On 10 and 11 September 2026, ANEVAR (the National Association of Authorized Valuers of Romania) brought together more than two hundred valuation professionals, representatives of public institutions, members of the judiciary, academics, banking sector stakeholders and international experts in Bucharest for the third edition of the ANEVAR Summit.
Organised at the Grand Hotel Bucharest on the occasion of Valuer’s Day, the event confirmed the strategic role played by valuation experts in the financial, economic and judicial sectors. Structured around two major themes, namely the valuation of credit collateral and judicial expertise, the Summit provided a privileged forum for dialogue between professionals and institutions.
A Profession Serving Trust
In his opening address, Ioan Bercu, President of ANEVAR, emphasised that authorised valuers now play a vital role in ensuring economic and institutional stability:
“The authorised valuer profession does not operate in isolation; it represents an anchor of stability and a driver of confidence for the entire financial and administrative ecosystem.”
This vision resonated strongly with the many institutional representatives who attended the first day of the Summit, devoted to the valuation of credit collateral.
Presentations by Mrs Anca Dragu, Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, together with representatives of the Romanian Government, the banking sector, real estate professionals and surveyors, highlighted the importance of independent, transparent and rigorous valuations in ensuring transaction security, risk management and market confidence.
Among the highlights of the first day were several conferences focusing on risk management, the integration of new technologies into professional practice, sustainability challenges and developments in the energy sector.
ANEVAR also announced the launch of its Digital Professional Library, designed to improve access to documentary resources and support the continuing professional development of practitioners.
A Second Day Dedicated to Judicial Expertise and Dialogue with Institutions
On 11 September, the ANEVAR Summit placed judicial expertise at the centre of discussions, bringing together senior judges, representatives of public authorities, academics, lawyers and experts to address key issues relating to the administration of justice.
In his address, Victor Alistar, spokesperson for the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania, called for stronger and more permanent consultation mechanisms between judicial institutions and professional expert organisations. He also highlighted the future challenges associated with the integration of artificial intelligence into judicial proceedings and stressed the need for enhanced interdisciplinary cooperation.
Cosmin Virgil Cornoiu, Vice-President of the Bucharest Court of Appeal, conveyed the greetings of Liana Nicoleta Arsenie, President of the Court, before recalling the fundamental role of expert evidence in judicial decision-making:
“Expert evidence provides judges with the indispensable technical and scientific support required to properly understand and assess the specialised aspects of a case.”
On behalf of the Prosecutor General of Romania, Alin Petrea, Adviser to the Prosecutor General, emphasised the importance of methodological rigour, transparency regarding the assumptions adopted, and the independence of experts. He underlined that expert evidence is often a decisive element in the search for judicial truth.
Marius-Ionel Ștefan, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), recalled that reports prepared by independent valuation experts constitute essential evidential elements in complex investigations requiring a reliable determination of the economic value of the assets concerned.
Representing the Romanian Ministry of Justice, Raluca-Andreea Trîncă-Găvan praised ANEVAR’s more than thirty years of activity and its contribution to the development of high standards of quality, professional integrity and expertise.
The discussions also benefited from contributions by:
- Petru Bledea, Deputy Secretary of State at the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- Niculae Bălan, member of the National Council of the National Union of Insolvency Practitioners of Romania (UNPIR) and former President of the organisation;
- Dr Adrian Crivii, former President of ANEVAR (2002-2003), Executive President of WAVO and founder of Darian DRS.
All speakers emphasised the importance of institutional dialogue and cooperation among the various stakeholders involved in the judicial process.
High-Level Academic and Professional Contributions
Several recognised specialists contributed to the discussions:
- Associate Professor Dr George Măgureanu, who addressed cooperation between valuation experts and judicial officers (bailiffs);
- Sebastian Drumaru, attorney at the Bucharest Bar and member of the Council of the National Union of Romanian Bars (UNBR), who spoke on the role of valuation experts in civil and criminal proceedings;
- Professor Dr Daniel Ghiță, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Craiova, who presented the new Procedural Guide for Technical Judicial Experts;
- Dr Silviu Gabriel Barbu, judicial expert and member of the EEEI, whose presentation focused on the procedural relationship between experts and the courts;
- Ștefan Bogdan Radu, judicial expert and member of ANEVAR, who shared practical experience and insights from judicial expertise assignments;
- Traian Cristian Demetrescu, First Vice-President of ANEVAR, who presented several initiatives aimed at strengthening professional knowledge-sharing and announced the publication of a reference document dedicated to the valuation of property affected by expropriation.
The EEEI at the Centre of European Developments in Judicial Expertise
The presentation delivered by Jean-Raymond Lemaire, Founding President of the European Expertise and Expert Institute (EEEI), provided an opportunity to highlight the Institute’s long-standing commitment to the development of judicial expertise at the European level.
His presentation, dedicated to the European challenges of judicial expertise, emphasised in particular the importance of strengthening the quality of expert evidence, enhancing cross-border cooperation, promoting the exchange of best practices, and fostering the recognition of experts’ competencies throughout the European judicial area.
This intervention was given a concrete follow-up through the signing of the membership protocol between ANEVAR and the EEEI, jointly signed by Ioan Bercu, President of ANEVAR, and Jean-Raymond Lemaire, Founding President of the EEEI.
The agreement opens new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of training, knowledge-sharing, the development of European projects, and the strengthening of links between expert professions and judicial institutions.
Jean-Raymond Lemaire also wishes to express his sincere thanks to Marilena Filip for the quality of her linguistic support throughout the presentation. Her professionalism and excellent command of the discussions greatly contributed to facilitating dialogue among participants and ensuring a clear understanding of the European challenges facing judicial expertise.
Finally, the EEEI is delighted to see one of its members, Radu Bogdan Ștefan, who is also a member of ANEVAR, honoured at the 11th edition of the ANEVAR Awards.
The Award for Supporting the Valuation Profession, presented for his book Judicial Real Estate Appraisal Expertise (Universul Juridic, Bucharest, 2025), recognises a significant contribution to the promotion of judicial real estate expertise and the development of professional best practices.
The EEEI extends its warmest congratulations to him on this well-deserved distinction.
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