May 09, 2022 20:59 
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.
