The long-anticipated initiative to establish a new legal framework for personal data protection in Albania is finally moving forward, as the Council of Ministers has approved a draft law that aligns closely with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This proposed legislation promises to bring significance in this important but frequently underappreciated legal domain. With its comprehensive approach and alignment with EU standards, the new law aims to greatly improve privacy protection in the national context.

New Joint Instruction No. 196/2024, “On cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, and the State Intelligence Service regarding the issuance of residence permits for foreigners” (the “Instruction”), came into effect on 22 October 2024. This Instruction, aimed at clarifying and improving coordination among public institutions, does not amend existing residence or unique permit (i.e., a residence permit issued for employment purposes that combines both the residence and work permit) procedures for foreign nationals. Instead, it reaffirms the established process, ensuring that it remains consistent while improving transparency and efficiency.

CMS Partner Evis Zaja reports rapid legal and economic developments in Albania, including upcoming amendments in the competition sector, new cybersecurity laws, and the country's increasing appeal to international businesses.

Few topics have sparked as much controversy in 2024 as the seizure and examination of mobile data carriers and the data found therein. Despite an urgent need to have the legal framework amended by the end of 2024, a new draft bill was published only on 20 November 2024. We take a look.

CMS has advised Goldbach Group on the sale of Goldbach Austria to Azerion.

Brandl Talos, working with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, has advised Sportradar on the acquisition of the assets of XLMedia PLC's North American business for USD 30 million. Ashurst reportedly advised XLMedia.

Contributed by Arzinger

The commercial legal markets of Central & Eastern Europe didn’t appear automatically. They didn’t develop in a vacuum. They were formed, shaped, and led, by lawyers – visionary, hard-working, commercially-minded, and client-focused individuals pulling the development of CEE’s legal markets along behind them as they labored relentlessly for their clients, their careers, their futures. 

Unlike many neighboring countries, the Trademark Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina explicitly addresses bad faith trademark applications as both relative grounds for refusal and as a basis for contesting a trademark through court proceedings. In other words, trademark applications filed contrary to the principles of good faith and fair dealing can be challenged either through an opposition before the Institute for Intellectual Property or by filing a lawsuit before the competent court. While this dual system theoretically provides two distinct avenues of recourse, practical experience shows that both mechanisms tend to merge into a single, judicially driven process. Below, we analyze the key lessons drawn from recent case law concerning bad faith trademark filings.

On 19 September 2024, BDK Advokati celebrated 20 years since its establishment. BDK Advokati Managing Partner Tijana Kojovic and Senior Partner and Head of the Montenegrin office Luka Popovic reflect on this milestone and discuss the journey of the firm, its evolution, achievements, and aspirations for the future.

ESG has long been considered a niche concept, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, over time the picture has completely changed and the market has not only mastered the meaning of ESG, but a large number of companies have adapted their business to all or rather most of environmental, social, and governance principles.

In today's digital age, social media has become a ubiquitous presence in our personal and professional lives. For employers, these platforms offer a valuable yet complex tool in the hiring process. While the potential to gather additional insights about job candidates is enticing, it also raises significant legal questions regarding privacy and data protection.

Kinstellar has advised Eleven Ventures on an investment in Cloud Office.

As Schonherr Head of Intellectual Property and Dispute Resolution practices in Bulgaria Ventsislav Tomov explains, Bulgaria’s delicate political situation and unreliable judicial system are creating a challenging environment for both local and international businesses. Amid these uncertainties, internal corporate investigations are on the rise, driven by cultural clashes between Western investors and Bulgarian management as well as growing concerns over compliance and governance.

Savoric & Partners has advised Jadran Hoteli on its partnership with Accor.

Schoenherr has advised Pan-Pek on securing a EUR 20 million long-term loan from Privredna Banka Zagreb, part of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Schoenherr has promoted Vienna-based Stefanie Aichhorn-Woess, Alfred Amann, Johannes Frank, Ayla Ilicali, Christoph Jirak, Sara Khalil, Sebastian Lukic, Johannes Stalzer, and Stefanie Stegbauer, Zagreb-based Kresimira Kruslin, Warsaw-based Daniel Radwanski, and Bucharest-based Nora Olah to Partner (already announced in August this year).

White & Case has advised Energo-Pro Green Finance on its CZK 3.5 billion retail domestic offering of green notes due 2029 with J&T IB and Capital Markets as the arranger and J&T Banka and UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia as the managers. A&O Shearman advised the joint lead managers.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised Avant Loan Sicav on its first EU growth prospectus.

Dunovska & Partners has advised Aricoma on a parallel dual acquisition of IT companies TaxLabs from Synteca and Gist from individual sellers. Rowan Legal reportedly advised Synteca. Kaplan & Nohejl reportedly advised the sellers of Gist.

Bernitsas has advised Piraeus Financial Holdings on a liability management exercise consisting of an invitation made to holders of its outstanding EUR 500 million fixed-rate reset tier 2 notes due February 2030 to tender their notes for purchase by PFH for cash and on the issuance and offering to international and domestic institutional investors through a bookbuilding process of EUR 650 million tier 2 fixed rate reset notes due September 2035, as well as on the listing of the new notes on the Euro MTF market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

Potamitis Vekris has advised Eurobank and Eurobank Leasing Single Member on asset management agreements and service level agreements with Cerved Property Services Single Member regarding the management of Eurobank Group’s real estate portfolio.

Koutalidis has advised the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator on its issuance of a bond loan of up to EUR 710 million with National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, and Eurobank as acting as arrangers, NBG and Piraeus Bank also serving as bondholder coordinators, and Alpha Bank acting as bondholder agent and administrative agent. Lambadarios advised the banks.

On 10 October 2024, the Ministry of National Economy published a draft Government Decree on the National Trade and Consumer Protection Authority and another one on the amendments to the Government Decrees related to the establishment of the National Trade and Consumer Protection Authority.

The Hungarian Parliament voted to extend the state of emergency with an additional 180 days. The Hungarian Government declared a state of emergency by a government decree that entered into force on 25 May 2022.

The Ministry of Energy, taking into account regulatory experience as well as public feedback, has adjusted the emission limits for several particularly toxic air pollutants in factories, raising them to stricter levels in line with German standards, which are more stringent than the EU regulations.

TGS Baltic has successfully represented the Estonian Transport Administration in two court cases against cleaning and maintenance service provider Krausberg Eesti.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised EWE on the sale of EWE Polska and its group companies EWE Przesyl and EWE Energia to Eesti Gaas for a total value of EUR 120 million. CMS and Ellex advised Eesti Gaas.

Triniti has advised Mainor Ulemiste on its acquisition of the Technopolis Ulemiste campus in Tallinn, Estonia.

RPHS Law has advised Swinto on the sale of the majority of its shares to Virtus Invesco Partners. ICL Legal advised the buyers.

Kalo & Associates has advised Starlink on establishing its business in Kosovo.

Inlex Managing Partner Shkumbin Asllani reports on the country's ambitious goals for economic growth outlining Kosovo's recent legislative efforts to promote renewable energy, attract investments, and develop capital markets while remaining cautiously optimistic, noting that implementation could face challenges.

Eversheds Sutherland has advised Everfield on its acquisition of Meditec AB and Medicloud SIA. Cobalt advised the sellers.

Evo Legal Founder Arina Stivrina has joined Walless’ Latvia team as an Associate Partner.

Cobalt has advised Latvenergo on its acquisition of DSE Aizpute Solar from developer Danish Sun Energy ApS. Sorainen reportedly advised the sellers.

Ellex, working with Kirkland & Ellis, has advised Advent International on its acquisition of Nuvei Corporation. Stikeman Elliott and Sorainen reportedly advised Nuvei.

TGS Baltic has advised Superhero Capital on leading a EUR 2.5 million investment round for Cyber Upgrade with Specialist VC, Firstpick, NGL Ventures, and angel investors Marios S. Kalochoritis and Sergei Anikin also participating. Noor reportedly advised on the round as well.

TGS Baltic has advised Simpact Ventures on its investment in Ligence as part of a round that also saw the participation of Coinvest Capital, the European Innovation Council, Estonian venture capital firm Lemonade Stand, the NGL business angel syndicate, and private investor Rita Sakus.

In the past few years, North Macedonia has made significant strides in developing its infrastructure. Attracting foreign investors is the main strategy to finance, construct, develop, and manage essential infrastructure projects. The government also engages in PPPs, recognizing their potential to leverage private sector expertise and capital in public service delivery.

The spring of 2024 marked a pivotal shift in the Macedonian financial market, with significant reforms on the horizon. As of March 2024, the related legislative framework has come under intense scrutiny, aiming to align more closely with European directives and capital market regulations. This effort has culminated in the adoption of the new Law on Financial Instruments (LFI) and the Law on Prospectus and Transparency Obligations of Securities Issuers (LPTOSI). The primary objective of these reforms is to enhance market efficiency and strengthen the stability of the financial system.

North Macedonia, strategically located in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, south-eastern Europe, is a landlocked country with a unique advantage. Its position between two main European corridors, coupled with political and democratic stability and a favorable tax and regulatory framework, makes North Macedonia a promising destination for potential foreign investors. The country offers abundant possibilities, especially in greenfield investments, renewable energy, software, IT services, logistics, construction, cannabis production, agriculture, food services, tourism, etc.

Vizdoaga Law Office and Dolea & Co have announced a collaboration between the two firms.

The topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has lately become an actual and increasingly important aspect in Moldovan law. Until recently scarcely regulated, the activity involving GMOs was subject to significant legal loopholes. This led to the inherent risk pertaining to GMOs being difficult to control, especially with agriculture playing an important role in the national economy.

Bancassurance is a strategic partnership in which a bank collaborates with an insurance company to offer insurance products to the bank’s customers. This mutually beneficial arrangement not only allows banks to generate extra income through the sale of insurance policies, but also enables insurance companies to broaden their customer reach without the need to expand their sales teams.

JPM Partners has advised Presto Pay on obtaining a payment institution license from the Central Bank of Montenegro.

JPM Partners has successfully represented the Montenegrin Agency for Audiovisual Media Services in an administrative dispute initiated by the Serbia-based Pink Media Group.

The Misdemeanor Court in Podgorica recently imposed a fine of EUR 806,953.09 on the telecommunications company M:tel doo Podgorica (“M:tel”) for the acquisition, by its related Serbian company, of 50% shares in the Slovenian company Arena Sport doo Ljubljana (“Arena Sport”).

PwC Legal has advised Benefit Systems on its acquisition of MyOrganiq which runs eight Organic Fitness clubs in western Poland. Sommerrey & Partners advised the sellers.

Cytowski & Partners advises Wordware on its USD 30 million series seed with Spark Capital, Felicis, and Y Combinator. Goodwin Procter reportedly advised Spark Capital and Felicis.

SSK&W has advised bValue on its partnership with Benefit Systems for the acquisition of a majority stake in Wellbee. Lawmore advised Wellbee. PwC Legal advised Benefit Systems.

The UK government recently unveiled guidance on a major update to its corporate fraud laws: the “failure to prevent fraud” offence, introduced through the 2023 Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCT). Taking effect on September 1, 2025, this law could have serious implications for companies operating within the EU.

RTPR has advised Autonom Services on a bond issuance with an aggregate nominal value of EUR 30 million and a maturity of five years, with a fixed annual interest rate of 6.14%.

On November 21, 2024, Clifford Chance announced that PPC Group's acquisition of Evryo Group's Romanian RES portfolio (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 9, 2024) has now closed.

Contributed by Clifford Chance.

Contributed by Alrud.

The commercial legal markets of Central & Eastern Europe didn’t appear automatically. They didn’t develop in a vacuum. They were formed, shaped, and led, by lawyers – visionary, hard-working, commercially-minded, and client-focused individuals pulling the development of CEE’s legal markets along behind them as they labored relentlessly for their clients, their careers, their futures. 

The IT sector, a cornerstone of modern economies, is not immune to market fluctuations and corporate restructuring. While its growth trajectory often defies broader economic downturns, redundancies in IT have become a reality in Serbia and across Europe due to shifts in demand, technological evolution, and economic uncertainties. This article delves into the redundancy procedure in Serbia’s IT sector, contrasts it with practices in Europe, and explores the causes and potential outcomes of such measures, with real-world examples.

Back in the year 2021 the platform „eConsultations“ was set up under the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia on the establishment of platform „eConsultations“ with the goal of enabling easier participation of interested parties/public in the process of preparation and adoption of not only laws, but also of other regulations and acts, by possibility for the public to be informed through this platform of whether certain law or regulation is in the process of preparation or of when shall the public hearing regarding a draft law take place, as well as by possibility for the interested parties/public to take part in the process of preparation and adoption of these acts by providing comments electronically (online).

In this article, we address the issue of the redistribution of working hours, specifically the conditions and limitations for its introduction and application within a single calendar year.

Renatus Kollar and Lucia Raimanova have been appointed as Co-Managing Partners of A&O Shearman's Bratislava Office.

Martin Jurecko has joined CMS as a Partner in its Bratislava office's Real Estate practice.

Ments has launched a new Dispute Resolution practice in Slovakia with the addition of Counsel Tomas Langer and Associate Anna Kocurova.

Slovenia’s real estate market is thriving, with robust foreign and domestic investments. Key legal and industrial shifts such as new work-life balance laws and reforms in the energy and healthcare sectors are reshaping its economic landscape, according to Krizanec & Partners Partner Dinar Rahmatullin.

Kocian Solc Balastik, working with ODI Law, has advised Energo-Pro Group on the sale of Litostroj Group to Wikov Industry.

Ketler & Partners, member of Karanovic, has advised Gunnebo Safe Storage on its acquisition of the Primat Group. Lah, Jambrovic & Partners and Podjed, Kahne & Partners advised the sellers.

CCAO has advised Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi on financing facilities to Metafor Yenilenebilir Enerji and Knot Enerji for their respective solar and hybrid solar energy power plant projects. 

Baker McKenzie and its Turkish affiliate Esin Attorney Partnership advised DFDS on its acquisition of Ekol Transport and the international transport network connecting Turkiye and Europe from Ekol Logistics and individual sellers led by founder Ahmet Musul. Caliskan Okkan Toker reportedly advised the sellers.

Paksoy, working with Milbank, has advised General Atlantic on its USD 500 million lead investment in Insider's series E funding round.

On 25 October 2024, new rules for the registration of inventions and utility models in Ukraine ("Rules") came into force. Pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine No. 23301 dated 9 September 2024, the Rules set out the requirements for the drafting, filing and examining of an invention and utility model applications.

Vasil Kisil & Partners Partner Volodymyr Igonin reports ongoing reforms in Ukraine amid the challenges of war, highlighting ambitious governance reforms, particularly in the state-owned enterprise sector, and a drive to attract investment through privatization and risk-protection measures. Despite obstacles, Igonin notes that both local and foreign businesses are investing in Ukraine, reflecting a cautious optimism for the country's economic future.

KPD Consulting has advised VD Group on its acquisition of the LvivTech.City project from UFuture Holding.