RPCK has advised Farm-ING on its conversion from a GmbH into a flexible company.

Brandl Talos has advised Highland Europe on its investment in SmaXtec as part of a round led by KKR. Dechert's Munich-based office advised the shareholders of SmaXtec. Gibson Dunn and Wolf Theiss reportedly advised KKR. 

Simplifying access to financing for farmers can increase the productivity and profitability of the industry, allowing producers and processors of agricultural products to invest in the latest technologies and innovative solutions, enhancing efficiency.

Schoenherr has advised ImWind and Bloch3 on obtaining an environmental impact assessment permit in Austria for the Rustenfeld wind farm.

Everlegal has advised VisionFund on establishing its Ukrainian entity and obtaining a financial company license, enabling it to provide non-banking financial services such as granting loans and banking metals.

Nyerges & Partners has advised KER Toki on obtaining an electricity supply license from the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority.

DLA Piper has advised the Government Debt Management Agency (AKK), acting on behalf of the Republic of Hungary, on an international syndicated revolving credit facility agreement for a total amount of EUR 1.5 billion with 13 undisclosed Hungarian and international banks. CMS advised the coordinating banks.

Lexist has promoted Duygu Ozturk Dincer to Partner.

Bernitsas has advised AP Hermes Securitization on the acquisition of an NPL portfolio of unsecured and secured loans with a total legal claim of approximately EUR 700 million.

White & Case has advised Orlen on its issuance of USD 1.25 billion in unsecured bonds on the US Rule 144A bond market. Clifford Chance advised the banks.

Dentons has advised the Republic of Lithuania on the issuance of two EUR-denominated benchmark bonds under its Euro Medium Term Note Program. TGS Baltic reportedly advised the Republic of Lithuania as well. Freshfields and Sorainen reportedly advised the underwriters.

Paksoy, working with Linklaters, has advised Turkcell on its USD 1 billion Eurobond offering. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling and its Turkish affiliate Gedik Eraksoy reportedly advised the joint bookrunners.

Nechala & Partners has announced it successfully represented Zdruzenie Realitnuch Kancelarii Slovenska and software provider BackOffice in their complaint before the Slovak Antimonopoly Office regarding United Classifieds.

Avellum has advised Ukrnafta on obtaining approval from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for the acquisition of Shell’s Ukrainian business – a network of petrol stations.

On January 16, 2025, competition experts from Moldova, North Macedonia, and Romania, sat down for a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss the evolving role of the regulatory authorities in their countries.

The Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products ("ACAA") is an intermediary step for Ukraine to benefit from the mutual recognition of product quality between the EU and Ukraine until our country becomes a full EU Member State.

On 10 January 2025, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s issued a Determination pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) of Executive Order 14024 (“the EO 14024 Determination”) and a Determination pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 14071 (“the EO 14071 Determination”).

On December 6, 2024, the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic approved the Act on Digitalisation of the Financial Market (ZDFT), which represents an important step in adapting the Czech legal framework to European regulations in the area of digital financial markets.

Cerha Hempel has advised ODDO BHF on establishing its Austrian branch.

Cobalt has advised Apollo Group's Estonian subsidiary Treeland on increasing its ownership in the Latvian restaurant chain Lido AS to 96% via share acquisition from KE Projekti.

RTPR has advised the Integral Capital Group private equity fund on the acquisition of a majority stake in Embryos from the three founders of the business. Wolf Theiss advised the sellers.

White & Case has advised Orlen on its issuance of USD 1.25 billion in unsecured bonds on the US Rule 144A bond market. Clifford Chance advised the banks.

KLC has advised the National Bank of Greece on the project financing of Greece’s inaugural battery energy storage project sponsored by Elsewedy Electric SAE.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna on the implementation of the Baltica 2 investment project involving the construction of an offshore wind farm in a joint venture with Orsted Group. Hengeler Mueller and SK&S advised Orsted.

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.

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.

Former Dorda Partner Bernhard Mueller has joined PwC Legal's affiliated Vienna office of Oehner & Partner as a Partner.

The past year has demonstrated that an ongoing conflict is not an obstacle to development and investment. Despite infrastructure being targeted by shelling, Ukraine’s real GDP grew by 4% in the first nine months of 2024, with expectations that this figure will reach 4.3-4.6% in the coming years. To maintain this growth, Ukraine must actively engage private investments to rebuild its damaged infrastructure and assets.

Popescu & Associatii has promoted Adina Vlaicu, Andreea Mihalache, and Mirel Radescu to Partner.

Pohla & Hallmagi has advised Fort Aero on obtaining court approval for its reorganization plan previously approved by creditors.

Koutalidis has advised Sfakianakis Group on the restructuring of its debt with a total value of approximately EUR 300 million.

Filing a claim in insolvency proceedings may be the only way for creditors to recover at least part of the amount they are owed. In the Czech legal system, however, creditors face an understated but significant risk: if they overstate the amount of their claim, not only do they risk having it disregarded but they may also be required to pay a penalty to the debtor’s estate. This provision, embedded in the Czech Insolvency Act, acts as a double-edged sword: while it aims to prevent unfounded claims and speculation in insolvency proceedings, it often deters legitimate creditors from fully asserting their claims. This financial penalty has no equivalent in other European countries. So, how can creditors avoid penalties, and what should they know before submitting a claim in insolvency proceedings?

Hungary introduced new regulations for employing guest workers from third countries. These updates specify eligible countries and permit requirements to align with Hungary’s labour market needs and compliance standards.

Havel & Partners has advised the founders of Luigi’s Box on establishing an employee stock ownership plan. 

Egemenoglu has promoted Fazilet Karabacaklar and Sezen Yilmaz Promoted to Partners.

RTPR has advised the Integral Capital Group private equity fund on the acquisition of a majority stake in Embryos from the three founders of the business. Wolf Theiss advised the sellers.

Gessel has advised Maabarot Products on the sale of Laboratoria Natury to Farmaceutici Procemsa. Gide Loyrette Nouel advised Farmaceutici Procemsa.

TGS Baltic has advised the City of Tallinn on the merger of multiple city hospitals, including East Tallinn Central Hospital, West Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn Children's Hospital, and Tallinn Ambulance Service, into a unified Tallinn Hospital.

Popescu & Asociatii has successfully represented the Romanian Academy in a restitution dispute concerning 4,500 hectares of forest land.

The Hungarian Act on Fees and Duties will be changed significantly as of 28 January 2025, which will also affect the fees for court proceedings.

On 17 December 2024, in a lawsuit brought by a tenant against his landlord for repayment of operating costs and rent increases based on indexation, the Supreme Court ruled (10 Ob 54/24z) that the landlord was obliged to repay the operating costs, but confirmed the validity of the value retention clause and provided some clarification on points that had previously been controversial.

Cobalt, working with Dentons, has advised AirBaltic on the sale of a minority stake to Lufthansa Group. Eversheds Sutherland Bitans advised Lufthansa Group.

TAV Macedonia Legal Affairs Manager Emilija Evtimova-Spaseska discusses her journey from law firm partner to in-house counsel and her role in overseeing legal operations for Skopje and Ohrid airports.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos has advised Aviation Capital Group and High Ridge Aviation on the sale and transfer of two Airbus A320-251N aircraft from ACG to HRA and their lease novation with Greek operator Sky Express. 

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.

RTPR has advised the Integral Capital Group private equity fund on the acquisition of a majority stake in Embryos from the three founders of the business. Wolf Theiss advised the sellers.

Kinstellar has advised Mitiska REIM fund First Retail International 2 on the acquisition of land in Bratislava for the construction of the Podunajska Brana retail park via a joint venture between Mitiska Group and Asset Services.

Ellex, working with Thommessen, has advised Accent Equity on the acquisition of Brimer from Entec Group. Wikborg Rein reportedly advised the Entec Group.

Sayenko Kharenko has provided pro bono support for a cultural initiative that aims to set war-time poems, written by Ukrainian defenders, to music. 

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.

Belgrade’s history is a testament to its resilience and adaptability. Over centuries, the city has been a crossroads of civilizations, with each era bringing new rulers, new ideas, and new architectural styles.

Popescu & Asociatii has successfully represented the Romanian Academy in a restitution dispute concerning 4,500 hectares of forest land.

Eva Kovacs has joined Jalsovszky as a Managing Associate and the firm’s new Head of Real Estate Practice.

On 1 January 2025, inter alia, an amendment to the Personal Income Tax Act relating to intellectual property (IP) contribution entered into force.

As part of the fall tax package, the Hungarian Government proposed an automatic, inflation-tracking increase of tax on, inter alia, energy products as of 2025. The actual increase from 1 January 2025, however, significantly exceeds the current (and expected) inflation levels. This might concurrently lead to increased inflation again.

From September 2024, the Montenegrin Parliament passed a series of tax legislative amendments aligned with the country’s Fiscal Strategy for 2024-2027. Set to take effect on January 1, 2025, these reforms aim to increase budget revenues to offset recent reductions in labor taxes and improve the business environment. The changes affect the Corporate Income Tax Law, Personal Income Tax Law, VAT Law, Law on the Write-off of Interest on Outstanding Tax Liabilities, and Excise Law, focusing on modernizing the tax system and stimulating investments primarily in the agricultural sector.

The EU’s AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive legislation on artificial intelligence, imposes the bulk of its due diligence obligations on companies that sell AI systems that are particularly risky for people’s health or fundamental rights.

The Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products ("ACAA") is an intermediary step for Ukraine to benefit from the mutual recognition of product quality between the EU and Ukraine until our country becomes a full EU Member State.

Cerha Hempel has advised Sony Music Entertainment on its acquisition of Supraphon.

Popescu & Associatii has promoted Adina Vlaicu, Andreea Mihalache, and Mirel Radescu to Partner.

On 26 December 2024, the Law “On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, and Other Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve Mechanisms for Holding Legal Entities Accountable for Bribery of Foreign Officials” No. 4111-IX entered into force. It is meant to implement the OECD Council’s Recommendation on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

On 6 December 2024, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the Law on Amendments to the Law on Public Notaries entered into force. These two laws were adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia on 28 November 2024.