Brandl Talos, working with Sheridans, has advised Ring International Holding AG on its agreement with PLK Europe GmbH, an affiliate of Restaurant Brands International Inc., to become the UK master franchisee of Popeyes with exclusive rights to the brand in the United Kingdom. Greenberg Traurig's London office advised RBI on the deal.

The European Union is committed to the fight against climate change ("European Green Deal"). One of the pillars in this fight is the expansion of renewable energy sources. According to the current goals, the share of renewable energy sources within the Union should increase to 32% by 2030. In practice, however, the expansion of renewable energy is increasingly being slowed down by the interpretation of EU nature conservation regulations by the European Court of Justice ("ECJ"). Also, the latest decision of the ECJ is no "boost" for renewables. 

Schoenherr has advised joint lead managers Barclays Bank Ireland Plc, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, DZ Bank AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank, Frankfurt am Main, Erste Group Bank AG, and Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the successful issue of EUR 500 million 0.875 % senior non-preferred eligible notes 2021-2026 by Volksbank Wien AG. Wolf Theiss advised Volksbank Wien on the issuance. 

Act Legal WMWP has advised Viennese real estate start-up Wowflow on a EUR 300,000 financing round.

Schoenherr has helped Viennese crypto-currencies retail broker Bitpanda obtain a EUR 143 million Series B investment from Valar Ventures and DST Global. Taylor Wessing advised Valar Ventures on the deal.

Schoenherr has advised the Liechtenstein Group on an unspecified investment in PV-Invest, a renewable energy company active in Austria and Southern and Southeastern Europe.

For our Checking In feature, we reach out to partners and heads of practice across CEE to learn how specific practice areas are faring in their jurisdictions. This time around we asked Data Protection experts: Overall, how compliant would you say economic agents are with relevant local regulations on data protection, and what are the main gaps that have yet to be addressed?

With the Act Legal alliance announcing an integrated brand (reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 18, 2021), we spoke with Martin Randa, Managing Partner, Act Legal Czech Republic, Marek Wojnar, Managing Partner, Act Legal Poland, Stefan Botezatu, Managing Partner, Act Legal Romania, and Roman Hager, Partner, Act Legal Austria, to learn more about what the integration of the brand means for the alliance and what its plans are for the future.

Brandl Talos has advised the Sportradar Group on its acquisition of UK-based personalized messaging platform operator Fresh Eight. Sheridans reportedly also advised Sportradar and Shoosmiths reportedly advised the seller.

Baker McKenzie has advised EP Power Europe, a.s., a subsidiary of the Czech energy supply company Energeticky a Prumyslovy holding, a.s., on the acquisition of the STEAG Power Minerals Group. 

The Act Legal alliance has announced that all of its offices are being integrated under a new common brand.

Daniel Reiter and Nicolas Wolski have been promoted to Partner at BPV Huegel in Austria. Both lawyers work in the firm's Moedling office.

Longtime Dorda lawyers Magdalena Brandstetter, Stephan Steinhofer, and Nino Tlapak have been promoted to Partner.

Schoenherr has advised joint lead managers DekaBank, DZ Bank, Erste Group, Raiffeisen Bank International, and UniCredit on the successful issue of covered notes by Raiffeisenlandesbank Vorarlberg Waren-und Revisionsverband registrierte Genossenschaft mit beschrankter Haftung. Wolf Theiss advised Raiffeisenlandesbank Vorarlberg on the issue.

Cerha Hempel has advised payment and transaction services provider Worldline and its Luxembourg-based subsidiary, Six Payment Services, on the contribution of its merchant services business in Austria to PayOne, a joint venture of the Ingenico Group and Deutscher Sparkassen. Linklaters reportedly advised Worldline in Germany and Luxembourg and Hogan Lovells reportedly advised Deutsche Sparkassen and PayOne.

Brandl Talos has advised Btov Partners on its EUR 1 million investment in Vienna-based startup Visplore. Herbst Kinsky advised Visplore on the deal.

Former Zeiler Floyd Zadkovich Partner Markus Schifferl has returned to BPV Huegel as Co-Head of Dispute Resolution.

Wolf Theiss has advised the owners of the Janus Group, Vienna-based provider of cleaning services in the hospital sector, on the sale of the company to Germany’s Dussmann Group. Binder Groesswang advised the buyer on the deal.