The 2025 volume of the Annals of the University of Bucharest – Law Series brings together original studies by professors, researchers, and legal practitioners, offering a comprehensive perspective on topics of interest for the development of national and European law. New technologies, new forms of social and economic organization, as well as regulatory developments at the European and international levels are analyzed using rigorous methods, with an emphasis on their practical relevance.

This issue brings together topics of major current interest—ranging from the impact of blockchain technologies on civil law, to the tense field of constitutional review mechanisms, to the limits of EU member states’ fiscal sovereignty, to the challenges of legal writing in an era dominated by demands for accessibility and clear language, to the reevaluation of classic institutions such as the probationary period, directors’ liability, or the legal status of in vitro conception.

ProfessorAdriana ALMĂȘAN , Ph.D.,and Eduard FLOREA , Ph.D. candidate, provide an in-depth analysis of the premise for integrating smart contracts into Romanian law, assessing their compatibility with the theory of obligations and the impact of European regulations such as the Data Act and the AI Act. The authors emphasize the need for dedicated legislation capable of harmonizing technological innovation with the fundamental principles of civil law.

Professor Ion GÂLEA , Ph.D., examines the status of domestic law as a “framework of reference” in cases concerning the selectivity of tax measures, analyzing recent CJEU case law as well as two scenarios regarding the position of national law vis-à-vis European institutions.

Prof. Simona GHERGHINA , Ph.D., and Mihai BĂEȘU, Ph.D. candidate, Mihai BĂEȘU analyze the vulnerabilities of the regulatory framework regarding local public guarantees in the context of the insolvency of local administrative units, proposing tests and criteria that can be applied by the insolvency judge, both to protect creditors and to ensure the continuity of essential public services at the local level.

Professor Lavinia-Valeria LEFTERACHE , Ph.D., offers an indispensable guide for students and researchers, clarifying the structure of a doctoral dissertation, criteria for originality, the formulation of hypotheses, and the reasonable limits of proposals for de lege ferenda.

Professor Claudia-Ana MOARCĂȘ , Ph.D., examines remote work, work on digital platforms, and new monitoring tools, emphasizing the need for a balance between workplace flexibility, data protection, and the right to privacy.

Professor Corneliu-Liviu POPESCU , Ph.D., argues that the Constitutional Court’s use of the term “objection of unconstitutionality” to refer to a means of bringing a matter before the constitutional judge is unconstitutional, both in relation to the content of this legal institution when it existed and in relation to the repeal of the relevant legal provision and the current legal non-existence of this institution.

Professor Radu RIZOIU, Ph.D., drawing on a case from judicial practice, examines the point at which the rights of a child to be born after the death of the biological father arise in cases where the embryo was cryopreserved prior to that death, as well as the limits of contractual freedom in the field of personal rights.

Dr. Marilena CRĂCIUN , Assistant Professor (ENE), explains the tension between the fiscal autonomy of Member States and the constraints imposed by EU legislation and the case law of the CJEU, highlighting the necessary balance between national interests and European integration.

Dr. Mihaela-Augustina NIȚĂ and Dr. Oana-Mihaela SALOMIA analyze the direct horizontal effect of certain provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in disputes between private individuals, presenting the Egenberger, Bauer, Willmeroth, IR, and Cresco cases, as well as their implications for national courts.

Dr. Raluca PAPADIMA , Assistant Professor, presents a coherent vision for teaching legal writing, outlining the fundamental principles and conceptual framework necessary for the professional development of this skill within the Romanian legal community.

Assistant Professor Mihaela GHERGHE , Ph.D., explains the impact of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) on consumer contracts and the opportunities offered by the use of clear language, without compromising legal rigor.

Assistant Professor George-Alexandru LAZĂR, Ph.D., drawing on the judgment in Fabbri and Others v. San Marino, examines the conditions under which Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, in its civil aspect, becomes applicable when the victim chooses to bring a civil action during criminal proceedings.

Mr. Alexandru-Șerban RĂȚOI analyzes the shift of social responsibility from voluntary action to a legal obligation under the CRSD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and the SDDD (Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), through the lens of economic theories regarding externalities, stakeholders, and regulatory efficiency.

Assistant Professor Valentina-Lidia ZĂRNESCU , Ph.D., explores the role of the probationary period as a mechanism for flexibility, as well as its legal limitations, including the possibility of finding an abuse of rights in the termination of an employment contract.

Dr. Andrei-Nicolae POPA examines the emergency ordinances adopted to meet the PNRR milestone and criticizes their retroactive and unpredictable effects, which run counter to constitutional principles, as well as the European Commission’s excessive interference in this matter.