Catalin Graure is a Counsel in the Bucharest office focusing on competition and energy related matters.

Cătălin advises on competition matters including cartel investigations, sector inquiries, dawn raids, internal compliance programmes, and merger control analysis and filings. He is a seasoned FDI screening expert, having conducted extensive deal analyses and filings under Romania’s recently introduced FDI screening regime.

Cătălin also advises clients on electricity generation, distribution and supply, natural gas trading and supply, or oil & gas upstream aspects, as well as in targeted investigations carried out by the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority.

Catalin Graure has extensive expertise in the field of competition law on EU and local level (Romania). Besides, he is very implicated in his work and responsive to clients’ needs.

Special note to Catalin Graure who helped to navigate our deal with great skill and dedication.

Legal 500, 2024

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING

Competition & State Aid

• A CENTRAL EUROPEAN INVESTMENT GROUP on the competition clearance with commitments by the Romanian Competition Council of one of the largest transactions in the pharmaceutical sector in Romania
• AN IMPORTANT RETAILER IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE on obtaining the competition clearance from the Romanian Competition Council for the acquisition of a regional online platform
• AN INTEGRATED EUROPEAN ENERGY COMPANY, based in Switzerland, on its expansion in Romania through a major acquisition in the energy and gas markets, namely of Repower Furnizare, a company with an annual turnover of over EUR 100 million, including obtaining the clearance from the Romanian Competition Council

Energy & Natural Resources

• AN ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION, GAS SHIPPING, LNG CHARTER, AND STEEL PRODUCTION SERVICES PROVIDER on gas regulatory requirements in Romania, including gas transmission and supply matters, and in obtaining and maintaining a gas supply licence in Romania, including procedures before the Romanian energy regulator
• AN INTEGRATED EUROPEAN ENERGY COMPANY, based in Switzerland, on its expansion in Romania through a major acquisition in the energy and gas markets, namely of Repower Furnizare, a company with an annual turnover of over EUR 100 million, including obtaining the clearance from the Romanian Competition Council
• A KEY POWER AND GAS PLAYER IN ROMANIA on its group reorganisation plans, as well as in respect of energy regulatory issues in the power and gas sector, including centralised trading markets and green certificates contracts
• AN IMPORTANT ENERGY PLAYER IN ROMANIA on the potential acquisition of a natural gas trading and supply business

LIFE SCIENCES & HEALTHCARE

• DR. MAX, a Central and East European pharmacy chain owned by Penta Investments, on the acquisition of Romania’s A&D Pharma, the largest pharmacy operator and pharma distributor in the country with significant operations in Central and Eastern Europe
• ACCELOVANCE, a research company focusing on vaccines, oncology and general medicine, on the Romanian law aspects of the acquisition of THERAMetrics, a global technology-based contract R&D organization
• PERRIGO, the leader in manufacturing and distributing medicines, food supplements, cosmetics and para-pharmaceuticals, on various pharma regulatory aspects, competition and other day-to-day issues

EDUCATION

• 2013: Hague Academy of International Law, Netherlands, Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations
• 2011 – 2012: Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, France, M.A. in Public International Law
• 2010 – 2011: Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, France, M.A. in European and International Business Law
• 2007 – 2010: Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, France, B.A.
• 2009 – 2010: University of Strasbourg, France, Faculty of Law, B.A.
• 2007 – 2011: University of Bucharest, Romania, Faculty of Law, Bachelor of Law

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

• Bucharest Bar Association
• Romanian Union of Lawyers

LANGUAGES

Romanian, English, French

PUBLICATIONS

• Romania’s Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Looking for New Investors as Partnership with China General Nuclear Power Corporation Terminated, Canadian Nuclear Law Organisation, June 2020
• The Dominance and Monopolies Review, Law Business Research, Romania Chapter, 6th edition, July 2018
• The Merger Control Review, Law Business Research, Romania Chapter, 8th edition, August 2017