Almost two years ago, I discussed in an article published in CEE Legal Matters the presence of “green” bonds and financings in Croatia. The thesis put forward in that article was focused on the necessity of companies and financial service providers to be more “green” in terms of the products they offer on the Croatian (capital) markets and goals on sustainability which should be accomplished.
Bulgaria: OTC Derivatives, Repurchases, and Securities Lending Transactions – Expected EBRD-Driven Reforms
Derivatives, repurchases, and securities lending transactions are often used by sophisticated financial institutions and large corporate entities in Bulgaria to manage their portfolios of investments, hedge against financial risks, or get short-term credit. Such products are predominantly offered on an OTC basis by foreign banks, with mainly the largest local banks having the know-how and resources to do the same.
Slovenia: Navigating Property Bonds
In recent years, we have been seeing that real estate developers are starting to turn to debt capital markets to raise capital for their real estate development projects in Slovenia. When issuing bonds for real estate development projects, investors usually expect to have security on the real estate property that is being developed. Similar to other finance transactions, collateral can take various forms. This article examines the possibilities of establishing collateral on real estate property for bonds in Slovenia.
Kosovo: Initial Phase in Capital Market Development – Balancing Challenges and Benefits
On January 25, 2024, the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo published a list of concept notes anticipated for drafting and adoption by the Kosovo Government in the present year. The concept note, a regulatory prerequisite to the enactment of legislation within a specified domain, specifies the objectives of prospective governmental policy and the optimal modalities for their implementation.
Albania: Passporting of EU Investment Funds Now Possible... But Not Really There Yet
Albania, driven by its commitment to align with European Union standards, has embarked on a comprehensive journey to harmonize its financial legislation with EU directives, particularly in the realm of capital markets. At the forefront of this effort stands Law 56/2020 “On Collective Investment Undertakings” (Albanian CIU Law), a pivotal piece of legislation that encompasses the passporting of foreign investment funds into Albania. This landmark law, coupled with the recent enactment of Regulation no. 37 (Passporting Regulation) and Regulation no. 38 (Distribution Regulation) by the Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), lays down the groundwork for the processes of passporting and distribution within the Albanian financial landscape.
Turkiye: Recent Developments in Sustainability Reporting under Turkish Law
Due to the importance of disclosure of compliance with sustainability principles in evaluating the performance of companies, to ensure transparency, comparability, and reliability of the disclosures made within the scope of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, regulations have been introduced in the Turkish legal system.
Czech Republic: Changes in Alternative Fund Regulation
Investment funds in the Czech Republic are regulated by the Czech Investment Companies and Investment Funds Act (ZISIF) and by local implementing regulations (governmental decrees and decrees of the Czech National Bank – CNB).