Sayenko Kharenko, working with Hogan Lovells, has advised the International Finance Corporation on two risk-sharing facilities for Raiffeisen Bank Ukraine totaling approximately USD 210 million equivalent, one of which IFC cooperated on with the US International Development Finance Corporation. Redcliffe Partners and Mayer Brown reportedly advised the DFC.

Brandl Talos has advised DirectSens on the sale of its LactoSens biosensor technology to Kerry Group. Wolf Theiss reportedly advised Kerry Group.

CMS has advised Axpo Polska on the acquisition of a biogas plant producing green energy primarily from agricultural waste.

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

If you manage an alternative fund under Section 15 of the Czech Act on Investment Companies and Investment Funds (ZISIF), you will need to comply with new legislation by 31 December 2024. Every manager will be required to amend the name of their company to include the term "venture capital entity", while the word "fund" must be removed.

The proposed Draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Games of Chance brings several important changes, certain new legal solutions as a result of the needs of practice and market development, harmonization of the text of the law with technological development in this area, but also introduces new obligations to organizers and significantly increase in fees for obtaining approval and for organizing of games of chance.

Dentons has advised Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen, Pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, and Berlin Hyp on the EUR 180 million loan extended to Immofinanz to replace the previous financing of the Myhive Warsaw Spire project.

Sayenko Kharenko, working with Hogan Lovells, has advised the International Finance Corporation on two risk-sharing facilities for Raiffeisen Bank Ukraine totaling approximately USD 210 million equivalent, one of which IFC cooperated on with the US International Development Finance Corporation. Redcliffe Partners and Mayer Brown reportedly advised the DFC.

Walless has successfully represented Voltas in a EUR 1.7 million business interruption insurance case in Lithuania.

Starting from 20 November 2024, the National Bank of Ukraine (“NBU”) enacted amendments to the existing currency control restrictions under the moratorium on foreign currency cross-border transfers (“Moratorium”). These amendments aim to facilitate international trade cooperation and technical assistance projects while simultaneously strengthening compliance measures for certain exemptions.

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%.

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.

Filip & Company and Deloitte Legal-affiliated Reff & Asociatii have successfully represented BT Leasing Transilvania IFN before the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a first-instance decision that annulled a Competition Council Decision imposing fines on 16 companies and the Financial Services Association following an investigation into the financial leasing market.

CMS has appointed Warsaw-based CMS Partner Malgorzata Urbanska as the firm's new Co-Head of the Global Antitrust, Competition & Trade Group alongside Partner Marquard Christen.

From 1 August 2024, the maximum fine that can be imposed by the Hungarian Competition Authority equals 15% of the undertaking’s net turnover. According to the Authority’s statement, its primary objective is not to impose fines, however, the increase in the potential financial penalty is a strong deterrent. In any case, it can be observed that the Authority is becoming more and more stringent concerning fines: while in 2023 it imposed fines totalling HUF 2.2 billion, the total amount of fines imposed this year exceeded HUF 2 billion by August.

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.

The European Commission recently launched the consultation phase on two essential draft regulations to strengthen the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) regulation’s operational structure. These include the draft Implementing Regulation for Authorized Declarants and creating a comprehensive CBAM registry. Stakeholders can submit feedback until November 28, 2024. These regulations clarify key aspects of the definitive CBAM implementation, set to begin on January 1, 2026.

The Croatian Lobbying Act (Official Gazette 36/2024, the “Act”) entered into force on 1 October 2024, marking Croatia’s first comprehensive regulation of lobbying activities. The Act establishes significant new rules for lobbyists and companies alike, requiring compliance when interacting with public officials to advocate for business or organisational interests. This regulatory development represents a transformative shift in how entities engage with policymakers and will necessitate careful attention to adherence with these newly established standards.

On November 7, 2024, M&A experts from Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine participated in a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss the FDI screening regimes in their country and key developments in the area on the horizon.

Sadik & Capan has advised Koc Holding on its acquisition of 65% shares in Stembio. Acar Ergonen advised the seller, Ibrahim Ozsu.

E+H has advised Austrian Ski Association's subsidiary Austria Ski Team Handels- und BeteiligungsgesmbH on a joint venture concerning the online platform Skizeit.

Bernitsas has advised China State Grid on its acquisition of a 20% stake in Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator's subsidiary Ariadne Interconnection which is responsible for implementing the electricity interconnection between Attica and Crete.

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.

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.

On April 22, 2024, Everlegal announced it had been appointed to provide legal support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – the UN Refugee Agency – for its activities in Ukraine.

Noor and the Lithuanian Red Cross Society have executed a memorandum of cooperation based upon which Noor will provide continuous legal advisory and assistance to the Red Cross on various legal matters.

Everlegal has partnered up with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Ukraine and will be offering the NRC legal support on a number of day-to-day legal issues.

JDP has advised the consortium of Gulermak and Budimex whose bid was selected in a tender for the construction of the Jawornik–Lutcza section of the S19 expressway.

CMS has advised the Czech Skoda Group on winning a second order from Bulgaria's Ministry of Transportation for five four-car electric trains.

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.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised the bankruptcy trustee of Getin Noble Bank on the sale of Noble Securities to Skarbiec Holding.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised the bankruptcy trustee of Getin Noble Bank and Idea Bank on the sale of a total holding of approximately 86.83% of the shares in Noble Funds TFI fund management company to VeloBank.

A creditor has forgiven part of a debtor's debt on the condition that the debtor will make every effort to avoid insolvency and repay at least the remaining, unforgiven part. However, the creditor also set a resolutive condition: if the debtor were to become insolvent (i.e. the court declared it bankrupt), the debt forgiveness agreement was to be void from the outset and the debtor would be obliged to repay the debt in full.

Dragne & Asociatii has promoted Mihai Iorga to Partner.

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.

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.

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

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.

MFW Fialek has advised investor and business angel Aniela Hejnowska and a group of investors on an investment agreement for a joint venture and the acquisition of 90% of the shares in Future Processing Healthcare, now known as Graylight Imaging. GWW reportedly advised Future Processing as the seller.

Walless has successfully represented Voltas in a EUR 1.7 million business interruption insurance case in Lithuania.

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.

Filip & Company and Deloitte Legal-affiliated Reff & Asociatii have successfully represented BT Leasing Transilvania IFN before the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a first-instance decision that annulled a Competition Council Decision imposing fines on 16 companies and the Financial Services Association following an investigation into the financial leasing market.

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.

Stratulat Albulescu has advised Express Euroscan on the acquisition of Denis Spedition SRL and Denis Spedition GMBH.

Clifford Chance has advised Santander and Citi as the initial purchasers on the debut EUR 300 million green bond issuance of MLP Group.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos announced that the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund's sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 11, 2024) closed on September 18, 2024.

PeliPartners has advised Bogdan Idu and his group companies on the sale of an LPG maritime terminal in Romania to Nawaf Salameh Family Office Group.

Your Legal Partners’ Katerina Politopoulou, Maria Golfinopoulou, and Prokopis Linardos Talk About the Deal of the Year in Greece.

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.

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

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

Dentons has successfully represented an unlawfully sterilized woman in administrative court proceedings against the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic regarding a denied claim for compensation and subsequent appeal on a pro bono basis.

Wardynski & Partners has represented the Civil Society Drug Policy Initiative on a pro bono basis in a dispute with Meta.

Integrites has provided pro bono defense representation to a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine concerning criminal charges brought against him by the military command. The firm also advised the soldier's family on obtaining monetary compensation.

Dentons has advised Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen, Pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, and Berlin Hyp on the EUR 180 million loan extended to Immofinanz to replace the previous financing of the Myhive Warsaw Spire project.

Greenberg Traurig has advised Eastnine on its acquisition of the Warsaw Unit office building from Ghelamco for EUR 280 million. Dentons and Rymarz Zdort Maruta advised Ghelamco.

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

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.

The proposed Draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Games of Chance brings several important changes, certain new legal solutions as a result of the needs of practice and market development, harmonization of the text of the law with technological development in this area, but also introduces new obligations to organizers and significantly increase in fees for obtaining approval and for organizing of games of chance.

Nicolas Wolski has become the new Head of Tax at BPV Huegel, taking over from Partner Gerald Schachner.

Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka has advised Digital Realty on the sale of its cloud services business in Croatia to Databox.

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.

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.

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.

Romania-based Mares & Mares and Cyprus-based Emilianides Katsaros have formed a partnership spanning Cyprus, Romania, and Greece.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is an independent body of the European Union (EU) tasked with investigating criminal cases infringing the financial interests of the EU. The EPPO was formally established in 2017 and started operations in 2021. The first and current head of the European Chief Prosecutor is Laura Codruta Kovesi, former Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (Directia Nationala Anticoruptie; DNA), the Romanian agency tasked with investigating corruption cases.