Latest News By Practice
Clifford Chance has advised Komercni Banka on financing J&T Agriculture and Ecology Holding's acquisition of agricultural holding Farma Neznasovy (formerly Cesky Real). Kocian Solc Balastik advised J&T on the deal.
Savoric & Partners has advised Agrofert on the acquisition of Agronom in Croatia. Kovacevic Prpic Simeunovic advised Agronom on the deal.
Kinstellar has advised Danish agricultural investment company FirstFarms on its DKK 20 million sale of land in Western Romania. Roedl & Partner reportedly advised the buyer.
Immunisation Certificates played a big role in the previous wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary. They were issued as a supplementary certificate to confirm that the cardholder had a positive COVID test or got at least the first shot of any of the available vaccines. At many stages of the pandemic, cardholders enjoyed specific privileges compared to the others (i.e. card was asked at many places that had an indoor room, such as theatres, cinemas, restaurants etc.). Even though the European COVID passport became available from 1 July 2021 among the EU, it is only issued for persons, who got an EU-approved vaccine. Since Hungary choose to vaccinate with non-EU-approved vaccines, the dichotomy of the certificates still remains.
E-Hearing System is a system that enables participation in hearings held in civil courts remotely. In this regard, the fundamental rules on this new system, which saves time and labor both for lawyers and other relevant persons while facilitating access to justice services, were previously elaborated in one of our articles. In a relatively short time after the promulgation of the Regulation on the Conduct of Hearings by Audio and Video Transmission in Civil Procedures [“Regulation”] which sets the e-Hearing procedures and principles in the Official Gazette dated June 30, 2021 e-Hearings have become widespread rapidly.
For the last decade or so, the video gaming industry has been witnessing an emergence, and then almost a mainstream adoption of a revenue-generating mechanic similar, if not outright identical, to gambling.
Kinstellar and Eisenberger + Herzog have advised Belgian KBC Group subsidiary KBC Bank on its EUR 1 billion acquisition of Raiffeisen Bank International’s Bulgarian subsidiary Raiffeisenbank. Wolf Theiss advised the seller.
Sayenko Kharenko has advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on providing a EUR 25 million equivalent loan to ProCredit Bank in Ukraine.
Clifford Chance has advised J&T Banka on providing real estate financing to Crestyl Commercial Investment. Dentons reportedly advised Crestyl on the deal.
Avellum, working with White & Case, has advised Ukrenergo on its debut USD 825 million issuance of sustainability-linked eurobonds. Sayenko Kharenko, working with Linklaters, advised the managers BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs International, and Ukreximbank. CMS advised the EBRD on its USD 75 million investment in Ukrenergo bonds.
Schoenherr has advised Romanian FMCG distributor Aquila on the successful completion of its initial public offering and sale of 66.6 million new shares, for a total sum of approximately EUR 74 million.
Wojciech Kapica, former Partner and Head of SMM Legal's Financial Law Department, has joined the Lawarton law office.
The Labour Law contains only 2 articles related the non-competition clause.
Franchising may be an attractive proposition for many companies wishing to expand internationally. Take a look at this overview to discover the applicable franchise law in Slovenia, covering the essentials for franchisors, the relevant areas of law, selected aspects such as fees, and dispute resolution and applicable law.
Croatian Parliament recently adopted the final draft of the new Electronic Media Act (the Act), which entered into force on 22 October 2021.
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has provided legal support to Germany's HTS Tentiq on contractual and currency control issues in Russia.
Former Kinstellar Partner Bogdan Bibicu has joined the Corporate Investigations practice of Wolf Theiss in Bucharest as a Partner.
On 18 October 2021, the Council of Ministers has published the draft Act on protection of persons reporting breaches of law. The Act is intended to implement Directive 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law ("Directive 2019/1937") into the Polish legal system. The Act establishes rules and procedures for the protection of whistleblowers, i.e., persons who report information obtained in a work-related context about breaches of the European Union law.
DLA Piper has advised Russian network solutions provider Brain4Net's major shareholder Typhoon Digital Development on the sale of a majority stake in the company to global cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky. Baker McKenzie advised Kaspersky.
Gorzelnik Nentwig Ziebinski has advised Poland's Investment Promotion Agency on the sale of a Polish 130-megawatt utility-scale photovoltaic portfolio. Rymarz Zdort advised the undisclosed buyer.
Walless has advised UK healthcare company Everything Genetic on its EUR 500,000 investment into and strategic partnership agreement with Estonian health technology company Antegenes. Myerson Solicitors reportedly advised Everything Genetic on English law.
Gorzelnik Nentwig Ziebinski has advised Poland's Investment Promotion Agency on the sale of a Polish 130-megawatt utility-scale photovoltaic portfolio. Rymarz Zdort advised the undisclosed buyer.
Maciej Kalinowski has Joined Spectris Energy as its Head of M&A Legal in Poland.
Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr has advised KGAL company EW Rywald in the contractor selection process for the Rywald wind farm project in Poland.
Last month, Freedom House published its annual report on freedom on the Internet (the “Report”), where Serbia got 71 out of 100 points, thus taking the 15th place among 70 countries where the said research had been conducted.
Although from 1 November, the government regulation allows companies and businesses to make it obligatory for their employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the questions about immunity still shall be avoided at a job interview. In addition, it will not necessarily be justified to obligate teleworkers to take up the vaccine.
Inga Kostogriz-Vaitkiene, Partner at CEE Attorneys in Lithuania, reports that her country’s economy is doing quite well at the moment and that additional regulation ensures the public procurement system will become greener. She also notes that there are two controversial laws in the pipeline related to cannabis use and LGBTQ+ rights.
Walless has advised the Vilnius City Municipality Administration on a case concerning the legality of the termination of the Lazdynai swimming pool construction contract.
Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr and Drania and Partners have successfully represented the Gdansk Airport before the Supreme Court.
Erdem & Erdem has advised Yildirim Group’s subsidiary Qazaq Soda in the tender and construction proceedings for the establishment of a sodium carbonate factory in Kazakhstan.
Glatzova & Co has advised Czech apparel and fashion company Kara Trutnov on the approval of the reorganization plan within its insolvency proceedings.
Former Clifford Chance Senior Associate Pavel Bogusky has joined the Restructuring, Insolvency, and Bankruptcy practice of Dentons’ Prague office as a Partner.
Schoenherr has announced the appointments of Austria-based Miriam Simsa, Bulgaria-based Alexandra Doytchinova and Czech Republic-based Vladimir Cizek to Equity Partners. The firm also promoted Austria-based Dominik Hofmarcher and Slovakia-based Sona Hekelova to Partners.
At the end of October 2021, the Hungarian Government decided to take new protection measures to contain the fourth wave of the coronavirus outbreak, as a result, from 1 November 2021 employers have the right to require their employees to be mandatorily vaccinated. This means that to increase vaccination coverage and to protect workplaces, the Government allows employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against coronavirus as a condition of employment, either as a standard working condition for all employees or as an individual working condition depending on the job. For employees who have not yet been vaccinated, the employer may set a 45-day deadline for the first vaccination. Employers who require vaccination must inform the employee of the measure, the deadline and the possible legal consequences of not vaccinating, either electronically (in e-mail) or on paper. Furthermore, an employee who is medically certified as contra-indicated to be vaccinated against the coronavirus cannot expected to be vaccinated.
The possibility of the employer to investigate whether its employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 was subject of heated debate in Slovakia. The prevailing view was the employer could not request such information from them as allegedly there was no legal basis for it in the Labour Code or other regulations. Surprisingly, such view was also supported by the Slovak National Inspectorate of Labour that claimed it should be up to the employees whether they inform the employer about their vaccination. There were also discussions whether obtaining such information by the employer complies with the GDPR.
KPMG Legal Toncescu si Asociatii has advised the Affinity Shipping Group on its acquisition of Seaway International.
Walless has advised UK healthcare company Everything Genetic on its EUR 500,000 investment into and strategic partnership agreement with Estonian health technology company Antegenes. Myerson Solicitors reportedly advised Everything Genetic on English law.
At the end of October 2021, the Hungarian Government decided to take new protection measures to contain the fourth wave of the coronavirus outbreak, as a result, from 1 November 2021 employers have the right to require their employees to be mandatorily vaccinated. This means that to increase vaccination coverage and to protect workplaces, the Government allows employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against coronavirus as a condition of employment, either as a standard working condition for all employees or as an individual working condition depending on the job. For employees who have not yet been vaccinated, the employer may set a 45-day deadline for the first vaccination. Employers who require vaccination must inform the employee of the measure, the deadline and the possible legal consequences of not vaccinating, either electronically (in e-mail) or on paper. Furthermore, an employee who is medically certified as contra-indicated to be vaccinated against the coronavirus cannot expected to be vaccinated.
The possibility of the employer to investigate whether its employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 was subject of heated debate in Slovakia. The prevailing view was the employer could not request such information from them as allegedly there was no legal basis for it in the Labour Code or other regulations. Surprisingly, such view was also supported by the Slovak National Inspectorate of Labour that claimed it should be up to the employees whether they inform the employer about their vaccination. There were also discussions whether obtaining such information by the employer complies with the GDPR.
Arzinger has successfully represented Ceetrus Ukraine in a UAH 53 million VAT refund dispute before three court instances.
Walless has advised the Vilnius City Municipality Administration on a case concerning the legality of the termination of the Lazdynai swimming pool construction contract.
Franchising may be an attractive proposition for many companies wishing to expand internationally. Take a look at this overview to discover the applicable franchise law in Slovenia, covering the essentials for franchisors, the relevant areas of law, selected aspects such as fees, and dispute resolution and applicable law.
Ilyashev & Partners has advised Ukraine's Antonov state enterprise on its five-year contract with NATO and the EU, within the framework of the Strategic Airlift International Solution program.
Schoenherr has advised European Rail Rent on its partnership with new co-shareholder Antin Infrastructure Partners. Bird & Bird advised ERR in Germany, while Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Antin on the deal.
Triniti has advised Estonian government-owned Transpordi Varahaldus on the EUR 23 million financing it received from LHV Bank for seven of its Bombardier CRJ900-type aircraft.
KPMG Legal Toncescu si Asociatii has advised the Affinity Shipping Group on its acquisition of Seaway International.
Sorainen has advised JAS Worldwide on its acquisition of Greencarrier Freight Services International from the Greencarrier Group.
Deal 5: Western Shipyard Group GC Andrius Digrys on Successful Challenge of Public Procurement Award
On May 21, 2021, CEE Legal Matters reported that Ellex Valiunas had successfully represented Western Baltija Shipbuilding in its appeal of a public procurement award to a consortium of Finnish companies to provide a specialized vessel for the Lithuanian Armed Forces to eliminate pollution incidents and carry out rescue operations in the Baltic Sea. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Andrius Digrys, General Legal Counsel at Western Baltija Shipbuilding, to learn more about the deal.
Kondracki Celej has advised Market One Capital, Profounders Capital, and Speedinvest, while Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised Infravia Capital Partners and Crido Legal advised PortfoLion on their respective investments in Packhelp's PLN 190 million series B funding round. Think Legal advised Packhelp.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised the AI Startup Incubator fund on investing in AssetFloow.
DLA Piper has advised Russian personal styling company Capsula on its Series A investment round.
Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has provided pro bono legal assistance to George Enescu International Festival organizer Artexim in a dispute with the Historic Auction House in connection with the auctioning of manuscripts and a violin that had presumably belonged to Romanian composer George Enescu.
Weinhold Legal has provided pro bono legal assistance to Czech endowment fund Tilia Impact Ventures on its investment in start-up Deafcom.
Sorainen is providing pro bono legal support to Estonian citizen initiative and non-profit project Autumn Plan, aimed at helping individuals make an informed decision about vaccination.
Gorzelnik Nentwig Ziebinski has advised Poland's Investment Promotion Agency on the sale of a Polish 130-megawatt utility-scale photovoltaic portfolio. Rymarz Zdort advised the undisclosed buyer.
Fort Legal has advised Eften Capital on its EUR 10 million investment in the construction of two nine-story multi-apartment buildings in Kaunas, together with the Etapas Group.
Ellex has advised real estate development company Hepsor on the initial public offering of its shares to new investors and listing on the Baltic Main List of the Nasdaq Tallinn stock exchange.
Arzinger has successfully represented Ceetrus Ukraine in a UAH 53 million VAT refund dispute before three court instances.
The Law on Amendments to the Law on Tax Procedure and Tax Administration (Official Gazette of RS, no. 96/2021) (the “Law”) was adopted on October 16, 2021. The novelties introduced by this piece of regulation particularly include those referring to the filing of tax application for calculated mandatory social insurance contributions for company founders and/or shareholders, deferral of interest payment for settled obligations, replacement of insurance instruments for collection of due taxes, and issuance of additional record.
The Government of the Republic of Serbia has recently proposed amendments to the tax laws, including amendments to the Law on Personal Income Tax (‘PIT Law’), Law on Mandatory Social Contributions (‘SSC Law’) and the Law on Corporate Income Tax (‘CIT Law’).
DLA Piper has advised Russian network solutions provider Brain4Net's major shareholder Typhoon Digital Development on the sale of a majority stake in the company to global cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky. Baker McKenzie advised Kaspersky.
Kondracki Celej has advised Market One Capital, Profounders Capital, and Speedinvest, while Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised Infravia Capital Partners and Crido Legal advised PortfoLion on their respective investments in Packhelp's PLN 190 million series B funding round. Think Legal advised Packhelp.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised the AI Startup Incubator fund on investing in AssetFloow.
Alexandra Mihaela Sinc, former Chief Prosecutor of the Bucharest Prosecutor’s Office, has joined Mares & Mares as Of Counsel.
Iurii Sukhov has joined Arzinger as a Partner and will lead the firm’s White Collar Crime practice together with Kateryna Gupalo and Oleksander Plotnikov.
The Government of Ukraine has recently implemented additional measures to prevent and counteract the legalization (laundering) of proceeds of crime, terrorist financing and financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Thus, Ukraine made one more step towards implementing 4th Money Laundering EU Directive.