Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Act) entered into force on 11 January 2024, and it will become applicable in September 2025. Entrepreneurs therefore still have 19 months to prepare for the changes. What changes does the new EU regulation provide for?

On February 21, 2024, Sobczynscy i Partnerzy announced that Chefs Culinar's acquisition of a majority stake in Ladros (reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 23, 2023) had been finalized the previous day.

CMS has advised a SINO-CEEF group company on the acquisition of 25 operational photovoltaic power plants in Poland from the Alternus Energy Group. Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak reportedly advised the seller.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised the shareholders of CloudFerro on the sale of a minority stake in the company to Innova Capital. Allen & Overy advised Innova Capital.

SSK&W has advised Open Innovation by YouNick Mint and its co-investors on their investment in nCage Therapeutics. Krzysztof Rozko i Wspolnicy reportedly advised nCage Therapeutics.

LSW Bienkowski Laskowski Lesnodorski Melzacki, working with Simmons & Simmons, has advised Infranity on its investment into Vantage EMEA.

Gessel has advised the partners and founders of the Profit4You Group on the sale of the company to the TEP Capital fund. Noerr advised the TEP Capital private equity fund.

CK Legal Chabasiewicz Kowalska has advised NewConnect-listed Telemedycyna Polska on its public offering of Series E shares and their registration in the National Depository for Securities. 

SSK&W has advised founder Katarzyna Marczuk on Aleet's financing round with CofounderZone, FundingBox, and various business angels. MFW Fialek advised CofounderZone.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised PUK Empol on its project to construct a Gorlice facility to process the combustible fractions obtained from waste treatment for the production of energy.

Gessel has advised Anwim on the necessary competition clearance for its acquisition of three petrol stations – in Chorzow, Radzionkow, and Tarnowskie Gory – from Elbah II.

DLA Piper advised diagnostic imaging and oncological treatment network Affidea on its acquisition of the Medisport Medical Center in Lublin. Gessel advised MediSport majority shareholder Adam Lewczyk on the sale.

DWF has advised the Avallon MBO fund on the full sale of Marketplanet to the Byggfakta Group. Schoenherr advised Byggfakta on the acquisition.

In the recent years, the Polish retail properties market went through a difficult period. The coronavirus pandemic and the related social restrictions had a major impact on the financial results of shopping malls. In addition to that, the changing consumer behaviors contributed to a massive increase in online sales. However, the years 2022 and 2023 brought a gradual improvement of the situation on the retail market and, consequently, of the overall climate for investing in real property. Furthermore, alternatives to large shopping malls, i.e. smaller retail parks, have been enjoying growing popularity on the market for several years now; these are often located closer to residential areas and in smaller cities. This sector has been growing dynamically in terms of both volume and the share in the entire retail market in Poland.

Linklaters has advised the EBRD on its EUR 75 million investment in Poland's R.Power alongside the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund. Slaughter and May and CMS's Luxembourg office reportedly advised 3SIIF.

For many years it has been clear for Polish entrepreneurs that there is no simple legal answer to their strong need to secure their family assets, and above all their family businesses, for future succession. Due to the lack of appropriate instruments in the Polish legal system, many national entrepreneurs were forced to use the legal institutions of other jurisdictions. This solution was highly uncomfortable because of the differences in legal regimes and foreign legal requirements that did not entirely meet the needs of domestic entrepreneurs.

CK Legal Chabasiewicz Kowalska has advised Omni Running on its partnership with an external individual investor. The Rapala law firm advised the investor.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised mBank on financing the construction of a 98-megawatt photovoltaic portfolio sponsored by Sunly. CMS advised Sunly.