Herbst Kinsky has advised Star Capital Partners on obtaining a majority shareholding in the Myflexbox Austria corporate start-up – a spin-off from Salzburg AG fur Energie, Verkehr, und Telekommunikation – in the course of a capital increase. 

A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of… the Unitary Patent. With Germany having deposited its ratification document on 17 February 2023, this spectre is finally coming to life: the European Patent with Unitary Effect ("Unitary Patent") and the Unified Patent Court ("UPC") system will enter their preparatory phase. The actual launch date (the date as of which Unitary Patents will be in effect and actions can be filed with the UPC) is set for 1 June 2023.

2022 was a busy year marked by the late effects of the covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The latter has led to the rethinking of energy matters. Austrian legislation in 2022 was, therefore, characterised above all by new developments and amendments in energy law, with a focus on the expansion of renewable energy. This article is part of a series on developments in Austrian environment and climate change law in 2022 and, in particular, focuses on legislative developments.

Schoenherr, working with Raue, has advised Allmyhomes on establishing a joint venture with a consortium of Austrian real estate experts operating as Allmyhomes Venture Partner AT. Frimmel Anetter Schaal reportedly advised the consortium.

Taylor Wessing has advised the Amedes Group on its acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in ArchimedLife from VLSI Holding. KPMG Law advised the seller.

Wolf Theiss has advised the JP Hospitality Investors Club and the JP Immobilien Group on two hotel development and lease agreements for projects in Kitzbuehel and Trieste. DSC Doralt Seist Csoklich and Graf von Westphalen reportedly advised the two hotel operators.

On February 13, 2023, E+H announced that Airports Group Europe's increase of stake in the Vienna Airport through a voluntary public offer (reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 16, 2022) had closed.

Binder Groesswang, working with Davis Polk & Wardwell, has advised Lone Star on the American Chapter 11 restructuring of GTT Communications.

CMS Partner Daniela Karollus-Bruner has been elected to the Board of the Vienna International Arbitral Center of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.

Wolf Theiss has advised Austrian state holding company OeBAG on the extension of its partnership with America Movil concerning Telekom Austria. Schoenherr reportedly advised Telekom Austria.

Wolf Theiss, working with Clifford Chance, has advised private equity investor Altor – on behalf of Altor Funds – on the acquisition of an 80% majority stake in Kommunalkredit Austria and entering into a partnership with the existing owners and the management of the bank.

Baker McKenzie, Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, and Marek Partners have advised the Migros Group and its start-up incubator Sparrow Ventures on their investment in Revendo. Baer & Karrer advised Revendo's founders.

The ascendant popularity of ESG across business sectors has also empowered the rise of its evil twin: greenwashing. To look at the interplay between the two and their implications for the pharma industry in CEE, we sat down with CMS Partners Gabriela Staber and Tomas Matejovsky. 

Waste transports with a total quantity of more than 10 tonnes must be carried out by rail or other means of transport with equivalent or lower pollutant or greenhouse gas potential (e.g. propulsion by means of fuel cell or electric motor). The decisive factor is the transport distance covered in Austria, which will gradually decrease. From 1 January 2023, this obligation applies to a transport distance of 300 km or more; from 1 January 2024, the distance will be only 200 km.

Green energy and ESG will be a significant focus in the coming year in Austria, with a slight upward trend expected in restructuring, alternative finance, and regulatory work, according to Wolf Theiss Banking & Finance Partner Andrea Gritsch.

Klara Kiehl, Clemens Rainer, Sascha Schulz, and Marco Thorbauer have been appointed as Schoenherr Partners in Austria, while Serbia's Jelena Arsic, Jovan Barovic, and Dusan Obradovic, Bulgaria's Tsvetan Krumov, and Hungary's Laszlo Krupl have all been appointed as Local Partners with the firm.

Christopher Peitsch, Jakob Hartig, and Christoph Reiter have been promoted to Partners at Cerha Hempel in Austria.

Schoenherr has advised Gropyus on its EUR 100 million Series B financing round led by Vonovia. Cerha Hempel advised Vonovia.