The Acad Andrei Rădulescu Institute for Legal Research hosted the official launch of ELI’s Romanian Hub. The event brought together national and European leaders from academia, government and the legal professions to discuss the Hub’s vision, governance and future role in promoting legal innovation and cross-border collaboration.
Opening the event, Prof. Dr Habil. Evelina Oprina (Director of the Institute for Legal Research), outlined the objectives of the ELI Romanian Hub and its commitment to strengthening Romania’s contribution to the development of European law. The Hub’s Co-Chairs — Prof. Dr Camelia Toader, Prof. Dr Habil. Marieta Safta, Dr Ioana Olaru, Dr Radu Stancu and Assoc. Prof. Dr Remus Daniel Berlingher – presented the Hub’s mission and governance framework, while members of its Advisory Committee highlighted opportunities for collaboration across the legal community.
Remarks were delivered by Cosmin Soare-Filatov (Presidential Adviser in the Constitutional Legislative Department representing the President of Romania); Academician Mircea Dumitru (Vice-President of the Romanian Academy) and Prof Dr Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell (President of the European Law Institute), who emphasised the importance of strengthening European legal cooperation through active national hubs.
A dedicated session explored the Hub’s role as a platform for dialogue among legal professions, featuring contributions from representatives of key judicial and professional bodies, including Judge Diana Elena Tămagă (President of the Administrative and Tax Litigation Section of the High Court of Cassation and Justice); Dr Alin Petrea, (Adviser to the Prosecutor General); Ioan Turc ( State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice); Dr Laura Badiu (President of the National Union of Notaries Public of Romania); Adrian-Vasile Cornescu ( Vice-President of the National Union of Judicial Enforcement Officers); Cătălin-Andrei Dascăl (President of the National Union of Insolvency Practitioners of Romania); Vasile Georgescu of the Bucharest College of Legal Advisers; and Mircea Popa (Deputy Director General of the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration).
Closing the first panel, Nicolae Cîrstea (President of the Universul Juridic Publishing Group), reflected on the role of legal publishing and knowledge-sharing in advancing European legal dialogue.
The afternoon session, entitled ‘New Frontiers of Law: Current Challenges in the Digital and Multipolar Era’, focused on emerging legal issues arising from digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Moderated by Dr Ioana Olaru, the panel featured presentations by:
• Prof Dr Habil Marieta Safta on Rethinking the Constitution in the Context of Digital Constitutionalism;
• Prof Dr Habil Crenguța Leaua on the challenges posed by artificial reality and artificial intelligence to contemporary legal systems;
• Dr Mihaela Durnescu, President of the Bucharest Chamber of Notaries Public, on artificial intelligence, digital exclusion and the protection of vulnerable adults from a notarial perspective; and
• Dr Sonia Florea, Associate Researcher at the Institute for Legal Research, on the legal protection of works generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence systems.
The launch marks an important step in strengthening Romania’s engagement with the European legal community and creating a permanent forum for collaboration among legal professionals, academics and institutions on the future development of law in Europe.
