On Thursday, the government analyzed, in first reading, a draft emergency ordinance aimed at preventing the loss of strategic industrial capacities.
The emergency ordinance establishes the state’s right of preemption to purchase assets or shares belonging to economic operators of strategic interest, according to a press release sent by the government.
At the same time, the possibility of state intervention will be regulated in situations where the functioning of strategic infrastructures or capacities is affected or there is a risk of their being affected.
Legal mechanisms are also established to maintain the continuity of essential economic activities and to protect critical infrastructures.
“The draft normative act, analyzed by the Government in the first reading, establishes the legal framework that allows the Romanian state to use specific economic instruments to maintain and capitalize on strategic industrial capacities in situations in which economic operators that own such assets face economic and financial difficulties that may lead to the interruption of activity or the loss of production capacities relevant to the national economy,” specifies the source cited by Agerpres.
The respective draft defines the concept of a company of strategic interest and establishes the strategic areas of the national economy, such as: the extractive industry, the manufacturing industry (sectors that target the production of steel, aluminum, cement, chemical products); the defense industry; information technology and communications; the maritime and port industry; the transport of electricity, natural gas, crude oil and fuels; the production, distribution, supply and storage of natural gas; the production, distribution, storage and supply of electricity and thermal energy, as well as other alternative/unconventional sources of energy; production, distribution, supply and storage of crude oil and fuels.
The initiators also establish the criteria for assessing the relevance of economic activities, infrastructures and strategic capacities.
“The draft normative act aims to prevent the loss of strategic industrial capacities, maintain the continuity of the functioning of essential areas, reduce external dependencies, ensure economic and social stability, as well as strengthen Romania’s strategic autonomy, in the context of its membership in the EU and NATO,” the statement added.