The new Law on Games of Chance, applied from April 2020 did not introduce material changes to gambling business itself, apart from increased financial burden to operators (higher minimum initial capital, fees, deposits and new technical requirements) and in general the novelties have not been numerous, but it also stipulated the obligation of adoption of new harmonized rulebooks.

Jankovic Popovic Mitic has advised BASF on the sale of its Construction Chemicals business in Serbia to an affiliate of private equity firm Lone Star. 

On 06 November 2020 on the website of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia is published Proposal for the amendments of the Law on tax procedure and tax administration (hereinafter referred to as: “Proposal”).

“This was an election year for Serbia, and as a result we had a technical government for a very long time,” says Djordje Novcic, Partner at Jankovic Popovic Mitic in Belgrade, referring to the four-month-long period of deliberation before the new government was finally formed on October 28.

The Third Energy Package and its solutions directed towards the enhancement of competition in and the development of electricity and natural gas markets became part of Serbian law by the adoption of the country’s Energy Law in 2014. The network codes that were adopted after the adoption of the Third Energy Package further contribute to competition and market development. The obligation of the Republic of Serbia to adopt these acts arises from the 2008 Agreement on Stabilization and Association with the EU and the 2006 Energy Community Treaty. Until these codes are implemented through amendments to the Serbian Energy Law, the principles, solutions, and tools contained within them can be implemented in the individual network codes of each transmission system operator via a public procedure set out by the Energy Law.

Genetic testing of biological materials reveals unique information about the physiology and health of a natural person. DNA determines to a large degree what a person will be like. The GDPR says that consent must be obtained from people who will be subjected to genetic research and/or genetic testing for health reasons.

Jankovic Popovic Mitic has helped chemical company BASF implement GDPR best practices in Serbia.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia has adopted a new Decree on the conditions and criteria for compliance of state aid through a recapitalization of market participants, to eliminate disturbances in the economy caused by the epidemic of COVID-19 on 23 October 2020.

The First Primary Court in Belgrade recently rendered the first ruling obliging the tour operator to refund the client the travel costs to traveling abroad canceled due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic.

Intersport has appointed JPM Partner Ivan Milosevic the company's Data Protection Officer in Serbia.

Serbian Business Registers Agency has established, the Register of healthcare institutions - an electronic, central, public database on registered healthcare institutions that perform healthcare activities.

Government adopts new minimum labour price of RSD 32,126.

JPM has established a Criminal Law and Criminal Compliance team.

Jankovic Popovic Mitic has helped sporting good retailer Intersport S Trgovina doo comply with the Serbian Data Protection Act.

Jankovic Popovic Mitic has advised French multinational company C.D Holding Internationale SAS on its EUR 5 million acquisition of an additional stake in Emergo Sport d.o.o., the Serbian subsidiary of Fitpass Limited. Fitpass was advised by Bojovic, Draskovic, Popovic, and Partners. 

Clifford Chance Badea has advised the Kingspan Group, a company specialized in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, on the acquisition of TeraSteel SA, TeraSteel DOO Serbia, and Wetterbest SA. Schoenherr advised TeraPlast on the deal.

The Rulebook on Preventive Measures for Safe and Healthy Work to Prevent the Occurrence and Spread of the Infectious Disease Epidemic (“the Rulebook”) has been adopted and it will enter into force on July 11th 2020.

Serbian Chamber of Commerce has announced that the working group for drafting a proposal for legal framework to govern blockchain technology and trading with cryptocurrencies has been established.