Challenge

The Giurgiulesti port of Chișinău in Moldova is an important strategic hub for all shipping to the black sea. It is a high EU political strategic value with regard to neighboring Russia.

In Moldova, we were faced with the task of steering tough EU diplomatic entanglements, in a direction that secured justice for our Azerbaijani client. The client was an important investor in Moldova. His interests in the Moldovan port which also involved huge EBRD investments had been compromised by an EU national.
Our client had sought a solution in Moldovan courts. After a freezing order in his favour was miraculously lifted, in the context of public statements from EU officials, he was concerned about the rule of law, independence of judiciary and the respective safety of his assets in this potential EU member state – and reached out to our team.

Strategy

The strategy was a bold venture into the multi-layered external relations boundaries that have been blurring due process. We reminded the EU that it had an obligation to uphold the rule of law in a potential EU accession country even if the result geopolitically would favor potentially Russian interests.

Results

The EU was ultimately content with making a neutral statement that did not implicate its integrity. It resulted in substantive justice for the client, and created a more positive relationship with the EU institutions.

Challenge

Alber & Geiger was asked to advise and support the Government of India amid concerns coming from Members of the European Parliament in relation to trade, human rights and privacy. Such activity in the European Parliament, coming in the form of parliamentary questions and motions for resolutions risked turning into conditionality clauses in the EU-India bilateral relations.

Strategy

Our team embarked on a comprehensive campaign with EU lawmakers addressed their concerns. We turned the focus on India’s growing economic, technological and geopolitical role and emphasized the untapped potential for bilateral relations. By providing factual evidence and a clearer understanding over the expressed concerns, we were able to switch the focus towards the bilateral opportunities and fostering trade relations via a free trade agreement.

Results

With our diplomatic and advocacy experience we assisted the Government of India navigate the political landscape in the European Parliament. Thanks to our strategy and government affairs support, EU lawmakers now support the EU-India free trade deal.

Challenge

Alber & Geiger was retained by Terna, one of the leading construction companies in Greece, who was awarded the contract to construct and operate the Greek part of the 4,400km Central Motorway (E65) connecting Malmö in Sweden to Chania in Greece.

With only one section of the Greek part completed since the award of the tender, Terna relied on our support to get the approval for both the northern and southern sections of the motorway that had been pending for years under the European Commission’s State aid rules.

Strategy

Alber & Geiger targeted key officials in different Directorates of the European Commission to overcome the impasse on the State aid clearance. Alber & Geiger worked in tandem with Members of the European Parliament to gain support for the completion of the two remaining parts of the E65 motorway. We attached language that emphasised the strategic European dimension of that North-South axis through the EU, an EU project that actually had been planned for decades.

We also pointed out the contribution of the E65 motorway to competition and regional development. Moreover, we focused on the E65’s strategic importance for Greece, the South-East Europe region and the European transport road network, as well as its positive impact on jobs, tourism and investment.

Results

Our ability to combine legal, economic, social and political arguments ensured the approval of the entire project under the EU State aid rules. The European Commission cleared the funding for the construction of the southern part of the motorway. Later, the European Commission cleared the path for the construction of the northern section of the E65.