Latest News By Practice
The Commission for Protection of the Competition of North Macedonia (CPC) has significantly intensified its enforcement activities in the food retail sector, signalling a stricter regulatory approach toward potential anti-competitive behaviour.
Asters has advised the International Finance Corporation on the restructuring of a USD 120 million loan facility provided to Nibulon. Baker Botts reportedly advised Nibulon.
Walless has advised Scandi Standard on its EUR 18 million acquisition of six chicken farms in Lithuania.
Ellex has advised Finterest Eesti on obtaining a credit intermediary license from the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority.
CMS has advised Shell Exploration and Production 96 on winning the tender and concluding the prospecting and exploration agreement for Block 1-26 Han Tervel offshore Bulgaria.
CMS has advised Nikan Agro on the licensing process before the Bulgarian Energy and Water Regulatory Commission for its 50-megawatt Blatska photovoltaic project.
Dentons has advised a consortium of Romanian banks, including Alpha Bank Romania, Banca Comerciala Romana, BRD - Groupe Societe Generale, and Raiffeisen Bank Romania, on the issuance and private placement of municipal bonds by the Bucharest Municipality.
BPV Huegel has advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermoegensverwaltung eGen and its acquisition holding on the financing and completion of the purchase of approximately 47.53% of RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG shares from BayWa AG for EUR 176 million. Schoenherr advised RBI as the financing bank. FPS Fritze Wicke Seeling reportedly advised RWA eGen as well. Jones Day's Munich office reportedly advised BayWa AG.
Dentons and its Turkish affiliate BASEAK have advised Ceyhan Terminal Hizmetleri on the construction, development, and financing of a greenfield terminal in Ceyhan, Turkiye, with financing provided by ING Bank, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, and Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi. Clifford Chance and its Turkish affiliate CE Partners reportedly advised the banks.
Akol Law has advised Haver Farma and Hedef Varlik Kiralama on the issuance of a sukuk lease certificate structured on the basis of a management agreement.
Papapolitis & Papapolitis has advised Qualco Group and its majority shareholder Wokalon Finances Limited on the successful initial public offering and listing of Qualco's shares on the regulated market of the Athens Exchange. Bernitsas and, reportedly, Latham & Watkins advised the banks.
Walless has advised joint lead managers Citigroup Global Markets Europe, ING Bank, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken on Akropolis Group’s EUR 350 million green bond offering. TGS Baltic advised Akropolis Group.
Jelena Obradovic has joined Bojanovic & Partners as a Partner and will lead the firm's Competition and Corporate & Commercial departments. Joining alongside Obradovic are Senior Associate Andrea Fluture and Associate Milica Mijatovic.
As part of its latest promotions round, Dentons has elevated Karolina Cotronei, Ali Can Goren, Baris Yuksel, and Kamran Pirani to Partner.
Integrites has represented Elba Basincli Dokum and its trading arm Eleks Dis in the Ukrainian antidumping investigation into imports of radiators for heating originating from Turkiye and the People’s Republic of China.
For years, the European Union has been taking measures related to the decarbonization of industry, i.e. the reduction and, in the long term, elimination of CO2 emissions. Examples include the EU Emissions Trading System, which has been in place since 2005, or the regulations on industrial emissions of 2010.
In line with relevant European legislation, from 28 June 2025, new accessibility provisions will apply in Hungary to certain products and services, affecting a wide range of companies.
Carbon Footprint Under Scrutiny: Can Banks Track the Environmental Impact of Their Clients' Payments
Given the growing emphasis on sustainability and responsible business practices, obligations in the field of ESG are becoming increasingly significant. The banking sector is emerging as one of the key players in this transformation, with evolving regulatory frameworks influencing its operations.
Jelena Obradovic has joined Bojanovic & Partners as a Partner and will lead the firm's Competition and Corporate & Commercial departments. Joining alongside Obradovic are Senior Associate Andrea Fluture and Associate Milica Mijatovic.
BPV Huegel has advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermoegensverwaltung eGen and its acquisition holding on the financing and completion of the purchase of approximately 47.53% of RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria AG shares from BayWa AG for EUR 176 million. Schoenherr advised RBI as the financing bank. FPS Fritze Wicke Seeling reportedly advised RWA eGen as well. Jones Day's Munich office reportedly advised BayWa AG.
BPV Huegel has promoted Johannes Mitterecker to Partner.
Dentons and its Turkish affiliate BASEAK have advised Ceyhan Terminal Hizmetleri on the construction, development, and financing of a greenfield terminal in Ceyhan, Turkiye, with financing provided by ING Bank, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, and Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi. Clifford Chance and its Turkish affiliate CE Partners reportedly advised the banks.
Clifford Chance has advised Banca Comerciala Romana on the EUR 18.5 million financing agreement to support Alerion Clean Power's development of a 34.69-megawatt solar power plant in Calarasi County, Romania.
CMS has advised Aratiden on the development of a co-located battery storage project as well as on an EPC agreement with Optimal Energy Solutions JSC. Kirov and Bratuleva reportedly advised Optimal Energy Solutions JSC.
Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.
Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.
On April 22, 2024, Everlegal announced it had been appointed to provide legal support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – the UN Refugee Agency – for its activities in Ukraine.
Schoenherr has advised Alstom Transport as consortium lead in securing and finalizing a EUR 720 million tender for the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and Communications to supply 35 interregional electric trains along with 15 years of maintenance services.
Zepos & Yannopoulos has advised the Aktor Group of Companies on the acquisition of Aktor Concessions.
DLA Piper has promoted Andras Orban to Counsel and Head of Equity Capital Markets and Viktor Romsics to Counsel and Head of Infrastructure, Construction, and Transport.
JDP has advised Apleona Group on reorganization of its Polish companies.
Cobalt has advised Creditreform Latvija on a multi-stage reorganization.
E+H has advised Megatech Industries on its reorganization from financial distress and subsequent sale to Italian mobility supplier Sapa. Wolf Theiss, working with Gianni & Origoni, advised Sapa.
Vukmir and Associates has advised Maslinica Hotels & Resort in the negotiations with the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, culminating in the signing of an annex to the company’s Collective Agreement.
On 2 May 2025, the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Labor Code of Ukraine on Improving Legal Regulation of Certain Issues of Home-Based and Remote Work" dated 27 March 2025 No.4339-IX ("Law") entered into force.
The latest amendment to the Labour Code, the so-called Flexinovela, which will be effective from 1 June 2025, introduces a number of changes that need to be reflected in employment documentation. We focus on the following key areas where we recommend making adjustments:
Schoenherr has advised healthcare provider Mavie Next and its shareholder Mavie Holding, both part of the UNIQA Group, on Raiffeisen-Holding Niederosterreich-Wien’s planned investment of around EUR 100 million in Mavie Next. Dorda and BPV Huegel advised Raiffeisen-Holding NO-Wien. Heuking Kuehn Lueer Wojtek and Wardynski & Partners reportedly advised Raiffeisen-Holding NO-Wien as well.
SSW has advised United Clinics on its acquisition of Tarabula and Bellodent dental clinics. MKS Partners advised the family foundations that sold the clinics.
Schoenherr has advised mBank on a financing package for NU-MED.
Peter Plachy has joined CMS as Counsel and Head of Dispute Resolution in its office in Bratislava.
The institute of settlement, within the scope of misdemeanors, was introduced into Macedonian legislation by the Misdemeanor Act in 2019. In the context of overburdened courts, all mechanisms that facilitate judicial processes are more than welcome.
Simona Neagu and Stefan Dinu have established the Neagu Dinu Partners litigation and arbitration boutique in Bucharest.
Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Panattoni on the development of a major BTO distribution center for Media Expert in Lodz, Poland. Causa Finita Szczepanek i Wspolnicy reportedly advised Media Expert.
Romania’s logistics and transportation sector is entering a new era. With the recent regulatory approval of DSV’s acquisition of DB Schenker, the industry is witnessing the most significant consolidation move in over a decade. The deal directly reshapes how logistics providers in Romania position themselves, scale their operations, and recalibrate strategic priorities.
Cerha Hempel has advised Flughafen Wien on a joint venture with international logistics company Bradford Airport Logistics to establish Vienna Airport Logistics GmbH. Sidley Austin and Schoenherr advised Bradford Airport Logistics.
Pohla & Hallmagi, working with Wikborg Rein, has advised Marine Energy Solutions on its acquisition of the PRIME oil tanker. Reed Smith reportedly advised the unidentified sellers.
Kyriakides Georgopoulos announced that the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund's sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 11, 2024) closed on September 18, 2024.
PeliPartners has advised Bogdan Idu and his group companies on the sale of an LPG maritime terminal in Romania to Nawaf Salameh Family Office Group.
Kutadgu & Arsi has advised WearTechClub on its seed investment from ARI Teknokent Proje Gelistirme Planlama, Koluman Otomotiv Endustri, Matriks Finansal Teknolojiler, and angel investor Ozlem Basyazici.
Kocian, Solc, Balastik has advised Seyfor on its acquisition of the remaining stake in Dotykacka CR from Redwood Capital. Kaiser reportedly advised Redwood Capital.
Kinstellar has advised Polon-Alfa on its recent financing from P Capital Partners. Clifford Chance advised P Capital Partners. Baker McKenzie reportedly advised Polon-Alfa as well.
Sayenko Kharenko has provided pro bono support for a cultural initiative that aims to set war-time poems, written by Ukrainian defenders, to music.
Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.
Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.
Former Filip & Company Counsel Ioana Grigoriu has joined KPMG Legal Romania as its new Co-Head of the Real Estate Practice.
Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Panattoni on the development of a major BTO distribution center for Media Expert in Lodz, Poland. Causa Finita Szczepanek i Wspolnicy reportedly advised Media Expert.
Dentons has advised Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen and PBB Deutsche Pfandbriefbank on the five-year extension of a EUR 100 million financing facility originally granted in 2018 to Globalworth. Greenberg Traurig advised Globalworth.
As of 2025, the Hungarian Tax Authority (NAV) has established specialized transfer pricing expert departments, indicating an increased focus and scrutiny on transactions between affiliated companies. The three new departments are located in Budapest and in the eastern and western parts of Hungary (one in each region) and have special competence regarding the complex transaction between affiliated parties within Hungary or cross-border alike.
With the rise of digital platforms and the possibilities that the internet provides for businesses, more and more sellers are able to offer goods and services via these platforms and the internet. In this context, it has been difficult for the Ukrainian tax authorities to trace the flow of goods and services as well as to identify sellers to ensure that these goods and services are duly taxed.
Camiel van der Meij has joined Drzewiecki Tomaszek & Partners as a Partner.
Widen, working with Mason Hayes & Curran, has advised Stp.One on its acquisition of Amberlo. Noor advised the selling shareholders of Amberlo.
Kocian, Solc, Balastik has advised Seyfor on its acquisition of the remaining stake in Dotykacka CR from Redwood Capital. Kaiser reportedly advised Redwood Capital.
Clifford Chance has advised Trendyol on the sale of an 85% controlling stake in its on-demand delivery arm, Trendyol Go, to Uber for USD 700 million.
Galya Gugusheva has joined Gugushev & Partners as a Senior Partner.
CEE Legal Matters is proud to introduce the latest in our Comparative Guides series. This one focuses on Bribery & Corruption in CEE.
