The Government of the Republic of Serbia recently adopted a Decree on Additional Requirements for Placing on the Market Products Containing Palm Oil, Palm Fat, or Other Vegetable Oils and Fats ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 47/2025), which entered into force on 7 June 2025 (“the Decree”).

Greenberg Traurig has represented Animex Foods and Agri Plus on the sale of part of their goose processing business to Cedrob.

The Commission for Protection of the Competition of North Macedonia (CPC) has significantly intensified its enforcement activities in the food retail sector, signalling a stricter regulatory approach toward potential anti-competitive behaviour.

Moravcevic Vojnovic and Partners in Cooperation with Schoenherr has advised UniCredit Bank Serbia and Structured Invest on the establishment of UniCredit Invest JSC, a UCITS management company licensed in Serbia.

Karanovic & Partners has advised Paysera North Macedonia on obtaining an Electronic Money Institution license.

Ellex has advised Robinhood on establishing its European hub in Lithuania.

Wolf Theiss, working with Arendt, has advised Studenac on securing a EUR 300 million loan facility from a consortium of banks led by Bank Pekao and including Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen, OTP Banka, Zagrebacka Banka, and OTP Bank Plc Hungary. DTB and Clifford Chance advised the financial institutions.

Moravcevic Vojnovic and Partners in Cooperation with Schoenherr has advised UniCredit Bank Serbia and Structured Invest on the establishment of UniCredit Invest JSC, a UCITS management company licensed in Serbia.

Clifford Chance has advised Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka on the project financing for the development and operation of the FVE Saxonie solar power plant.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised the J&T Group on the launch of a new bond program related to the Europacity Berlin project. 

CK Legal Chabasiewicz Kowalska has advised Kruk on its PLN 100 million bond issuance targeting individual investors.

Allen Overy Shearman Sterling and its Turkish affiliate law firm Gedik & Eraksoy have advised the joint bookrunners on Turkiye Ihracat Kredi Bankasi’s recent USD 500 million fixed-rate bond issuance, completed under the bank’s USD 8 billion global medium-term note program.

The European Commission (EC) has published a comprehensive communication introducing a playbook for Member States on designing state aid measures to support their objectives under the Clean Industrial Deal. This framework aims to facilitate industrial decarbonisation and the rollout of clean energy and will remain in force until 31 December 2030. The Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) is intended to offer a wide range of companies long-term investment predictability.

DLA Piper's International Shrinkflation Guide provides a comprehensive overview of how different countries around the world are responding to the phenomenon of “shrinkflation” – the practice of consumer goods manufacturers reducing the size or quantity of their products while keeping prices unchanged.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

Given the growth of the Bulgarian pharmaceutical retail sector, it is essential to understand the legal framework governing the operation of pharmacies, drugstores, cosmetics counters and optical retailers. Each of these types of businesses is subject to specific regulatory requirements designed to safeguard public health, ensure quality control and maintain compliance with both national and EU legislation.

As of 1 July 2025, lobbying activities in the Czech Republic are subject to regulation for the first time. The new Regulation of Lobbying Act aims to enhance transparency by defining who qualifies as a lobbyist, identifying the targets of lobbying (primarily public officials) and introducing record-keeping obligations. A key element is the creation of a publicly accessible register, where lobbyists must disclose their identity and the parties they represent.

The Government of Hungary expects all investments to comply with the strictest environmental standards. Should companies fail to meet these requirements, fines will be imposed under the "polluter pays" principle. The new penalty regulation distinguishes between private individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations.

Schoenherr has advised Exadel on its acquisition of the IT business of Anthill. Tzvetkova, Tzvetkov & Dobreva advised Anthill.

PwC Legal has advised the founders of Lilou on its sale to W.Kruk. Rymarz Zdort Maruta advised W.Kruk.

Aydemir, working with Studio Legale Gatto, has advised Hatko Uluslararasi Spor Teknolojileri on its acquisition of a 10% minority stake in Sofisport. Studio Legale Gallavotti Bernardini & Partners reportedly advised the sellers.

Gessel has advised WPIP Green Energy and Metropolis Doradztwo Gospodarcze on the sale of a biogas plant in Ilowiec Wielki to Galia Green Power.

Koutalidis has advised ABO Energy on the sale of ABO Hellas, along with six affiliated entities and a 1.5-gigawatt renewable energy portfolio, to Helleniq Renewables.

Soltysinski, Kawecki & Szlezak has advised Axpo Polska on an energy storage services agreement with EDP Renewables.

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.

Lambadarios has advised the four systemic Greek banks Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Piraeus Bank, and the National Bank of Greece on the EUR 1.3 billion financing of the new Northern Road Axis of Crete. Marinos Petroulias advised the developer, GEK Terna.

Wardynski & Partners has advised ICEYE on the contract to supply a MicroSAR Satellite Earth Observation System to the Polish Armed Forces.

PPPs represent a long-term collaboration between the public and private sectors, enabling more efficient construction, maintenance, and management of infrastructure, with an optimal distribution of risks and financial obligations.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has secured the admission of a revision against a final judgment ordering the dissolution of the Bucharest Municipal Football Association, as well as the definitive rejection of the applications for dissolution of the association.

Pohla & Hallmagi has successfully represented Rein Valk and Luite Arendus OU before the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Estonia against Harju Infra OU in a case concerning limitation periods applicable to claims between companies and shareholders.

Mihaj, Ilic & Milanovic has promoted Jelena Papic and Bojan Jankovic to Partner.

Aydemir has advised Faurecia Polifleks Otomotiv on a collective labor agreement with the Petrol-Is union.

On 18 June 2025, the Bulgarian National Assembly adopted a Law Amending and Supplementing the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, promulgated in State Gazette No. 52 of 27 June 2025 (the "Law"). These amendments introduce significant changes to the regulatory framework governing the entry and residence of foreign nationals in the country, aiming to establish clearer rules and new residence opportunities for various categories of foreigners.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

By Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1197, published on Friday, 20 June 2025, the European Commission decided to exclude companies from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from public contracts for medical devices. This applies to contracts with an estimated value of more than five million euros. Furthermore, no more than 50% of the contract value may be passed on to Chinese companies.

Given the growth of the Bulgarian pharmaceutical retail sector, it is essential to understand the legal framework governing the operation of pharmacies, drugstores, cosmetics counters and optical retailers. Each of these types of businesses is subject to specific regulatory requirements designed to safeguard public health, ensure quality control and maintain compliance with both national and EU legislation.

NKO Partners has advised Dr Max on its acquisition of Zalfija.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has secured the admission of a revision against a final judgment ordering the dissolution of the Bucharest Municipal Football Association, as well as the definitive rejection of the applications for dissolution of the association.

Ijdelea & Associates has successfully represented XL Insurance and Supeco Investment in a litigation proceeding involving property insurance and liability issues, securing a court award of approximately RON 4 million in damages.

Bahas, Gramatidis & Partners has promoted George Alexandris to Partner.

SRC has advised MLP Group on the lease of 24,000 square meters of warehouse space to Sarantis Poland within the MLP Pruszkow II logistics park near Warsaw.

SSW has advised Eika Asset Management on securing financing from Santander Bank Polska for the development of a logistics facility in Sochaczew, Poland. DLA Piper reportedly advised Santander Bank Polska.

CMS has advised REICO Long Lease on its acquisition of the LPP Distribution Center logistics facility in Bydgoszcz. Greenberg Traurig advised the unidentified sellers.

Pohla & Hallmagi, working with Wikborg Rein, has advised Marine Energy Solutions on its acquisition of the PRIME oil tanker. Reed Smith reportedly advised the unidentified sellers.

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.

Allen Overy Shearman Sterling has advised IAM Petcare Growth Fund on its investment in LuxVet 24. Rymarz Zdort Maruta advised LuxVet 24.

Sorainen has advised PurpleGreen Capital on the launch of a new alternative investment fund manager and the establishment of an alternative investment fund headquartered in Latvia, within the EU regulatory framework.

Walless has advised Traxlo on raising EUR 1.6 million in funding to support the expansion of its AI-driven, pay-per-task labor platform across Europe. Tegos reportedly advised Coinvest as the lead investor.

Pekin & Pekin has provided pro bono advice to Fenerbahce SK, Fenerium, Fenerbahce Futbol on its partnership with Adidas.

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.

Wolf Theiss, working with Arendt, has advised Studenac on securing a EUR 300 million loan facility from a consortium of banks led by Bank Pekao and including Powszechny Zaklad Ubezpieczen, OTP Banka, Zagrebacka Banka, and OTP Bank Plc Hungary. DTB and Clifford Chance advised the financial institutions.

Elementz Legal has advised Bubblify International on its acquisition of 22 OXO-brand shopping center retail locations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

Dentons has advised YIT Zwirn 2 – a joint venture between YIT Slovakia and RSJ Investments – on a syndicated loan exceeding EUR 100 million for the financing of Zwirn 2 real estate development in Bratislava. Allen Overy Sherman Sterling reportedly advised the banks.

KCG Partners has promoted Krisztian Kiralyvolgyi as Partner.

On 7 May 2025, the Czech government approved a draft amendment to Act No. 164/2013 Coll., on International Cooperation in Tax Administration and on Amendments to Related Acts, introducing two key innovations regarding crypto-assets and the taxation of large multinational groups.

In June 2025, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a bill proposing that the market value of solar and wind power plants be excluded from the base of real estate transfer tax. If adopted, this would reduce the financial burden for investors purchasing land with renewable energy infrastructure.

Schoenherr has advised Exadel on its acquisition of the IT business of Anthill. Tzvetkova, Tzvetkov & Dobreva advised Anthill.

Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, working with Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, has advised funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and Blue Owl on a USD 520 million senior secured direct lending facility provided to Infobip. Latham & Watkins reportedly advised Infobip.

Act Legal Romania has advised Pluxee Romania on the acquisition of MyBenefits. Andronic and Partners reportedly advised the sellers.

Bahas, Gramatidis & Partners has promoted George Alexandris to Partner.

Starting next year, the rules on corporate criminal liability in Hungary will undergo significant reforms aimed at making companies' participation in criminal proceedings more effective, predictable and proactive. Among the most notable innovations is the introduction of plea deals for companies, intended to enhance both accountability and cooperation between companies and criminal authorities.

Cobalt has promoted former Managing Associate Rauno Ligi to Partner.