The Croatian M&A market in 2024 is experiencing significant changes, largely driven by two key factors: the rise of sustainability and ESG considerations alongside a notable surge in energy-sector transactions. These trends reflect both global movements and Croatia’s commitment to the EU’s broader climate goals.

Currently, the Croatian AML Act (Official Gazette no. 108/2007, 39/2019, 151/2022) uses the term “virtual assets,” while the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) (EU Regulation 2023/1114), along with subsequent Implementing Act for MiCA (Official Gazette no. 85/2024) adopted by Croatian Parliament in July 2024), uses the term “crypto-assets.” Clearly governing the same, the terms used are similar, but slight nuances persist in definitions. Yet, inconsistency of legal terms should be avoided to prevent misinterpretation and confusion in legal applications.

Even though renewables have been very popular in Croatia for quite some time, the good old hydrocarbons are once again creating a significant buzz.

Historically, Poland’s Renewable Energy Sources (RES) sector has relied heavily on long-term project finance, with loan tenors of 15-18 years from project completion. In the current local financial landscape, high interest rates persist with WIBOR remaining elevated despite attempts at correction, and the cost of long-term interest rate swaps continuing to soar.

For years, Poland has held the unenviable position of leading the race in delays when implementing various EU laws, especially in the digital sector. This has resulted, and continues to result, in multimillion-euro fines that Poland is compelled to pay to the EU.

Employers often find themselves contemplating whether they should disclose the reasons for an employee’s termination to the entire workforce. While the motivations behind this consideration can be well-intentioned – such as educating remaining employees about unacceptable behaviors, promoting transparency, and preventing the spread of misinformation, there are legal implications to take into account.

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.

It is without a doubt that, like the economy in general, the legal market was also affected in recent years. Though the economy has been turbulent for a longer period than during the crisis that started in 2008, this time, the number of large disputes has remained constant. Despite the growing legal costs, high-value disputes rarely dropped due to costs. Smaller law firms, however, seem to have more problems when navigating in this economy – there are cases of closing businesses or consolidating to survive. 

Labor shortages have emerged as a pressing issue across CEE, prompting diverse responses from governments, businesses, and the public as they navigate the challenges of workforce gaps and economic sustainability.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. As sunny days recede, the fall conference season is upon us, so we asked: How do you determine which Partner attends which events?

Popescu & Asociatii Partner Loredana Popescu and Avellum Partner Maksym Maksymenko look at the current status of agribusiness in their countries – both traditional powerhouses in the sector – highlighting how they are managing to show resilience despite tough years.

Albania’s gambling industry has undergone significant transformations over the past decade, shifting from a thriving sector to one under stringent regulation. Lalaj & Partners Partner Sabina Lalaj explores the evolution of gambling in Albania, the impact of regulatory changes, its current status in the economy, and the future outlook of the industry.

Turkiye has recently witnessed a surge in initial public offerings. White & Case affiliate law firm GKC Partners’ Head of Capital Markets Practice Derin Altan and Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli Partner Hasan Yasar explore this phenomenon and what it means for the wider market conditions.

In September 2024, Turkiye applied for membership in the BRICS bloc of developing economies. ADMD Law Office Managing Partner Orhan Yavuz Mavioglu and Bicak Law Firm Founding Partner Vahit Bicak explore the key political, economic, and legal motivations behind Turkiye’s move.

An in-depth look at Emre Atayilmaz of AECO Law covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

On December 7, 2023, Austria saw a significant shift in its tax regulations with the suspension of key provisions in the double taxation agreement (DTA) with Russia.

As of December 14, 2022, the Tax Administration of the Republic of Serbia started passing temporary tax decisions imposing payment of individual income tax based on agreed remuneration for the copyright and related rights and agreed remuneration for performed work with contributions for mandatory social insurance. These decisions targeted both Serbian and foreign citizens who made a profit abroad and transferred it to bank accounts in the Republic of Serbia during 2017 and 2018. For the first time in the country’s tax practice, tax liability was assessed automatically by passing temporary tax decisions, without conducting tax proceedings.

One of the sectors contributing the most to the Hungarian GDP is tourism, with nearly 16 million guests spending more than 41 million overnight stays in Hungary in 2023. According to the data of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, foreign tourists spent 11,866,669 overnight stays in Hungary in 2023, of which 59.20% chose hotels, 32.36% stayed overnight in private and other accommodations, and 8.44% chose community accommodations.