Wolf Theiss has advised the owners of Kecskemeti Konzerv on the sale of the company to Granit Group's subsidiary Agrar-Finance. Jalsovszky advised Granit Group.

On 3 July 2024, the Austrian National Council adopted the draft COFAG Consolidation Act, which introduces significant changes to the handling and processing of funding claims and refunds by the COVID-19 Financing Agency of the Federal Government (COFAG). This marks a major step towards the final dissolution of COFAG.

The announcements made by the Hungarian Government on 8 July 2024 envisage a number of new and higher payment obligations, as well as other public taxes and restrictions, that will include a defence contribution, increased administrative fines, extra profit tax, changes to social contribution tax on entering the labour market, transaction and currency exchange levies

Wolf Theiss has advised Bob W on its entry into the Austrian market via a long-term lease agreement with Viennese developer Peter Pilz & Partner Projektentwicklungs, reportedly advised by Puschner Spernbauer Rosenauer.

On 5 June 2024, the Czech government introduced a proposal to the Czech Parliament that brings fundamental changes to fleet insurance in the Czech Republic. This proposal provides additional obligations on fleet policyholders. Please see the details below.

Wolf Theiss, working with Wiersholm, has advised the Schibsted group on the separation of its business into two companies – Schibsted Media and Schibsted Marketplaces.

The Act on Restrictive Measures (OG No. 133/2023, the “Act“) entered into force on 15 November 2023 (with the application of certain main provisions as of 15 May 2024). The Act establishes more effective due diligence and reporting procedures and mechanisms, which will enable the Republic of Croatia to implement new and more complex sanctions regimes from the European Union and United Nations.

A recent legislative amendment to Law no. 17/2014, concerning certain measures regulating the sale of extra muros agricultural land, which also amends Law no. 268/2001 on the privatisation of companies managing public and private state-owned agricultural land and the establishment of the State Domains Agency (“Law 17”), has been proposed in the Romanian Senate. This amendment aims to introduce a new category of pre-emptors: owners of land adjoining extra muros arable land, regardless of the location within or outside city limits and regardless of the land use category.

Wolf Theiss has advised Bulgarian-American Credit Bank on its issuance and listing of EUR 15 million 8.00% 2024-2034 subordinated tier 2 notes.

Bulgaria has outlined a procedure for electronic labour records (ELR) in a draft Ordinance published for public consultations on 21 May 2024. The switch to ELR will take effect on 1 June 2025, as stipulated by recent amendments to the Labour Code. This represents a significant step in the long-awaited digitalisation of employment records.

AP Legal has advised Raiffeisen Banka Belgrade on its issuance of MREL-eligible bonds on the Serbian market and their listing on the Belgrade Stock Exchange.

Wolf Theiss has advised the German bank NORD/LB on financing the purchase of the Format office building in Gdansk by Greenstone Format.

Linklaters, Freshfields, Bittera, Kohlrusz & Toth, and Herbert Smith Freehills have advised AviAlliance and co-shareholders on the sale of Budapest Airport to a consortium consisting of Hungarian state-owned Corvinus Zrt and French co-investor Vinci Airports for a total purchase price of EUR 3.1 billion and net debt of EUR 1.2 billion. CMS advised Corvinus. Kinstellar, working with Orrick, advised Vinci Airports. Wolf Theiss, working with Latham & Watkins, advised the lenders on financing the transaction.

On 27 April 2024, the Law of Ukraine, titled “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On State Regulation of Capital Markets and Organised Commodity Markets’ and Certain Other Statutory Acts of Ukraine Concerning Regulation and Supervision of Capital Markets and Organised Commodity Markets” (the Law), came into effect.

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.

The Romanian Parliament has recently passed a new piece of legislation (“Law 124/2024”) allowing local authorities to extend until 31 December 2026 the validity term of the general urbanism plans (in Romanian: “planuri de urbanism generale” or “PUG”), which were drawn up and approved before 2003. Law 124/2024 entered into force on 10 May 2024 and approved Government Ordinance no. 33/2023 regarding the prolongation of certain validity terms in the urbanism and construction field (“GO 33/2023”).

The bill on the protection of whistleblowers in Poland is at the final stage of the legislative process and the core provisions have been set.

Poland stands out as an EU member state with extremely high reliance on power generated from coal and lignite. In 2023, 63% of its electricity was produced from these resources. Still, this marks the lowest-ever share of coal and lignite-fired electricity in Poland’s annual production thanks to the rapid growth of wind and solar plants.