In this article, we highlight the most relevant changes to Slovenia’s tax laws, from the perspective of corporate income tax, VAT, personal income tax and tax procedure that enter into force on 1 January 2025.
Strategy on Energy Development until 2040 with the Projection until 2050
The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in its session held on 27 November 2024 adopted a new Strategy on Energy Development until 2040 with the Projection until 2050 („Strategy“).
Restrictions on the Employment of Migrant Workers
Starting 1 January 2025, only citizens of Georgia and Armenia will be eligible for residence permits for the purpose of employment and guest worker residence permits. This marks a significant tightening of the previous rules, which allowed citizens of 10 countries to obtain guest worker residence permits and had no such restrictions for residence permits for the purpose of employment. Although these changes do not affect currently valid permits, the new rules will apply to all new permit issuances
North Macedonia Adopts Law on Global Minimum Corporate Income Tax
On 27 December 2024, the Parliament of North Macedonia adopted the new Law on Minimum Global Corporate Income Tax (“Law”).
Key Changes in Serbia’s New Environmental Assessment Laws
The Law on Environmental Impact Assessment ("Official Gazette of the RS," No. 94/2024) and the Law on Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment ("Official Gazette of the RS," No. 94/2024) entered into force on 6 December 2024.
Croatia Introduces Legislative Changes to Promote Gender Equality on Corporate Boards
With the amendments to the Companies Act (the “Act”), which entered into force on 5 December 2024, Croatia has implemented EU Directive (EU) 2022/2381 on gender balance on corporate boards of listed companies (the “Directive”). The so called “Women on Boards” Directive aims to ensure that at least 40% of non-executive board seats or 33% of all board seats for listed companies are occupied by the “underrepresented sex” by the end of June 2026.
Register of Damages for Ukraine Published Claim Forms and Rules for Additional Categories of Damages
On 23 December 2024, the Register of Damages for Ukraine caused by the aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine (the “Register”) published the forms and rules for submitting claims for compensation in newly opened categories of claims. This will allow individuals and legal entities, as well as the state of Ukraine, to start preparing the necessary documents in 30 out of the 45 planned categories.
Important Fiscal Changes in Romania Starting January 2025
On 30 December 2024, the Romanian government adopted Emergency Ordinance no. 156/2024 (“the GEO”) regulating a series of important fiscal changes that entered into force starting January 2025, as summarised below.
2025 Will Be Different Somewhat
Many M&A practitioners are optimistic and predict a better year, higher deal values and volumes.
Kosovo Introduces Law No. 08/L-265: A Significant Step for Beneficial Ownership Transparency
Kosovo has recently adopted Law No. 08/L-265 on the Register of Beneficial Owners, a key piece of legislation aimed at enhancing transparency and preventing financial crimes. Officially published on November 22, 2024, in the Official Gazette of Kosovo, this law not only addresses regulatory gaps but also lays the foundation for a transparent and trustworthy business environment in Kosovo, aligning it with the practices of European Union member states.
NBU Provides Further Relief for Ukrainian Corporate Issuers To Repay Eurobonds Obligations
With effect from 21 December 2024, the National Bank of Ukraine (“NBU”) introduced new exemptions from the moratorium on foreign currency cross-border transfers. Notably, these changes broaden the scope of existing exemption for Ukrainian corporate issuers permitting to make payments in connection with Eurobond-related obligations, described in our earlier legal alert.
Abuse of Sick Leave – (Im)possible Termination
Although abuse of the right to a leave of absence due to temporary impairment for work (sick leave abuse) is explicitly stated in the Labor Law as grounds for termination, in practice, terminating an employment contract on this basis is very difficult, even when abuse is obvious. Beyond the fact that the concept of sick leave abuse is not legally defined, employers face a host of formal and factual obstacles when attempting to determine abuse, resulting in losses for both employers and the state, which often bears the cost in cases of long-term sick leaves.
Ukraine: GPSR: Updated EU Product Safety Rules – Overhauled Requirements for the Ukrainian Products Heading to the EU Consumer
On 13 December 2024, the new "Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on General Product Safety" ("GPSR") came into force.
Whistleblowing – Romania’s Compliance with EU Directive 2019/1937
The implementation of EU Directive 2019/1937 has established Romania as part of a broader European trend toward increased transparency and accountability in business practices. For many Romanian companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, this shift has introduced a steep learning curve, but also significant opportunities.
New Cybersecurity Laws in Hungary
On December 20, 2024, Hungary has enacted two new cybersecurity laws, namely the Act No. LXIX of 2024 on Hungary's Cybersecurity ("2024 Cybersecurity Act"), which replaces the former national implementation of the NIS2 Directive, and the Act No. LXXXIV of 2024 on the Resilience of Critical Entities (“The Act on the Resilience of Critical Entities”), re-implementing Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities in Hungary.
Trends and the Future Role of Office Managers in the Legal Sector
Initially, the role of Office Managers in law firms was focused on administrative and organizational tasks, such as managing documentation, coordinating meetings, and ensuring the smooth operation of the office.
The National Bank of Ukraine Has Relaxed Some Foreign Currency Restrictions
On 21 December 2024, a new package of foreign currency (“FX”) easings came into effect. It is aimed at supporting domestic producers and improving the business environment in Ukraine. The amendments, introduced by Resolution No. 155 of the National Bank of Ukraine (the “NBU”) dated 20 December 2024 (“Resolution No. 155”), include the following measures:
Angel Investors Take Flight: New Tax Breaks and Golden Visa Opportunities Fuel Startup Growth in Greece
Law 5162/2024 (“New Law”), which aims to enhance business innovation and competitiveness through tax incentives for investments in start-ups, introduces significant changes in Law 4172/2013 (Income Tax Code) and Law 5038/2023 (Immigration Code) providing substantial benefits and opportunities to Angel Investors.