"Wrongful birth" claims seek compensation from healthcare facilities for the harm caused to parents of a child by depriving them of the opportunity to make an informed decision about whether to continue the pregnancy despite the high likelihood that the child will be seriously ill (usually as a result of improperly performed screening tests). While this type of legal procedure is well-known in the USA and the United Kingdom, instances of similar case law can already be found in EU countries, including, for example, France, whose legal system is similar to Czechia's. However, the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic dealt with such a claim for the very first time in May 2023.

On 29 June 2023, Deforestation-free Products Regulation ((EU) 2023/1115) entered into force with the aim of minimising the EU’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide. Combating deforestation and forest degradation constitutes an important part of the package of measures needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and global biodiversity loss.

Does your business produce computers or other electronic or electrical equipment? Maybe you make machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical devices or food? Do you have 50 or more employees? Then your company is likely to be subject to the new cybersecurity regulations. The same applies if your activities are in the chemical industry or you provide a variety of digital services – for instance cloud computing, data centre services or online marketplaces.

PRK Partners has advised the shareholders of Czech ticketing portal GoOut on its sale to the Piletilevi Group.

Deloitte Legal has advised Italian logistics company Savino Del Bene on its acquisition of stakes in two Czech and one Slovak logistics companies operating under the Advanced brand, and its entry into the Czech market.

CMS has advised the Czech consortium of Skoda Transportation and Skoda Vagonka on their successful participation in Metropoliten Sofia's BGN 134 million public procurement procedure for eight metro trains.

Clifford Chance has advised CTP on the financing for its industrial parks in Slovakia from a banking club including Erste Group Bank and Slovenska Sporitelna. White & Case reportedly advised the lenders.

Since the beginning of this year, the Personal Data Protection Office has issued fines of almost CZK 4,500,000 for breaches of the GDPR in connection with the processing of personal data via cookies.

Havel & Partners has successfully defended the Czech Republic-based OSA music professionals' association against abuse of dominance claims and a CZK 10.7 million fine imposed by the Czech Office for Competition Protection.

Havel & Partners has successfully represented GoDaddy in a case that saw the company sued by a businessman with connections to Russia who sought the removal of investigative internet articles as well as financial compensation.

Petr Syrovatko has joined PwC Legal Czech Republic as Associate Partner, together with Attorney at Law Jiri Brabec.

Schoenherr has advised Greiner Group member Neveon Holding on the sale of its automotive division consisting of Greiner Perfoam and its subsidiaries to Treves. Wolf Theiss advised Treves.

Although the deadline for transposing Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (the Whistleblowing Directive) into national law passed on 17 December 2021, the Czech Republic has been among those Member States struggling to adopt a corresponding act into local legislation. Nonetheless, after turbulent discussions and legislative proposals, the bill has finally been passed and came into force on 1 August 2023.

Havel & Partners has successfully represented Ceska Sporitelna in a dispute with the Financial Administration of the Czech Republic regarding the tax deductibility of a donation to an education foundation.

Weinhold Legal has advised Eureking on the acquisition of SCT Cell Manufacturing from PPF Biotech.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised REMA System in obtaining an authorization from the Ministry of the Environment to operate a collection system for all groups of electrical equipment, including solar panels.

Former Allen & Overy Counsel Petra Mysakova has joined the Prague office of CMS as a Partner and Head of the local Banking and Finance team.

Former RWS Language Services Legal Director Nada Matusikova has been appointed Co-Head of Legal at the RWS Group.