The Government of the Republic of Serbia recently adopted a Decree on Additional Requirements for Placing on the Market Products Containing Palm Oil, Palm Fat, or Other Vegetable Oils and Fats ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 47/2025), which entered into force on 7 June 2025 (“the Decree”).

Greenberg Traurig has represented Animex Foods and Agri Plus on the sale of part of their goose processing business to Cedrob.

The Commission for Protection of the Competition of North Macedonia (CPC) has significantly intensified its enforcement activities in the food retail sector, signalling a stricter regulatory approach toward potential anti-competitive behaviour.

Erdem & Erdem has advised Is Private Equity on the launch of Enlila.

Injac Attorneys has advised Build Your Dreams on its market entry into Serbia and Montenegro.

JPM Partners has advised MFI Flex Credit on obtaining a license to operate as a microcredit financial institution from the Central Bank of Montenegro.

Bernitsas has advised Attica Bank on the establishment of a EUR 1 billion medium-term note Program and the subsequent issuance of EUR 100 million additional tier 1 notes and EUR 150 million tier 2 subordinated notes.

Bernitsas has advised Morgan Stanley Europe and the other managers on the issuance and offering of EUR 500 million fixed-rate reset additional tier 1 perpetual contingent temporary write-down notes by Eurobank Ergasias Services and Holdings.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on its investment as a limited partner in the Eiffel Group. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling reportedly advised the Eiffel Group.

Bernitsas has advised Attica Bank on the establishment of a EUR 1 billion medium-term note Program and the subsequent issuance of EUR 100 million additional tier 1 notes and EUR 150 million tier 2 subordinated notes.

Bernitsas has advised Morgan Stanley Europe and the other managers on the issuance and offering of EUR 500 million fixed-rate reset additional tier 1 perpetual contingent temporary write-down notes by Eurobank Ergasias Services and Holdings.

DLA Piper has advised The Vita Group on the launch of a three-year, EUR 81.5 million trade receivables securitization program. External funding was provided by Santander Corporate and Investment Banking and Finacity Corporation, with retained funding from Vita entities.

DLA Piper's International Shrinkflation Guide provides a comprehensive overview of how different countries around the world are responding to the phenomenon of “shrinkflation” – the practice of consumer goods manufacturers reducing the size or quantity of their products while keeping prices unchanged.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

The integrity of on-site inspections remains a cornerstone of effective competition law enforcement. The Turkish Competition Authority (TCA)’s decision to impose a record-breaking fine on BIM Birlesik Magazalar A.S. (BIM), one of Turkiye’s largest retail chains, has drawn considerable attention from international businesses and the legal community.

Starting next year, the rules on corporate criminal liability in Hungary will undergo significant reforms aimed at making companies' participation in criminal proceedings more effective, predictable and proactive. Among the most notable innovations is the introduction of plea deals for companies, intended to enhance both accountability and cooperation between companies and criminal authorities.

On July 1, 2025, Act No. 168/2025 Coll. on the regulation of lobbying will come into effect, serving as the first comprehensive regulation introducing clear rules for influencing state decisions.

Effective 1 October 2025, amendments to the Law on the Centralised Records of Beneficial Owners (UBO) in Serbia will introduce important new obligations for a broader range of entities.

CK Legal Chabasiewicz Kowalska, working with NOMA Law, has advised Summa Linguae Technologies on its merger with Belgian subsidiary Datamundi. 

Former Herbst Kinsky Attorney at Law Carl Walderdorff has joined Mueller Partner as Equity Partner and the firm's new Head of Corporate and M&A.

Freshfields has advised RTL Deutschland on the acquisition of Sky Deutschland from US media group Comcast. Hengeler Mueller advised Comcast.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on its investment as a limited partner in the Eiffel Group. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling reportedly advised the Eiffel Group.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has successfully represented Silcotub in a dispute resulting in a final ruling from Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice requiring an energy supplier to recalculate the electricity price invoiced to Silcotub.

On 18 June 2025, the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NEURC) adopted a resolution amending the Licensing Conditions for Energy Storage (Resolution No. 882).

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.

On April 22, 2024, Everlegal announced it had been appointed to provide legal support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – the UN Refugee Agency – for its activities in Ukraine.

Lambadarios has advised the four systemic Greek banks Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Piraeus Bank, and the National Bank of Greece on the EUR 1.3 billion financing of the new Northern Road Axis of Crete. Marinos Petroulias advised the developer, GEK Terna.

Wardynski & Partners has advised ICEYE on the contract to supply a MicroSAR Satellite Earth Observation System to the Polish Armed Forces.

PPPs represent a long-term collaboration between the public and private sectors, enabling more efficient construction, maintenance, and management of infrastructure, with an optimal distribution of risks and financial obligations.

Pohla & Hallmagi has successfully represented Rein Valk and Luite Arendus OU before the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Estonia against Harju Infra OU in a case concerning limitation periods applicable to claims between companies and shareholders.

Mihaj, Ilic & Milanovic has promoted Jelena Papic and Bojan Jankovic to Partner.

Austria continues to experience a wave of significant insolvencies, stretching court resources and prompting comparisons to past recessions. Recent legal frameworks have introduced new possibilities for restructuring, though so far with limited uptake. Taylor Wessing Counsel & Head of Insolvency Andreas Howadt examines both the immediate pressures – rising liabilities, high-profile failures, and logistical strains – and the evolving legal environment looking ahead to 2025.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

A breach of labor obligations by an employee has been discovered in your company, the investigation and assessment have taken several weeks, and since immediate dismissal is risky, you have decided to proceed with dismissal for a serious breach of labor obligations. If this decision is made at the beginning of the month and no one is ready to agree on mutual termination, you won’t get rid of the employee any sooner than a timeframe of almost three months. Furthermore, if there are delays in the delivery of mail by the post office or the employee falls ill, it will take even longer.

The Polish Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy has prepared an amendment to the Labor Code, which in particular amends the existing provisions on mobbing. The new provisions are expected to enter into force in 2025. The aim of the amendment is to remove ambiguities in the current provisions, simplify procedures for pursuing claims, and increase the responsibility of employers for negative phenomena in the work environment, including mobbing.

Erdem & Erdem has advised Is Private Equity on the launch of Enlila.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) has recently issued a significant judgment in the case “Lindenapotheke” (C-21/23), taking a clear stance on the processing of special categories of personal data, namely health data, in the context of online medicine sales within the pharmaceutical industry. The ruling sheds light on how the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) applies to the data that users provide when ordering pharmacy-only medicinal products online, even those not subject to prescription, and provides clear guidance on the rights and obligations of data controllers.

Farmexim Head of Legal and Compliance Director Mihaela Scarlatescu discusses her 25-year legal journey, leading in-house strategy across pharma and retail, and balancing legal precision with business impact.

On 13 May 2025, the Hungarian Government submitted a bill to the Parliament on the amendment of several laws governing the justice system. The proposal could bring significant changes to civil litigation.

By 31 July 2025, all entities that were authorised to provide crypto-asset-related services (so-called VASPs) before 30 December 2024 must apply for authorisation as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the MiCA Regulation.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has successfully represented Silcotub in a dispute resulting in a final ruling from Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice requiring an energy supplier to recalculate the electricity price invoiced to Silcotub.

SRC has advised MLP Group on the lease of 24,000 square meters of warehouse space to Sarantis Poland within the MLP Pruszkow II logistics park near Warsaw.

SSW has advised Eika Asset Management on securing financing from Santander Bank Polska for the development of a logistics facility in Sochaczew, Poland. DLA Piper reportedly advised Santander Bank Polska.

CMS has advised REICO Long Lease on its acquisition of the LPP Distribution Center logistics facility in Bydgoszcz. Greenberg Traurig advised the unidentified sellers.

Pohla & Hallmagi, working with Wikborg Rein, has advised Marine Energy Solutions on its acquisition of the PRIME oil tanker. Reed Smith reportedly advised the unidentified sellers.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos announced that the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund's sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 11, 2024) closed on September 18, 2024.

PeliPartners has advised Bogdan Idu and his group companies on the sale of an LPG maritime terminal in Romania to Nawaf Salameh Family Office Group.

Sorainen has advised PurpleGreen Capital on the launch of a new alternative investment fund manager and the establishment of an alternative investment fund headquartered in Latvia, within the EU regulatory framework.

Walless has advised Traxlo on raising EUR 1.6 million in funding to support the expansion of its AI-driven, pay-per-task labor platform across Europe. Tegos reportedly advised Coinvest as the lead investor.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on its investment as a limited partner in the Eiffel Group. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling reportedly advised the Eiffel Group.

Pekin & Pekin has provided pro bono advice to Fenerbahce SK, Fenerium, Fenerbahce Futbol on its partnership with Adidas.

Sayenko Kharenko has provided pro bono support for a cultural initiative that aims to set war-time poems, written by Ukrainian defenders, to music. 

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

SRC has advised MLP Group on the lease of 24,000 square meters of warehouse space to Sarantis Poland within the MLP Pruszkow II logistics park near Warsaw.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Panattoni on a long-term lease agreement with Intermarche for a new distribution center located in Panattoni Park Sosnowiec IV, in the Silesia region of Poland.

Wolf Theiss has advised Winegg Realitaeten subsidiary CWR Realitaeten on the sale of Engerth 173-175 Entwicklungs, the property owner and lessor of the Voco Vienna Prater hotel, to Nowu Hospitality. Hasch und Partner reportedly advised Nowu Hospitality.

Ukrainian taxpayers operating within multinational enterprise groups (MNEs) with consolidated annual revenues exceeding EUR 750 million may, for the first time in 2025, be required to independently file Country-by-Country (CbC) reports. This applies in particular to companies that are part of MNEs with a U.S.-based ultimate parent entity.

With a new president taking office in May and a shifting fiscal landscape, Romania is navigating a period of political and legal recalibration, according to Bancila, Diaconu si Asociatii Partner Adriana Dobre.

The Hungarian Government’s Spring Tax Package adopted on 11 June 2025 introduced significant changes to tax legislation, aligning with international standards and strengthening domestic revenue strategies. The 91-page draft bill proposes multiple structural reforms to Hungary’s tax system. Several provisions previously regulated by Government decrees, such as the retail surtax and insurance tax, will now be incorporated directly into law. Additionally, new regulations are introduced and existing ones revised.

CK Legal Chabasiewicz Kowalska, working with NOMA Law, has advised Summa Linguae Technologies on its merger with Belgian subsidiary Datamundi. 

By 31 July 2025, all entities that were authorised to provide crypto-asset-related services (so-called VASPs) before 30 December 2024 must apply for authorisation as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under the MiCA Regulation.

Walless has advised Traxlo on raising EUR 1.6 million in funding to support the expansion of its AI-driven, pay-per-task labor platform across Europe. Tegos reportedly advised Coinvest as the lead investor.

Starting next year, the rules on corporate criminal liability in Hungary will undergo significant reforms aimed at making companies' participation in criminal proceedings more effective, predictable and proactive. Among the most notable innovations is the introduction of plea deals for companies, intended to enhance both accountability and cooperation between companies and criminal authorities.

Cobalt has promoted former Managing Associate Rauno Ligi to Partner.

Co-founded by Partners Adrian Georgescu and Ionut Gont, white collar boutique law firm Georgescu Gont has opened for business in Bucharest.