Romania’s Forestry Fund Plots May Be Used In Resource Exploitations

Plots of Romania’s national forestry fund may be used for the exploitation of crude oil and natural gas resources and the construction of communication and potable water networks, according to an emergency ordinance approved Tuesday by the Government.
The new regulations, that change the Forestry Code, allow the companies to use the national forestry fund to explore and exploit natural gas and crude oil resources and to build communication and drinking water networks, the Government announced.

"The new regulations forbid the economic operators who did not return the previously occupied forestry lands to temporary occupy another lands belonging to the national forestry fund. Emergency situations are an exception," the Government stated.

A plot of land belonging to the national forestry fund may be temporarily occupied for a 10 year period, with the possibility to extend the lease contract for successive periods of maximum 10 years.