Serbia’s banking sector faces another year of challenges. Global inflation in 2023, compared to the last quarter of 2022, records a slight slowdown, but one thing is indisputable – the main challenge in 2023, and not only in the banking sector, is the war in Ukraine.
North Macedonia: Conversion of Third-Party Loans into Share Capital Contributions in Trade Companies
Before the introduction of the latest amendments to the Company Law of the Republic of North Macedonia (Company Law) on April 29, 2022, it stipulated that only loans provided by sole shareholders to their companies may be converted into share capital. The practice of conversion overseen by the Central Registry of North Macedonia (CRM) was strict. For example, loans taken over by the shareholder from the companies of the same group were considered ineligible for conversion.
Bulgaria: Financing Alternatives Beyond Traditional Bank Funding
Although companies’ financing in Bulgaria remains primarily bank-based, a transformation towards the growing importance of alternative financing has been observed in recent years.
Ukraine: Banking and Financial Services Industry Developments
Notwithstanding the ongoing war, the Ukrainian banking and financial services industry continues to operate without interruptions and shows great resilience and stability. Ukrainian legislation continues to develop at the same time, bringing the standards of banking and financial services closer to the EU requirements.
Austria: New Investment Firm Act – The End of Mixing Apples and Oranges?
Investment firms, which operate in financial markets and provide investment services to third parties, were subject to the same organizational regulations as credit institutions, despite their different business and risk profiles. Their activities are regulated by MiFID II, which was transposed by the Austrian Securities Supervision Act 2018.
Croatia: Resilience Facing the Banking Crisis – The EU Credit Institution Recovery and Resolution Framework’s Role
In today’s global economy, credit institutions play a critical role in providing financial services to individuals, businesses, and governments. However, the failure of a credit institution may result in far-reaching consequences, as we have recently seen with banking crises in Switzerland, the US, and, potentially, Europe.
Slovenia: Are ESG Financings and Alternative Sources of Lending the Answer to Increasing Borrowing Costs and Strict Banking Rules?
In the context of the ESG framework, under the planned allocation within the EU, Slovenia should (according to the EIB) allocate EUR 520 million per year to renewable energy sources and their efficient use, and EUR 780 million per year if we add transport, waste, and water to the equation.