Romania: COVID-19 – Energy and Competition / State aid: Review of the main measures provided by the state of emergency decree

The state of emergency was instituted in Romania for a period of 30 days as of 16 March 2020 (i.e. the date when Decree No. 195/2020 establishing the state of emergency in Romania was published in the Official Gazette).

We have included below a short review of the main measures provided by the state of emergency decree from an energy and competition / state aid perspective:

1. The Government may adopt measures to support the economic operators in the areas affected by COVID-19;
2. Beneficiaries of European funds affected by the emergency measures provided in the state of emergency decree may decide, together with the managing authorities / intermediary bodies, to suspend the financing agreements;
3. The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment may issue, upon request, to the economic operators whose activity is affected in the context of COVID-19, certificates attesting the emergency situation, based on supporting documents;
4. Measures will be provided to ensure continuity in supply, respectively extraction, production, processing, transport, distribution, supply, maintenance and repair, of resources and raw and / or semi-processed materials necessary for the proper functioning of the national energy system, as well as ensuring the continuity of operation of the energy system and all public utility services;
5. The validity of documents issued by the public authorities that were to expire during the state of emergency is maintained;
6. During the state of emergency, prices for medicines and medical equipment, for foods of strict necessity and for public utility services (electricity and heat, gas, water supply, sanitation, fuels, etc.) can be capped, within the limit of the average price of the last 3 months before declaring the state of emergency;
7. During the state of emergency, it is forbidden to declare, commence or carry out collective labour conflicts within the units of the national energy system, operating units from nuclear sectors, continuous fire units, health and social assistance units, telecommunications, radio and public television, rail transportation, units ensuring public transport and sanitation of towns, as well as supplying the population with gas, electricity, heat and water.