Schoenherr Strengthens Real Estate Team in Warsaw

Former Linklaters Managing Associate Marta Bijak-Haiduk has joined Schoenherr in Warsaw, where she will take over management of the firm's Real Estate practice.

D’Ornano Partners Advises Groupama Group on Acquisition of Express Life Bulgaria

D’Ornano Partners has advised the Groupama Group on its acquisition of Express Life Bulgaria IJSC, a member of the OTP Group. Schoenherr advised the OTP Group on the deal.

Worried about COVID-19? During the outbreak, it is challenging for patients to seek in-person medical care. Self-quarantine is an important tool in managing disease transmission, especially among patients who are vulnerable to the risk of infection. This is where telemedicine becomes essential to ensure that patients have access to medical care and to boost community support. In times of a global public health emergency like the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare systems should lean on remote medical check-ups, e-prescriptions and postal delivery of medicines in situations of quarantine and to tackle the further spread of the disease. Healthcare systems should expand beyond traditional healthcare tools and leverage existing telehealth tools to direct people to the proper level of healthcare for their medical needs (both to address their medical condition and to screen for COVID-19). Moreover, state administrations should make a historic effort to at least temporarily lift restrictions on telehealth usage (where such exist) to assist in the efforts to reduce patients' exposure to the virus and to ensure public health and safety.

Schoenherr and Hochedlinger Luschin Marenzi Kapsch Advise on Neuraxpharm's Acquisition of Easypharm

Schoenherr has advised Neuraxpharm, a portfolio company of Apax Partners, on the acquisition of Austrian consumer healthcare company Easypharm OTC GmbH. Hochedlinger Luschin Marenzi Kapsch advised the unidentified sellers on the deal, which closed on January 20, 2020.

Kinstellar Advises EBRD on First Financing in Bulgaria Under ESIF/EBRD Water Sector Financing Framework

Schoenherr has advised Austria's HS Timber Group and Blue Minds IF on their February 28, 2020 acquisition of Interfloat Corporation and GMB Glasmanufaktur Brandenburg GmbH. Closing, which remains contingent on regulatory approval, is expected in the first half of 2020.

After much rescheduling and protraction, the long-awaited new Trademark Act was finally adopted on 24 January 2020 and came into force a week later. The new law introduces a number of fundamental changes, eliminating certain shortcomings of the previous law, allowing for more efficient protection and further harmonisation of Serbia's legislation with EU law.

Hungarian hospitals are facing problems paying for drugs and medical devices. Many suppliers have claims worth millions of euros and are having difficulty enforcing them against either the hospitals or the Hungarian government.

Schoenherr Advises Fintur on Sale of Moldcell to CG Cell Technologies

Schoenherr has advised Fintur Holdings B.V. on its USD 31.5 million sale of its 100% holding of Moldcell S.A., to CG Cell Technologies DAC. Gladei & Partners advised CG Technologies.

On January 1, 2016, Poland revamped its legal framework related to the restructuring of financially distressed businesses with a brand-new Restructuring Law and significantly-amended Bankruptcy Law. The Polish restructuring (and broadly speaking insolvency) framework is now governed by two separate legal acts: the Restructuring Law, which deals with the financial restructuring of indebted companies and businesses, and the Bankruptcy Law, which focuses on the orderly liquidation of the assets of companies and businesses without feasible options to restructure their debts and continue their operations.

Schoenherr has advised Kommunalkredit Austria AG, the arranger and original lender, on Czech and Slovak acquisition financing provided to Enery Development for the acquisition of six 21 MW solar power plants in the Czech Republic and two 4 MW solar power plants in the Slovak Republic from Czech fund Green Horizon Renewables. CMS reportedly advised Enery and Badokh reportedly advised Green Horizon Renewables.

CEE is a highly-fragmented market. What sounds like a dull geographical statement actually highlights the main challenge of being a lawyer working in a regional CEE law firm.

The four-eyes principle is an effective way for companies to control management dealings. It is based on the idea that the company must be represented by two people acting jointly, usually two members of the statutory body.

Schoenherr, in cooperation with BonelliErede, advised Covivio on the acquisition of eight luxury hotels in Europe from Varde Partners, a global alternative investment firm, for EUR 573 million. Varde was reportedly advised by Italian firms Gianni Origoni Grippo Cappelli and Partners and Ludovici Piccone and Partners.

May you resell a book that you have previously purchased? Of course. However, from a copyright perspective the reasoning is not as easy as one might think, since purchasing a copyrighted work like a book means purchasing the paper but not the rights to the content, which is the intellectual property of the author.

Bulgaria is well-known for its roses, more precisely its oilseed roses (маслодайни рози). Oilseed roses are famously used to produce rose oil, which is one of the most expensive oils, commonly referred to as "liquid gold". Rose oil is used in the perfume industry, but the Bulgarian oilseed rose also has many other applications. The petals are used in jams, jellies, sweets and liqueurs. Products derived from processing the blossoms are used in cooking as flavouring, flavour enhancers and colouring agents. In addition to the oil, processing the oilseed rose blossom also produces rose water, which is used both in the perfumery and food industries.

Under Bulgarian anti-money laundering law, all obliged entities must adapt their internal rules in accordance with Article 101 of the Bulgarian Anti-Money Laundering Act ("AMLA") within six months following the publication of a national assessment of the risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing ("National Risk Assessment") on the website of the State Agency for National Security ("SANS").

The EU Council approved an amended version of the draft EU Directive on Class Actions at the end of November.

A new year has begun, and the build-up of tax responsibilities and pressure has peaked and is now close to the point of reset and restart. But what does 2020 hold in store for companies active in Romania in terms of anticipated tax changes? And how can they get ready for and adapt to such amendments?