White & Case Wins Corruption Case for Romania
October 15, 2009, American Lawyer

A decision handed down by the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) tossed out a $130 million claim against Romania by UK company EDF (Services) Limited that provided duty-free services to Romania's airports and its national airline. EDF claimed it was denied a long-term contract for duty-free sales at Bucharest Otopeni airport and on Tarom, Romania’s national airline, after allegedly refusing to pay a bribe to the country's former prime minister in 2001. EDF made claims under the Romania-United Kingdom bilateral investment treaty.

In ruling for Romania, the ICSID rejected EDF's claims in their entirety and awarded Romania $6 million in costs.

"The arbitral award vindicated the reasonableness of the state-owned companies' decision not to renew the agreements with EDF, and found claimant’s proffered proof of corruption to be fundamentally lacking and not credible," said White & Case partner Darryl Lew.

Lew was joined by White & Case partners Abby Cohen Smutny and Francis Vasquez, Jr.

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