In November 2024, multiple sources reported that the Hungarian government is considering the introduction of significant construction regulations in 2026, based on a leaked draft.

Gaming is a multi-billion-dollar industry surpassing the combined value of music and film. In Serbia, gaming studios generated over 175 million EUR in 2023, continuing a strong growth trend since 2018. This industry serves as a hub for technological innovation and creativity worldwide, driven by the contributions of various creative minds.

The labor shortage issue has been a growing problem in the job market for a long time now. In the long-term employers are looking for ways to improve working conditions, to keep employees engaged and to attract new ones. One of the ways to fix the labor shortage issue is employee poaching. What are the legal and ethical aspects of employee poaching and how to lessen the risk of another job market recruiting employees?

A bill on the amendment of certain energy-related laws was submitted to the Hungarian Parliament at the end of October 2024. Among others, the bill would amend the following laws from 1 January 2025: the Mining Act, the District Heating Services Act, the Electricity Act, the Environmental Product Charges Act and the Waste Act.

The Law of Ukraine on Tax Increases №4015-ІХ, adopted by the parliament and awaiting presidential signature, came into effect on November 30, 2024. Below are the key changes to the taxation system.

1,111 complaints have been submitted to the Constitutional Court of Hungary by domestic solar panel users, who argue that the change in the balance accounting system is causing them significant financial disadvantages. Specifically, the amendment introduces a monthly gross settlement after 10 years of solar panel installation.

On December 7, 2023, Austria saw a significant shift in its tax regulations with the suspension of key provisions in the double taxation agreement (DTA) with Russia.

As of December 14, 2022, the Tax Administration of the Republic of Serbia started passing temporary tax decisions imposing payment of individual income tax based on agreed remuneration for the copyright and related rights and agreed remuneration for performed work with contributions for mandatory social insurance. These decisions targeted both Serbian and foreign citizens who made a profit abroad and transferred it to bank accounts in the Republic of Serbia during 2017 and 2018. For the first time in the country’s tax practice, tax liability was assessed automatically by passing temporary tax decisions, without conducting tax proceedings.

One of the sectors contributing the most to the Hungarian GDP is tourism, with nearly 16 million guests spending more than 41 million overnight stays in Hungary in 2023. According to the data of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, foreign tourists spent 11,866,669 overnight stays in Hungary in 2023, of which 59.20% chose hotels, 32.36% stayed overnight in private and other accommodations, and 8.44% chose community accommodations.

In 2024, Croatia introduced another round of changes to its tax rules, with further novelties announced for 2025 aimed at fair taxation of property and bringing order to the residential rent market.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has sparked governments to take defense seriously. The Lithuanian government is no exception here – as of 2025, Lithuania is set to increase defense spending.

Debt pushdown structures have become a prevalent strategy in Estonia for company acquisitions. However, up until now, the absence of clear regulatory guidance has left companies and their legal advisors navigating uncertain terrain, particularly concerning the tax implications. The (at the time of writing) soon-to-be-published guidance on the taxation of debt pushdowns is poised to provide much-needed clarity.

The Slovenian Financial Administration has recently provided clarification on the tax treatment of share buybacks conducted through intermediaries. This article offers valuable insights for companies and tax professionals navigating the complexities of corporate restructuring and employee incentive programs.

In recent years, many countries have revised their tax legislation to improve and stabilize their national economies. The Republic of North Macedonia is among the countries with one of the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe, set at 10%, making it an attractive destination for investment. However, as a nation still undergoing transition and in need of new investments, the new Macedonian government believes that further reducing the tax rate will create better opportunities to attract new investments, which is crucial for improving and stabilizing the economic situation.

Romania remains an attractive jurisdiction for many foreign investors across various industries, but it faces challenges related to fiscal administration and predictability. A notable example is the introduction of a new taxation regime for large companies, which became effective on January 1, 2024. Naturally, this initiative triggered several reactions from the business community. Initially, efforts were made to prevent the enactment of such legislation or to propose amendments to mitigate the envisaged fiscal impact. Subsequently, in response to the law’s implementation, companies have begun analyzing different restructuring scenarios to establish optimal business structures that would allow them to continue operating while neutralizing the fiscal burden.

Turkiye has witnessed significant tax developments in recent months, including amendments in real estate-related taxation. These changes primarily arise from the need to address budgetary concerns in the current economic climate, which has led to the repeal of certain frequently utilized tax exemption provisions. This article provides an overview of these developments and their implications for taxpayers or investors whose business structures include real estate in Turkiye.

The Czech Republic (the CR), as an OECD member state, generally speaking, has a tax system comparable to other economies. However, it does have some specificities. While in some areas, the Czech system is less strict (e.g., proving the movement of goods for VAT purposes), in other areas, the current practice in the CR is very formalistic and strict. This is the case, for example, for costs charged in a group between related parties, in particular costs for management services and marketing. Multinational groups unfamiliar with this approach from other European countries may therefore inadvertently get into a dispute with the local tax administration in the CR.

Over the past two decades, the Greek State has increasingly relied on self-financing techniques for large-scale infrastructure projects, namely concession agreements and public-private partnership (PPP) agreements which differ from the traditional public works contracts first of all in terms of private financing (either through equity or bank financing) provided by the contractor against consideration. At the same time, the contractor assumes significant part of the associated economic and business risks.