In recent years, Croatian enterprises have increasingly embraced innovative ownership structures to retain and incentivize top talent. Initially spearheaded by the IT sector, this trend has expanded across industries, from established family businesses to emerging ventures. The rationale is straightforward: aligning employee interests with long-term corporate success through equity participation. 

If a bank fails to comply with its information obligations in consumer credit agreements, it may be deprived of its right to charge interest and other fees. This applies even if the severity of the violation and its consequences for the consumer varies from case to case.

The word “fiduciary” originates from the Latin language and in translation means trust or pledge and dates back to Roman law and denotes a contract that is created when one party, the fiduciary (fiducians), hands over to another party a fiduciary (fiduciarius) something for ownership, and the fiduciary undertakes to return the same thing to the ownership of the fiduciary after the expiration of a certain term or the fulfillment of a certain condition. The fiduciary transfer of ownership rights i.e. fiduciary (“Fiduciary”) was introduced as a legal institute into the Montenegrin legal system through the Law on Fiduciary Transfer of Rights (“Official Gazette RCG No 23/96”) and after that, it continued to live under the Law on Property Relations (“Official Gazette CG No 19/09”).

At the beginning of this year, the Court of International Commercial Arbitration of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CICA) has adopted a new set of arbitration rules (the New CICA Rules). The New CICA Rules govern arbitral proceedings starting with 1 January 2025, replacing the rules which were in force from 2018 (the Old CICA Rules).

As we near the conclusion of the first quarter of 2025, it is clear that the Greek corporate landscape and M&A market are undergoing significant changes influenced by a variety of economic, regulatory, and social factors. While the M&A sector experienced steady activity over the past two years, its overall momentum was relatively muted, primarily due to geopolitical tensions, social dynamics, and inflationary pressures. However, a much-anticipated increase in traction appears to be on the horizon, making a comprehensive understanding of the current trends and challenges within the market crucial to effectively navigate and track this evolving environment.

On January 24, 2025, the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, issued four landmark judgments. These are Decisions No 146, 147, 148, and 149/2025 of the Council of State in Plenary Session, published on January 24, 2025, and made available to the public on February 5, 2025. The decisions are expected to significantly impact the country’s real estate market.

The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters pose significant risks to financial markets worldwide. In Greece, a country prone to wildfires, earthquakes, and floods, these challenges are particularly pressing. The performance of Greek banks and financial institutions is often negatively impacted by natural disasters. As a result, they are increasingly focusing on integrating natural disaster risk management into their bond loan structures to enhance financial stability and ensure market resilience.

Austria’s financial sector is experiencing significant regulatory shifts. These changes are reshaping the landscape for both domestic and foreign entities operating in the Austrian market.

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles are becoming increasingly popular worldwide, including in Austria, with the drone global market to exceed USD 55 billion by 2030, reflecting their global importance. Drones can serve both as recreational gadgets and as professional tools for photographers, farmers, emergency responders, and other professionals. As with any new technology the benefits must be weighed against the risks.

European Commercial Courts are positioning themselves as alternatives to other national courts as they remain closely tied to domestic court systems.

Unfair trade practices refer to deceptive, unethical, or manipulative actions carried out by businesses, that violate consumer protection laws and harm the consumers. These practices contradict professional conduct and significantly distort the economic interests and decision-making of the average consumer, often targeting vulnerable groups.

Montenegro has enacted two new laws that significantly reform its investment fund sector.

Architecture is one of the fields that have a creative dimension, including a scientific side, as well as a cultural-artistic one, making the architect a real artist whose works are protected by intellectual property laws. Thus, Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) play a pivotal role, as they protect the unique creations and concepts of architects in a landscape that is often competitive and innovative.

According to the Hungarian government’s announcement, from October 2025, mothers with three children could also be exempt from personal income tax for the rest of their lives (this is already possible for mothers with at least four children since 2020), and the exemption would be phased in for mothers with two children.

Financing transactions often involve lenders taking security over the assets of a borrower’s group of companies. The typical security package in Bulgaria includes security over the borrower’s and other relevant group companies’ shares and the receivables deriving from such shares.

Did you know that corporate bonds in Moldova are unlocking a financial transformation, raising millions for businesses, and opening doors for investors? For years, Moldova’s capital markets have been characterized by limited activity, primarily consisting of equity securities and government bonds. The emergence of corporate bonds marks a significant turning point, signaling a transformation in the country`s financial ecosystem. Recent regulatory reforms and successful stories of bond issuances are redefining the market, creating new investment opportunities for market participants.

Cash pooling arrangements allowing companies to optimize their cash and better manage liquidity have been present as part of the financial product offered by banks to their clients for some time now.

The investment volume curve concerning Serbia’s capital markets and trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange is on a downward trajectory as of the end of the second round of mass privatizations and the start of the 2008-2009 economic crisis.