The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act is a major advancement in the supply chain network, improving international human rights and environmental standards across the board. It focuses on issues of child labour, health and safety standards, and the role of trade unions, and will have substantial effects on all relevant parties concerned due to its scope and importance. For instance, the Act bans all sorts of conduct from discrimination to forced labour. Serbia in particular will be considerably impacted, since Germany is the country's largest trade partner.

Hungarian forest management regulations are among the strictest in Europe, however, there have always been investments and real estate developments that affected forest areas, the effect of which could so far be compensated by a fine in certain cases. As of 1 July 2023, the new provisions of the Forest Act brought pleasant changes, as even in the case of non-natural forests, the authority immediately obliges the developers affecting the forest area to reforest and not only to pay a forest protection contribution, if the size of the area reaches or exceeds one hectare.

The amendment to the Local Taxes Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2015, allowed local governments to levy a municipal tax on any taxable subject within their jurisdiction that is not prohibited by law and is not subject to a statutory public tax.

The Hungarian renewable energy sector has recently undergone a huge development, mainly focusing on photovoltaic power plants. In Hungary, rooftop photovoltaic projects are mainly widespread among households and companies to cover their own electrical needs. These projects are so-called household power plants, which are basically micro power plants connected to the low-voltage system.

Albania is making significant changes to its gambling laws. The Albanian government has been actively revising its gambling regulations, with the latest amendments poised to usher in a new era for the industry. Recent developments and what they mean for the future of gambling in the country are explored below.

With a delay of over a year, Czech Act no. 284/2023 on preventive restructuring implemented the EU Restructuring Directive 2019/1023 into Czech law with effect as of 23 September 2023. This publication explains some of the key choices made by the Czech Republic upon the Directive’s implementation.

The Hungarian Government plans to further develop the regulatory framework for geothermal energy, according to the REPowerEU chapter of Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.

On 12 September 2023, the President of Ukraine signed Law No. 5431 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve the Activities of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine" ("Law"), which launches a reform of Ukrainian competition law. The Law will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Corporate reputation is an organisation's most valuable intangible resource and may be defined as the public perception of the company and how it operates. It has its monetary expression and influences financial and social capital as well as market share. It can be positive and negative. Reputation is an essential aspect of any business. In today's digital age, a company's reputation can be easily tarnished through websites, social media, online reviews and news articles.

The Work Program of the Government of Montenegro for 2023 envisages the preparation of a set of draft laws that are in final phase.

Already last year, it was noticeable that after several years of decline, the Hungarian Tax Authority conducts more and more tax audits. In 2022, the number of tax audits increased by 6.2% compared to the previous year. Experience shows that this trend is expected to continue even more strongly this year. The most commonly audited tax category remains VAT.

On 16 September 2023 the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Procedure for Payment of Fees for Actions Related to the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights" ("Resolution") will enter into force. The Resolution introduces new fees, provides additional reductions and clarifies existing ones.

Product liability for products containing artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex and evolving legal area that combines traditional product liability principles with the unique challenges posed by AI technology. Product liability refers to the legal responsibility of manufacturers and sellers for injuries or damages caused by their products.

Open call for granting non-refundable cash incentives and approval of loans with the aim of incentivizing the development of women’s entrepreneurship was published on 28 August as part of Program for incentivising the development of entrepreneurship through financial assistance for women’s entrepreneurship (Program).

Social media platforms significantly changed the ways how people express their opinions: sharing views became easier than ever. On the one hand, this is positive, but on the other hand, it is also dangerous in the employment context, as the employee's opinion may be prejudicial to the employer's interests. A recent decision of the Hungarian Supreme Court gives answer to the question whether the employer can dismiss the employee for expressing his opinion on Facebook.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted amendments and supplements to the Excise Law (Law) on 6 September 2023.

Under the current legislation, mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution is voluntary. The amendments adopted in the State Gazette, No. 11 of 2023, which enter into force on 1 July 2024, introduced two categories of obligatory mediation in civil and commercial court proceedings:

The regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) is not a new issue. We understand that the use of such technologies can bring many benefits - such as better healthcare, safer and cleaner transport system, more efficient production, or cheaper and more sustainable energy - but we also are aware that they can pose significant risks if not properly regulated.