Last week two key regulatory changes took place that will have important implications for future development of the Croatian renewable energy market.

Schoenherr Hungary’s Head of Real Estate Laszlo Krupl interviews HB Reavis Country Legal Director Viktor Fonth.

In case you are wondering whether you are allowed to send that bottle of wine to your favourite client or donate to a charity, read below.

As of 1 October 2022, Romanian consumers will have to pay a mandatory deposit of RON 0.50 (approx. ten Euro cents) for each bottled beverage they buy. Part of the recently introduced deposit-return system ("DRS"), this amount will be added to the shelf price of the respective beverage and will be distinctly marked on receipts. This legislative novelty has been introduced by Government Decision No. 1074/2021 on the establishment of a deposit-return system on single-use packaging ("GD 1074/2021").

The world is undergoing a digital transformation. Whether at work, play or socialising, it is hard to imagine even a day without the Internet. Recent challenges (eg, the covid-19 pandemic) have further accelerated digitalisation. The world is far from the end of this process. Many businesses, and countries, are increasingly focusing on the digital transformation. Recent examples include cloud computing, cryptocurrency or the "metaverse" which was recently announced by Mark Zuckerberg.

Through its 11 November 2021 law ("Law 174/2021"), the Moldovan Parliament approved the rules on control of investments into sectors important for the security of the state. Law 174/2021 applies equally to local and foreign investors and entered into force on 19 November 2021.

Schoenherr has advised Sanofi on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Origimm Biotechnology GmbH. Binder Groesswang and, reportedly, Squire Patton Boggs’ Frankfurt office advised the sellers on the deal.

House searches have been all over the news in Austria recently. In case you have been wondering what happens to your phone, laptop and tablet when the prosecutor comes knocking – read below.

Distribution agreements, also termed vertical agreements, are currently subject to a block exemption regime (the VBER) from the general antitrust prohibition. The VBER is due to expire on May 31, 2022. In this context, the European Commission has engaged in extensive public consultations and has already published a proposed new regime, the revised VBER and Vertical Guidelines, scheduled to enter into force on June 1, 2022. These are, in our view, the four key topics that suppliers should be aware of when preparing for the revised regime:

This year marks Schoenherr Romania’s 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, CEE Legal Matters spoke with Schoenherr’s Romanian office Managing Partner Sebastian Gutiu as well as with Michael Lagler, the firm’s Managing Partner, and Partner Christoph Lindinger, who established the Romanian office and was the main driver behind Schoenherr’s expansion into Central and Eastern Europe.

Schoenherr has advised Slate Asset Management on the acquisition of a portfolio of real estate assets in Austria and Slovakia for approximately EUR 90 million.

Schoenherr has advised the Liechtenstein Group as lead investor in a EUR 40 million financing round for Tesvolt.

Schoenherr has advised Romanian FMCG distributor Aquila on the successful completion of its initial public offering and sale of 66.6 million new shares, for a total sum of approximately EUR 74 million.

Schoenherr has advised S-Immo on its acquisition of the BudaPart Gate office building from Market Asset Management. HP Legal Hajdu & Partners advised the seller.

Schoenherr has advised European Rail Rent on its partnership with new co-shareholder Antin Infrastructure Partners. Bird & Bird advised ERR in Germany, while Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Antin on the deal.

Croatian Parliament recently adopted the final draft of the new Electronic Media Act (the Act), which entered into force on 22 October 2021.

On 2 November 2021 the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) published its long-awaited amended Online Identification Regulation (Online-Identifikationsverordnung, "Online-IDV"). The FMA herewith enables financial service providers subject to the KYC obligations of the Financial Market Anti-Money Laundering Law (Finanzmarkt-Geldwäschegesetz; "FM-GwG") to use purely biometrical processes for remote identification of new customers. Biometrical identification processes are all procedures for online customer identification where the entire or parts of the online identification are carried out by an automated electronic procedure without the involvement of employees – there is no need for personal contact in the whole remote identification process anymore.

Schoenherr has announced the appointments of Austria-based Miriam Simsa, Bulgaria-based Alexandra Doytchinova and Czech Republic-based Vladimir Cizek to Equity Partners. The firm also promoted Austria-based Dominik Hofmarcher and Slovakia-based Sona Hekelova to Partners.