While the deal looked almost impossible at first, with European Commission officials hawkish about its competition implications, PKN Orlen’s acquisition of Grupa Lotos eventually came to pass. For the two Polish energy leviathans the path towards unification was not an easy one, but that goal became a lot nearer following the EC’s 2020 approval. To learn more about the merger and how it managed to beat the odds we spoke to SMM Legal Managing Partner Maciej Mataczynski and Rymarz Zdort Managing Partner Pawel Rymarz.

Entering into force on February 19, 2021, the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility aimed, according to the European Commission, “to mitigate the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient, and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.” CEE Legal Matters spoke with lawyers from Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, and Romania to learn what each country focused on, with its Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), and what difficulties lie ahead, now that these plans have been submitted to the EC.

Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr, working with Slaughter and May, has advised Schneider Electric on the disposal of its Eurotherm business unit to the Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company. Reportedly, Sullivan & Cromwell advised Watlow.

Baker McKenzie has advised Argo-Hytos Group owners Christian Kienzle and FSP Capcellence on selling a 79.5% stake in Argo-Hytos to the Voith Group.

Noerr has advised the Aurelius Group on its acquisition of dental distributors Dental Bauer and Pluradent. Binder Groesswang and Homburger reportedly advised Aurelius. Anwaltsgemeinschaft Stuttgart reportedly advised Dental Bauer, with Grub Brugger reportedly advising Pluradent.

On May 25, 2022, CEE Legal Matters reported that Balicki Czekanski Gryglewski Lewczuk had advised Symfonia on its acquisition of a majority stake in HRtec. CEE In-House Matters spoke with Wioletta Kaloska, General Counsel at Symfonia, to learn more about the acquisition.

Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr has advised the Avallon MBO Fund on its acquisition of a majority stake in Globema, together with the company's managers. Kondracki Celej advised Globema's shareholders.

Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak, working with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has advised Xior Student Housing on the Polish leg of its EUR 939 million acquisition of 5,341 residential units from the Basecamp Group and European Student Housing Funds I and II. Paul Hastings advised Basecamp. Denmark's Moalem Weitemeyer and Sweden's Vinge reportedly advised Xior as well, while Germany's FPS Fritze Wicke Seelig reportedly advised Basecamp.

Clifford Chance has advised a consortium of lenders including DNB Bank, PZU, and Santander Bank Polska on a facilities agreement with DIF Capital Partners-owned SPVs for the construction and operation of a 108-megawatt wind portfolio consisting of four wind farms. Allen & Overy reportedly advised the borrowers.

DLA Piper has advised the Avallon MBO Fund II and the Genesis Private Equity Fund III on their sale of Stangl Technik Holding to Spie Central Europe. Baker McKenzie advised the buyer.

Greenberg Traurig has advised ZE PAK Group company PAK-Polska Czysta Energia on the acquisition of the Great Wind project from Neo Investments company Neo Energy Group. Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr advised the seller.

Greenberg Traurig has advised HDI International and the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company on the acquisition of the remaining shares in Towarzystwo Ubezpieczen Europa from Getin Holding and the Getin Noble Bank. Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka reportedly advised the sellers.

Joanna Knozowska-Castens has joined Brainly in Poland as Legal Counsel.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised mBank on its financing for the construction of the 40-megawatt Pozarowo PV portfolio in Poland, sponsored by Afcon Renewable Energy. CMS advised Afcon.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna subsidiary PGE Energia Odnawialna on its recent renewable energy sector acquisition of three onshore wind farms in Poland with a total capacity of 84.2 megawatts – Scieki, Jozwin, and Radzyn.

Bank guarantees are one of the forms in which economic operators tendering for a public contract may provide, the so-called tender bonds. The new Public Procurement Law, in force since 1 January 2021, has not significantly changed the rules concerning the provision of tender bonds (including bank guarantees) compared to those based on former legislation.

Greenberg Traurig has advised Rentokil Initial's Polish subsidiary on its acquisition of Polish disinfection, disinsectization, and deratization services provider Vaco. Jonak i Partnerzy advised the sellers.

Greenberg Traurig has advised Invesco Real Estate on the sale of a logistics park in the vicinity of the Gdansk international airport to EQT Exeter.