“The talk about the entrance of two regional players – CMS and Schoenherr – onto the Macedonian market last year is still on everyone’s lips (among lawyers),” says Apostolska & Partners’ Founding Partner Emilija Apostolska-Temov in North Macedonia, who says that the presence of such law firms in the market will undoubtedly influence business, increasing both the quality of legal services and competition. “It also gives us a hint about investments coming in – such big law firms would not come without any plans,” she says. “They must know something that the rest of us will learn later. I think it will be a positive experience.”

CMS has advised euNetworks Group Limited on the acquisition of the 100% of shares in Onstage Online GmbH in Austria. Baier Partners advised the sellers on the deal.

White & Case has advised Vienna-based FLE on the purchase of the K1 office building in Krakow. CMS reportedly advised the seller, an unnamed global investment manager, on the deal.

CMS has advised Gramercy Europe, acting through its fund Gramercy Property Europe III, on the successful acquisition of the KiK Logistics Centre near Dunajska Streda, Slovakia, from Go Asset and ECE European City Estates. Peterka & Partners advised the sellers on the deal.

CMS Sofia has helped SPM Bulgaria LLC obtain a permit to prospect and explore Block 1-25 Vratsa West, which covers a large territory in northwestern Bulgaria, and which CMS describes as "the biggest onshore block in Bulgaria tendered in the past few years."

CMS has advised Zentiva Group a.s. on its acquisition of Romanian pharmaceutical company Solacium and its subsidiary Be Well Pharma from Siyiara Enterprises — a holding entity of A&D Pharma / Dr. Max Group — and entrepreneur Tony Trasca. The Czech Republic's Evan Law Firm advised Siyiara and Romania's Fine Law advised Trasca on the sale, which remains contingent on the satisfaction of several conditions, including the approval of the Romanian Competition Council.

CMS Kyiv has advised international real estate investment fund Meyer Bergman on Ukrainian and English law aspects of its sale of the Aladdin Shopping Mall in Kyiv to Ukrainian Commercial Property Investment Holding, part of Dragon Capital. Aequo advised the sellers on the deal, while Wolf Theiss advised Sompo International on its provision of M&A warranty and indemnity insurance for the acquisition.

CMS has advised Steiermarkische Sparkasse und Bank AG on its acquisition of Societe Generale's shares in Ohridska Banka Societe Generale. Jones Day was lead counsel to Societe Generale, which was advised by Moravcevic Vojnovic i Partneri in the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

"One of Bulgaria’s biggest challenges, but simultaneously one of the biggest positive developments, is the country’s intention to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism," says CMS Partner Elitsa Ivanova. "This is basically the waiting area for the Eurozone and the EU banking union."

Baker McKenzie, ODI Law, Simkins, Covington & Burling, and Van Bael & Bellis have advised MHP SE on the acquisition of 90.68% of the issued capital of Perutnina Ptuj, d.d. CMS London advised ING, MHP’s financial partner.

Oppenheim has advised investment firm AEW on its acquisition of two mixed-use buildings on Budapest's historic Andrassy avenue from an undisclosed seller. CMS advised the seller on the deal.

Avellum has advised SM Invest Construction B.V. on the sale of shares in the holding company that is developing a 120MW solar power plant in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine. The buyer, solar energy producer Scatec Solar, was reportedly advised by CMS.

The beginning of 2019 will mark the start of a major transformation of the Serbian tax system, bringing new and exciting opportunities for companies who do business or wish to invest in Serbia, but also bringing potential challenges concerning the practical application of new tax rules.

Pursuant to an amendment to the Turkish Value Added Tax Law at the beginning of 2018, non-resident electronic service suppliers are now liable for Value Added Tax on services provided electronically to Turkish individuals who are not VAT taxpayers.

International taxation is rapidly changing and aligning with recommendations of the Project for the Prevention of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).

The Deal:  In July 2018, CEE Legal Matters reported that Reff & Associates had advised Dutch shipbuilding group Damen on its take-over of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd.’s participation in Romania’s Daewoo Mangalia shipyard. DSME was advised by CMS. The yard, which was renamed the Damen Shipyards Mangalia, is now operated as a joint venture with the Romanian Government, with Damen assuming operational control. We reached out to both firms for more information.

No individual, no business, and no country is immune from the threat of cybercrime. The increasingly successful and complex economies of CEE countries are no exception to this rule. In fact, for both historical and political reasons, CEE is at particular peril.

CMS has supported both Shell and Repsol on negotiations for and the transfer of 20% of Shell’s interest in the Khan Kubrat block, offshore Bulgaria, to Repsol Bulgaria Khan Kubrat S.A