. The Civil Code, which follows the French Civil Code of 1804, wasreinstated after 1989 (see Monitorul Oficial 21 Nov. 1991), excluding the sections onpersons and personal status which are currently contained in Codul familiei (FamilyCode) and Decree no. 31 of 31 December 1953, and Decree no. 32 of 30 January 1954,both published in Buletinul Oficial from 30 January 1954. The official text of theRomanian Civil Code is available online as of 2001, via Legislaie Romneasca athttp://legal.dntis.ro/.

    The Civil Code is divided into four parts:

    Titlul Preliminar - Despre efectele si aplicarea legilor n genere (a preliminarypart about the law's effect and application)

    CARTEA I - Despre persoane (a first part about subjects of law) CARTEA II - Despre bunuri si despre osebitele modificri ale propriettii (a

    second part about what property claims can become the object of law: mobile andimmobile property)

    CARTEA III - Despre diferitele moduri prin care se dobndeste proprietatea (athird part about ways of transferring property)

    The New York University Law Library has ordered for its collection a recently publishedintroductory textbook on Romanian civil law: Boroi, Gabriel, Drept civil. ParteaGenerala.Bucharest : Editorial All, 1998

    For a more condensed explanation see, Flavius A. Baias,Romanian Civil andCommercial Lawin Frankowski, Stanislaw & Stephan, Paul B. (editors),Legal reformin post-communist Europe: the view from within,1995.

    5.5 Civil and Criminal procedure

    http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/aboroi/aboroi/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=aboroi+gabriel&2,,2http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/aboroi/aboroi/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=aboroi+gabriel&2,,2http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/aboroi/aboroi/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=aboroi+gabriel&2,,2http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/afrankowski/afrankowski/1,1,6,B/frameset&FF=afrankowski+stanislaw&3,,6http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/aboroi/aboroi/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=aboroi+gabriel&2,,2http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/aboroi/aboroi/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=aboroi+gabriel&2,,2http://legal.dntis.ro/
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    While the 19thcenturyCode of Civil Procedureis still enforced (seeMonitorul Oficial26July 1993) largely in its original form, the 19thcentury Code of Criminal Procedure wasabrogated and replaced by the 1968Code of Criminal (Penal) Procedure,which was

    substantially amended in 1973, 1996 (seeMonitorul Oficial14 November 1996), and2003. The Code is expected to be replaced with new legislation by June 2005.

    TheCode of Civil Procedureis divided into seven books, or parts.

    The first part covers judicial competency, the second covers certain general rules ofprocedure during trials, the third part covers other general rules of procedure, thefourth part covers arbitration, the fifth part covers execution and attachment, and thesixth part contains specific rules of procedures governing specific types of trials, such asdivorce. The last part contains transitional rules adopted in 1993.

    The Code of Criminal Procedure is divided into two main parts: a general part and aspecial part. The general part is further subdivided into five titles:

    TITLUL I - Regulile de baz si actiunile n procesul penal (general rules incriminal trial)

    TITLUL II Competenta (rules of judicial competency)

    TITLUL III - Probele si mijloacele de prob (rules of evidence and means ofproof)

    TITLUL IV - Msurile preventive si alte msuri procesuale (means of prevention) TITLUL V - Acte procesuale si procedurale comune (general acts of criminal

    procedure)

    The special part is further divided into four parts:

    TITLU I - Urmrirea penal (pre-trial discovery)

    TITLUL II Judecata (criminal trial) TITLUL III - Executarea hotrrilor penale (sanctions) TITLUL IV - Proceduri speciale (special criminal procedures)

    http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/
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    Major procedural reforms were introduced by Law no. 281 of 24 Jun 2003 andEmergency ordinance 66 of 10 Jul 2003. The Code is expected to be replaced with newlegislation by June 2005.

    5.6 Citizenship and nationality

    Law no. 21 of 1 March 1991, published in Monitorul Oficial44/1991, establishes newrules governing citizenship. Law no.15 of 2 April 1996, published inMonitorul Oficial69/1996 governs the legal status of refugees.

    5.7 Communications law

    After 1989, Romania adopted a series of new laws in a desire to ensure the rapid changeof power. Among them are the new communications laws, includingtelecommunications and satellite transmissions (see Law of 12 July 1996 about postalservice, published in Monitorul Oficialno. 156/1996, and Law no 504 of 2002 aboutradio and television, published inMonitorul Oficialno. 534 of 22 July 2002.

    5.8 Commercial law

    The 19thcentury Commercial code (Codul comercial), which followed the Italian model,is still enforced, although some of its provisions have been abrogated or amended. Thecode is divided into four parts (books).

    The first part is further subdivided into fourteen titles containing general rules of

    commerce (agents and acts of commerce). Title XIII contains insurance rules, some ofthem having been abrogated by post 1989 legislation.

    The second part is further subdivided into nine titles containing maritime law rules.

    http://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/504_2002.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/504_2002.phphttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/ccom1.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/ccom1.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/ccom1.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/ccom1.htmhttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/504_2002.php
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    The third and fourth parts contain bankruptcy rules, which have also been abrogated.(See section on bankruptcy)

    After 1989, the Romanian Parliament adopted legislation pursuant to the governmentsdecision to adopt a capitalist legal system.

    Law no. 15 of 31 July 1990, published inMonitorul Oficialno. 98/1990, governs thereorganization of state-owned enterprises as autonomously administered concernsand specifies the procedures for privatization and creation of privately held businessassociations.

    Law no. 26 of 5 November 1990, published in Monitorul Oficial no. 121/1990,

    provides the commercial and trade registry rules.

    Law no 31 of 15 November 1990, published in Monitorul Oficialno 126-27/1990,covers the formation, powers, activities, and liquidation of partnerships, companieswith limited liability, and joint stock companies.

    Law no. 58 of 31 July 1991, published in Monitorul Oficial of 16 August 1991,amends and improves Law no. 15 in the area of commercial privatization.

    Law no. 36 of 30 April 1991, published inMonitorul Oficialno 97/1991, contains therules for the creation of private agricultural entities.

    Decree No. 96 of 14 March 1990, in addition to Law no. 31, provides for the rules toencourage foreign capital investment.

    Law no. 507 of 12 July 2002 about carrying on of commercial activity by naturalpersons was published inMonitorul Oficialof 6 August 2002.

    A useful source of Romanian commercial law is Digest of Commercial Laws of theWorld,which is part of the Arthur W. Diamond collection.

    5.8.1. Competition (Antitrust) law

    http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t+Digest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world./tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world/1,4,5,B/frameset&FF=tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world&2,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t+Digest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world./tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world/1,4,5,B/frameset&FF=tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world&2,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t+Digest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world./tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world/1,4,5,B/frameset&FF=tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world&2,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t+Digest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world./tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world/1,4,5,B/frameset&FF=tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world&2,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t+Digest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world./tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world/1,4,5,B/frameset&FF=tdigest+of+commercial+laws+of+the+world&2,,2
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    The current law on the protection and encouragement of competition is Law no. 21 of 10 April 1996 (inforce since 1 February 1997), abrogated and replaced Law no. 11 of 29 January 1991, and sections 36 to 38of Law 15 of 1990.

    5.8.2 Securities

    Law 297 of 28 June 2004 about capital markets, which was published inMonitorul Oficial2004 no. 571,is a revision and consolidation of several basic acts governing investments, including Emergencyordinance 28 of 2002 as amended, governing securities, investment services and regulated markets, andalso Ordinances 24 and 30 of 1993.

    Additionally, Emergency ordinance 27 of 13 March 2002 regulates the commodities exchange and derivatives

    markets, and

    Emergency ordinance 26 of 13 March 2002 regulates collective investment funds and societies.

    The Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the National Trade RegistryOffice created an electronic database that assists investors in finding business-relatedinformation about Romanian-based firms. Investors may access Rasdaq and theBucharest Stock Exchangeon line

    5.9 Constitutional law

    Romania is a presidential republic and a unitary state, which is governed directly by theelected president. The president shares legislative power with the bi-cameralParliament, the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers. However, laws, thelegislative statutes with the highest authority after the Constitution and its amendments,are adopted by the Parliament. The president and the Council of Ministers can alsolegislate by delegation in certain situations, such as emergency or pursuant to priorlaws.

    After 1989, according to its new political regime, Romania adopted by referendum a newConstitution, its seventh, on 13 December 1991.

    http://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTEhttp://roleg.ccir.ro/Rinform.htmhttp://roleg.ccir.ro/Rinform.htmhttp://www.rasd.ro/index.htmlhttp://www.rasd.ro/index.htmlhttp://www.bvb.ro/http://www.bvb.ro/http://www.bvb.ro/http://www.rasd.ro/index.htmlhttp://roleg.ccir.ro/Rinform.htmhttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#OFFICIAL%20GAZETTE
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    The prior Romanian constitutions are: the1866,1923,1938,1948,1952,1965,and1991Constitutions. As further explained below, the 1991 Constitution was recently amended,and its2003amended version is also available on-line.

    The 1991 Constitution may be found in English on the Romanian Parliaments web siteat http://diasan.vsat.ro. It can also be found in Central and East European LegalMaterials, which is available in print (vol. 5) as well as on line athttp://www.jurispub.com/ceel/(Transnational Juris Publications, 1990-) in most lawschool libraries collections.

    For an introductory textbook on Romanian constitutional law by a well-establishedRomanian Professor of Constitutional law at Cluj University, see: Draganu, Tudor.Drept Constitutional si Institutii Politice: tratat elementar, Bucuresti : Lumina Lex,1998.

    For a monograph written by a younger legal expert, the translated title of which is Constitution ofRomania, 1991: A Critical Approach, see Dianu, Tiberiu,Constitutia Romniei din 1991 : o abordarecritica.Bucuresti : Oscar Print, 1997.

    Major and far-reaching amendments to the Constitution of 1991 were introduced by Law No. 429 of 18September 2003 on reform of the constitution, which was published inMonitorul Oficialno. 758 of 29October 2003. This collection of amendments accommodates EU directives and related politicalreforms. Romania is scheduled to join the European Union with Bulgaria in 2007.

    Full English text of the Law No. 429is available on the Chamber of Deputies web site athttp://www.cdep.ro.

    5.9.1. Electoral law

    Romanian elections take place according to Law No. 68 from July 15, 1992, which, inter alia, providesthat

    To ensure the proper functioning of electoral proceedings, the Central Electoral Bureau, ConstituencyBureaus, and Electoral Bureaus of polling stations shall be established for each election, under theconditions of the present law.

    http://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1866.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1866.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1866.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1923.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1923.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1923.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1938.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1938.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1938.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1948.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1948.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1948.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1952.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1952.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1952.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1965.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1965.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1965.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1991.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1991.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1991.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_2003.phphttp://diasan.vsat.ro/http://diasan.vsat.ro/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tcentral+and+east+european+legal+/tcentral+and+east+european+legal/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=tcentral+and+east+european+legal+materials&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tcentral+and+east+european+legal+/tcentral+and+east+european+legal/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=tcentral+and+east+european+legal+materials&1,,2http://www.jurispub.com/ceel/http://www.jurispub.com/ceel/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDrept+Constitutional+/tdrept+constitutional/1,4,4,B/frameset&FF=tdrept+constitutional+si+institutii+politice+tratat+elementar&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDrept+Constitutional+/tdrept+constitutional/1,4,4,B/frameset&FF=tdrept+constitutional+si+institutii+politice+tratat+elementar&1,1,http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://diasan.vsat.ro/pdfs/reviz_constitutie_en.pdfhttp://diasan.vsat.ro/pdfs/reviz_constitutie_en.pdfhttp://www.cdep.ro/http://www.cdep.ro/http://www.cdep.ro/http://diasan.vsat.ro/pdfs/reviz_constitutie_en.pdfhttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/adianu/adianu/1,3,4,B/frameset&FF=adianu+tiberiu&1,,2http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tDrept+Constitutional+/tdrept+constitutional/1,4,4,B/frameset&FF=tdrept+constitutional+si+institutii+politice+tratat+elementar&1,1,http://www.jurispub.com/ceel/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/tcentral+and+east+european+legal+/tcentral+and+east+european+legal/1,1,2,B/frameset&FF=tcentral+and+east+european+legal+materials&1,,2http://diasan.vsat.ro/http://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1991.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1965.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1952.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1948.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1938.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1923.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/const_1866.php
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    Art. 23. - (1)

    Since 1989, there have been five parliamentary and presidential elections. The most

    recent ones took place in2000,and November/December 2004.

    Since 1989, political parties have become a major presence in Romanian elections.Lawno. 14 of 5 January 2003about political parties was published inMonitorul Oficialno.25 of 17 January 2003.

    5.10 Contract law

    Romanian law does not contemplate contract law as a separate legal discipline.Contracts are viewed as a category of civil law (see bail, rent, etc) or as part ofcommercial law (when the focus is on the status of the contracting parties and not onthe substance of the contract). See e.g., Civil Code Book III, Title 3, chapters 14(sections 9421,222).

    5.11 Corporate (company) law Romania

    Based on the information provided by the World Bank on its website, it is extremelyinexpensive to launch a business in Romania. It takes 28 days on average and there is nominimum deposit requirement to obtain a business registration number.

    Legal Framework

    Law No.31/1990 concerning commercial companies. Law No.15/1990 on State-owned enterprises reorganization into regii autonome

    and commercial companies. Law No.26/1990 on the Register of Commerce modified by Law No.12/1998. Decree - Law No.122/1990 on the authorization and operation in Romania of the

    Representative Offices of foreign companies and corporations.

    http://www.osce.org/odihr/election/ro/ro00_efr.htmlhttp://www.osce.org/odihr/election/ro/ro00_efr.htmlhttp://www.osce.org/odihr/election/ro/ro00_efr.htmlhttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://legislatie.resurse-pentru-democratie.org/14_2003.phphttp://www.osce.org/odihr/election/ro/ro00_efr.html
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    Government Emergency Ordinance No.30/1997 on the reorganization of regiiautonome.

    Law No.99/1999 on certain measures for the acceleration of the economicreform.

    Law No.105/1992 on the Regulation of the Private International Law

    Relationship. Law No.133/1999 on incentives for the private investors to set up and develop

    SMEs. Government Emergency Ordinance No.76/2001. Government Decision 1.344/2002 approving the amount of taxes and tariffs

    collected by the Trade Register offices affiliated within the Court of Justice as wellas the tariffs related to the operations performed by the Sole Office. This decisionprovides lists the level of charges and tariffs to be paid by companies for TradeRegister-related activities, though these amounts have not changed compared tothose provided by the prior Government Decision 574/2002.

    Government Decision 1.345/2002 approving the form and content ofincorporation request and incorporation certificate for companies. This Decisionprovides for the standard form and content of application of incorporation andincorporation certificate for companies.

    Government Decision 1.346/2002 regarding the assistance services provided bythe Trade Register offices affiliated within the Court of Justice for the registrationand authorization of traders. This Decision lists the types and conditions underwhich assistance services are provided by the Trade Register offices prior to theregistration and authorization of traders. The new regulation establishes thetariffs for assistance services.

    Order 601/2002 updating the Classification of the national economic activities CAEN

    The Order approves the updated CAEN Code that entered into force starting 1

    January 2003. Order No. 2.735/C/2003 of the Minister of Justice The Order approves the fees for auxiliary services provided by the Trade Register

    and the National Trade Register Office. Law no. 370/11 June 2002, amending the Government Emergency Ordinance No.

    76/2001. According to this Law, it is no longer necessary to obtain operationauthorizations (fire extinction and prevention, environmental, sanitary, sanitary-veterinary, labor protection) if, at the registered or secondary office, no activitiesfrom the company's object of activity are performed. In these cases, thecompany must submit a statement on its own liability as regards the compliancewith the operation conditions and does not have to pay the authorization taxes.

    The authorizations shall be requested when, at the respective headquarters,activities from the company's object of activity commence to be actuallyperformed. The amending law also provides that the specific fields of activity forwhich the evaluation of the headquarters by the relevant authorities will benecessary for the issuance of authorizations, shall be established by Governmentdecision. In all the other cases, the applicants' statements on their own liabilityregarding the compliance with the operation conditions will be sufficient.

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    Law no. 370/2002 changes certain terms in the registration and authorizationprocedure. The general term of 20 days in which the Unique Bureau must issuethe registration certificate may be extended up to 30 days for companiesoperating in more than 5 secondary offices and for those performing more than 5activities for which authorizations are necessary. In case certain permits or

    authorizations are not issued, the company may require, within 90 days, that theprocedure be restarted, paying again the taxes for the non-issued authorizations.The Ordinance provided that, in case this term is not observed, the authorizationprocedure must be restarted and taxes paid in full.

    Law no. 370/2002 provides that failure to observe the 90-day delay leads to theannulment of the registration certificate and the deletion of a company from thetrade register, based on the judgment of the delegated judge. Under thesecircumstances, the applicant may establish a new company by restarting theentire registration and authorization procedure.

    Government Decision no. 572/2002 for the establishment of the standard formand substance of the company's registration application and certificate;

    Government Decision no. 573 of 13 June 2002 for the approval of procedures forthe authorization of companies' operation;

    Government Decision no. 574/2002 for the approval of values of taxes and tariffscollected by local trade and industry chambers for register operations and foroperations made by the Unique Bureau;

    Government Decision no. 575/2002 on the assistance services provided by localtrade and industry chambers for the registration and authorization of companies'operation.

    Law No. 183/2004 The Law approves the Ordinance No. 15/2003 amending the Law No. 26/1990

    regarding the Trade Register. Law No. 359/2004 regarding the simplification of the formalities for the

    registration in the Trade Register of the natural persons, family associations andlegal persons, for their fiscal registration, as well as for the authorizations offunctioning of the legal person.

    Law No. 359 stipulates the procedure of registration with the trade register, thespecific simplified ways of granting the Unic Registration Code (CUI), theprocedure for certifying the functioning and for changing the registrationcertificate and the tax registration certificate. The law provides the list of theassistance services to be supplied by the trade registers offices to individualentities, family associations and legal entities in order to guide them in theregistration procedure. This law came into force on 13 October 2004.

    For more information, see theNational Trade Register Office.

    5.12 Criminal Law

    http://www.onrc.ro/english/index.phphttp://www.onrc.ro/english/index.phphttp://www.onrc.ro/english/index.phphttp://www.onrc.ro/english/index.php
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    Romanias 1968 Penal code (Codul Penal)was amended in 1973 and 1996, andwith major changes is still in force. However, the Penal codeas well as the PenalProcedure Code is expected to be reissued by the Parliament and to go into effect June

    of 2005.

    The 1973 version reduced the overall number of indictable offenses, introduced lighter sentencesas well as a system of release on bail for those accused of minor crimes was established, andmandated rehabilitation instead of prison sentences in many cases. After 1989, the death penalty

    was replaced by life in prison. Law no. 7 of 1989 abolished the death penalty.

    The Penal code is divided in two parts: a general and a special part. The general part is further subdividedinto eight titles: the first covers the foundation of penal law, the second covers the general forms of

    crimes, the third covers sanctions and their applications, the fourth covers situations in which there is nocriminal responsibility, the fifth covers juvenile delinquency, the sixth the means of security, the seventhdescribes situations in which criminal responsibility and sanctions do not apply, and the eighth titlecontains a description of various criminal terms.

    The special part is further subdivided into eleven titles, each one describing the regime (elements,responsibility and sanctions) applicable to specific types of crimes.

    For more recent amendments to the Romanian penal code see the New York University Library 'scollection: For a more condensed explanation see, Dianu, Tiberiu, The Romanian criminal justice systemin Frankowski, Stanislaw & Stephan, Paul B. (editors),Legal reform in post-communist Europe : the view

    from within,1995.

    During the so-called socialist era, the Romanian penal code had known majoramendments too see the 1948, 1968, the 1978 versions.

    For a description of the previous codes see: Kleckner, Simone-Marie Vrabiescu,The Penal Code of the Romanian Socialist Republic.South Hackensack, N.J. :F.B. Rothman, 1976.

    The official text of the Penal Procedure Code is available online, as of 2000, viaLegislatie Romneasca athttp://legal.dntis.ro/.Major procedural reforms wereintroduced by Law no. 281 of 24 Jun 2003 and Emergency ordinance 66 of 10 Jul 2003.

    http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0230http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0230http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Penal+Code+of+the+Romanian+Socialist+Republichttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Penal+Code+of+the+Romanian+Socialist+Republichttp://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://legal.dntis.ro/http://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Penal+Code+of+the+Romanian+Socialist+Republichttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ro0230http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://julius.law.nyu.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Legal+reform+in+post-communist+Europe+:+the+view+http://legal.dntis.ro/
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    5.13 Employment & labor law

    The Romanian socialist labor code (Codul Muncii), Law no. 10 of 23 November 1972, was abrogated asmany of its sections, such as the one on the guaranteed right to work (Art. 2), had become obsolete by the

    nature of the new political and economic environment.

    The new labor code, Law no. 53 of 24 January 2003, was published inMonitorul Oficialof 5 February 2003, and is availableonline.

    5.14 Environmental Law

    The basic law on the protection of the environment is Law no. 137 of 29 December 1995, which ispublished inMonitorul Oficialof 30 December 1995. However, after the disastrous Baia Mare gold minecyanide spill of 30 Jan 2000, the law was republished in consolidated text with amendments inMonitorulOficialof 17 February 2000.

    For background information on environmental law in Eastern Europe see:Environmental problems in Eastern Europe.London ; New York : Routledge, c1996.

    5.15 Family Law

    The Romanian Family Code ADD(Codul Familiei)became law on January 4, 1954, and was amended in1956, 1966, 1970, and 1974.

    It is divided into three titles: the First Title defines marriage (TITLUL I Cstoria); the Second Title

    defines relatives (TITLUL II Rudenia) and the Third Title defines legal representation, various degreesof incapacity and legal protection (TITLUL III - Ocrotirea celor lipsiti de capacitate, a celor cu capacitaterestrns si a altor persoane).

    Among the more recent family legislation is:

    Law no. 217 of August 2003 on prevention of domestic violence and

    http://www.advice-hr.ro/pagini/codul%20muncii.htmlhttp://www.advice-hr.ro/pagini/codul%20muncii.htmlhttp://www.advice-hr.ro/pagini/codul%20muncii.htmlhttp://lawpac.fordham.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Environmental+problems+in+Eastern+Europehttp://lawpac.fordham.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Environmental+problems+in+Eastern+Europehttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/c_fam.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/c_fam.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/c_fam.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/coduri/c_fam.htmhttp://lawpac.fordham.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Environmental+problems+in+Eastern+Europehttp://www.advice-hr.ro/pagini/codul%20muncii.html
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    Emergency ordinance no. 143 of October 2002 regarding the protection of minors from sexualabuse.

    5.15.1 Family Law - Adoptions

    From the U.S. Embassy in Bucharests website, you learn that inter-country adoptionsare generally unavailable. However, for more information you are encouraged tocontact the Embassy.

    The legal frame for adoption by foreigners is offered by sections 6685 of the Familycode, which was amended by Law No. 11 of 31 July 1990, published inMonitorul Oficial

    1990 no. 95 and Law no. 11 of 26 July 1991.

    For adoption procedures and requirements discussed and accompanied by Englishtranslations seeInternal and Intercountry Adoption Laws(Kluwer Law International, -2002).

    5.16 Insurance law Romania

    Among the major pieces of legislation in this area are:

    Law no. 136 of 29 December 1995, published inMonitorul Oficialof 30 December1995, on insurance and reinsurance, and

    Law no.145 of 24 July 1997, published inMonitorul Oficialno 178 of 1997, on healthinsurance.

    5.17 Intellectual property law Romania

    Copyrights:

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    Law no. 8 of 14 March 1996, published in Monitorul Oficial no. 60 of 1996, oncopyright and neighboring rights, is an almost exact replica of the current Spanishcopyright law, which was the most protective law of its time. Additionally, Law no186 of 9 May 2003 further overviews the encouragement of writing and literaryactivities and publishing.

    See the Romanian law inCopyright and neighboring rights, laws and treaties.

    Patents:

    Law no. 64 of 11 October 1991, published inMonitorul Oficialof 21 October 1991, oninventions and innovations is an entirely new regulation.

    Trademarks and Tradenames:

    Law no. 28 of 29 December 1967 on marks of manufacture, commercial and service marks wasamended by Decree no 485 of 27 December 1977.

    5.18 Private International Law- Conflict of Laws

    In 1992, Romania enacted a new law on conflicts of law (legea cu privire lareglementarea raporturilor de drept international privat):

    - Law no 195 of 22 September 1992 was published inMonitorul Oficialof 1 October1992

    In effect, this law unifies Romanian conflicts law, abrogating articles 885, 1,773 and

    1,789 of theCivil Code andarticle 375 of theCode of Civil Procedure.

    5.19 Real Property Law

    http://www.dsclex.ro/law/l8_1996.htmhttp://www.dsclex.ro/law/l8_1996.htmhttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Copyright+and+neighboring+rights,+laws+and+treatieshttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Copyright+and+neighboring+rights,+laws+and+treatieshttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Copyright+and+neighboring+rights,+laws+and+treatieshttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Civil%20Codehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Civil%20Codehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Code%20of%20Civil%20Procedurehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Code%20of%20Civil%20Procedurehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Code%20of%20Civil%20Procedurehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Code%20of%20Civil%20Procedurehttp://www.foreignlawguide.com/ip/flg/Romania%20Introduction.htm#Civil%20Codehttp://pegasus.law.columbia.edu/search/t?SEARCH=Copyright+and+neighboring+rights,+laws+and+treatieshttp://www.dsclex.ro/law/l8_1996.htm
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    The Romanian Civil Code (Book II, Titles 1 & 2) and the numerous statutes adopted after 1989 ensure acomplex domestic real estate legal regime.

    Some of the new laws are:

    Law no. 18 of 1991, published inMonitorul Oficialno 37 / 1991, on real property and ownership;

    Law no. 14 of 11 Oct 1996, published inMonitorul Oficialof 30 November 1992;

    Law no. 7 of 1995, published in Monitorul Oficial of 26 March 1996.

    5.20 Ta