A 10 percent drop in software piracy for Romania could lead to the creation of 3,700 new jobs and to additional revenues of USD 498 million for the local IT industry in the next four years, according to a recent study issued by International Data Corporation (IDC).

Google, which has recently established an office in Romania, has started recruiting staff for its local office, but the team will only be made of ten people , in a first phase, according to Dan Bulucea (in picture), head of Google Romania, quoted by Business Magazin.

The court has blocked the shares owned by Romanian businessman Dan Adamescu in Astra Asigurari and Unirea Shopping Center in a forced execution case, according to reports sent by the two companies to the Bucharest Stock Exchange, where their shares are listed.

*Owner of Unirea Shopping Center, forced executed by AVAS (Authority for State Assets Recovery) - in Ziarul Financiar
*Head of Hidroelectrica, in conflict with the Fondul Proprietatea administrator - in Ziarul Financiar
*CFR: 41 km of railways with EUR 280 million - in Ziarul Financiar
*Google starts hiring in Romania - in Ziarul Financiar

The Romanian subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) posted a profit of EUR 23.3 million in the first nine months of the year and hopes to reach EUR 30.3 million in profit by the end of the year, according to Johan Patrick Gabriels, the RBS Romania president.

The Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu and Princess Margareta, the eldest daughter of Romania's ex-sovereign Mihai have unveiled the statue of King Carol I, which was re-erected on its original spot in the Royal Palace Square in downtown Bucharest.

The Romanian Parliament on Tuesday adopted the pensions law that the head of state had sent back for reexamination, requesting that the retirement age be set at 63 for women and 65 for men.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii law firm has appointed six new partners to strengthen the management team, thus bringing the total number of partners to 21. The Romanian law firm has also promoted five lawyers to Senior Associate. The promotions are part of the firm’s annual performance review taking place in November and all the appointments are effective from January 1st, 2011.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Romania, which has submitted around 34 papers to the Romanian authorities this year, proposing changes in various business fields, has seen the authorities using its proposals above its initial expectations. AmCham's proposals have been used in the renewable energy field, as well as on taxation and on workforce, according to Anca Harasim, executive director of AmCham.

Modern retail-hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash&carry and discount stores-accounted for over 50 percent of Romania's total retail market this year, exceeding traditional commerce, according to Competition Council official Valentin Mircea.

The Romanian Government approved the 2011 state budget in a Cabinet meeting late Monday and the bill will be forwarded to the Parliament, according to Mediafax newswire.

Child-rearing aid in Romania will be provided for one year as of 2011, down from the present two years, but in the same amount, a change that will not apply to current beneficiaries, Prime Minister Emil Boc announced Monday evening.