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Case studies

Exemption of beer from distribution restraining rules (1998)

Challenge:
In 1998, the Government decided to restrain the alcoholic beverages distribution (1 distributor per county) in order to diminish the black market. Although there was no black market in the beer industry, beer was included in the scope of the law.

Objective:
The exemption of beer from the scope of the law.

Tactics:

• building the coalition of the international brewers
• finding allies and supporters, determine opponents
• in-depth research on the Romanian and European economic and legal context
  within the context of Romania’s perspective of joining EU
• building the case and drafting the support document
• submission of the document to: the Government, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Parliament, the Competition Council, The Economic and Social Council
• one-to-one meetings with representatives of all the above institutions

Result:
Beer was exempted from the scope of the law.

Positioning of major electricity producer within the context of Romania’s market liberalization (1999-2000)

Challenge: 
In 1999, The Romanian Government decided on the liberalization of the electric energy market and announced the intention for the privatization of power plants. The client, former power producer state monopoly in one of the EU member states, was in a period of a worldwide expansion and decided to investigate the possibility of investment in Romania.

Objective:  
Positioning of the client as a major potential investor in electric energy and creating opportunities of due diligences to all attractive power plants.

Tactics:

• in-depth research on the Romanian legal aspects of energy sector privatization perspectives
• meeting programmes with all key decision makers in the energy sector: CONEL (the monopoly national company at that time), Ministry of Industries, the Energy Regulatory Agency
• organizing visits of Romanian officials at the client’s power plants abroad, arranging, organizing and managing due diligences visits to the largest power plants in Romania (Turceni, Rovinari, Deva, Oltchim)
• addressing most important regulatory issues to authorities

Result:
Although due to the international context of client’s investments worldwide, the company decided not to invest in Romania, they had the opportunity to analyze all the major investment opportunities.

Opening of the LPG market in Romania (1998-2003)

Challenge: 
In 1998, the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry was at the beginning, and the main players in the petroleum field were interested in the expansion of the LPG market in Romania.

Objective:
Raise awareness on LPG as car fuel, and promotion of the relevant legislation.

Tactics: 

• establishment and full management of the Romanian Association of LPG
• in-depth research on the European models (especially the Italian one, which was the most developed LPG market) regarding the LPG use as a fuel
• identification of the regulations package needed for the LPG use as fuel
• meeting programme with all the key decision makers: Fire Brigade, State Inspection for Under Pressure Recipients and Lifting Installation, Ministry of Industries, key players in the sector, the relevant business and industry associations
• organizing visits of Romanian officials in Italy to the Italian Fire Brigade and LPG business operators
• attendance to the European and International LPG conferences

Result:
The Romanian LPG market was appropriately regulated and the LPG fuel was introduced to Romania

Allowance of advertising on public television (2001)

Challenge:
Within the process of adopting changes to the Audiovisual Law, there was the initiative of eliminating advertising from the Public television (TVR). A large coalition (private TV stations, the National Audiovisual Council) was in favor of the new proposal.

Objective:
Maintain advertising on Public Television.

Tactics:

• finding allies and endorsers within the decision makers and European Broadcasting Union
• in-depth research on the Romanian and European economic and legal context, comparative analysis between EU countries and acceding countries
• building the case – the support document
• submission of the document to: Parliament, Ministry of Culture, Presidency, Government
• one-to-one meetings with representatives of all the above institutions
• organising a conference on this topic with international attendance