史密夫斐尔律师事务所近日为中国进出口银行在匈塞铁路项目中提供法律服务，匈牙利本地律所沃夫·泰斯律师事务所就当地法律提供意见。

根据史密夫斐尔的一份新闻稿，4月24日，进出口银行与匈牙利财政部签署了匈塞铁路匈牙利段贷款协议，进出口银行将为该项目提供85%、约19亿美元的资金支持。

匈塞铁路是中国在欧盟实施的首个铁路基础设施项目，其中塞尔维亚段已于2018年6月开工，由中国企业承建，中国进出口银行为该项目提供了约2.9亿美元贷款；匈牙利段于2019年5月通过公开招标，由中匈企业联合体作为项目主承包商。根据路透社报道，该联合体由匈牙利企业Opus Global及中国中铁九局工程建设公司、中国铁路电气化工程集团组成。

史密夫斐尔团队牵头律师为北京办公室能源业务主管合伙人孙晔和伦敦办公室金融业务合伙人Matthew Job，并由伦敦办公室合伙人Tim Briggs、Andrew Cannon提供协助。

HSF, Wolf Theiss on first Sino-European railway project

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) on its role in financing the Hungarian section of Budapest-Belgrade railway project, with Wolf Theiss acting as the local legal counsel.

According to HSF’s press release, CEXIM signed a loan agreement with the Hungarian Government to finance 85%, approximately $1.9 billion, of the cost for the overhaul of the railway line on Hungarian territory.

The Budapest-Belgrade railway is the first railway infrastructure project implemented by China in the European Union. The Serbian section has been under construction by Chinese companies since June 2018 and has borrowed $297.6 million from CEXIM. A China-Hungary consortium won the bid as main contractor of the Hungarian section in May 2019.

The HSF team was led by Monica Sun, head of energy practice in Beijing office, and Matthew Job, partner of finance practice in London office, with assistance of London-based partners Tim Briggs and Andrew Cannon.

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