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.

Asters has advised the International Finance Corporation on the restructuring of a USD 120 million loan facility provided to Nibulon. Baker Botts reportedly advised Nibulon.

Walless has advised Scandi Standard on its EUR 18 million acquisition of six chicken farms in Lithuania.

Ellex has advised Finterest Eesti on obtaining a credit intermediary license from the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority.

CMS has advised Shell Exploration and Production 96 on winning the tender and concluding the prospecting and exploration agreement for Block 1-26 Han Tervel offshore Bulgaria.

CMS has advised Nikan Agro on the licensing process before the Bulgarian Energy and Water Regulatory Commission for its 50-megawatt Blatska photovoltaic project.

Kinstellar and Greenberg Traurig have advised CCC on its recent PLN 3.66 billion (approximately EUR 850 million) financing increase provided by a consortium including mBank, the EBRD, Bank Pekao, BNP Paribas Bank Polska, PKO Bank Polski, Santander Bank Polska, and Bank Handlowy w Warszawie, alongside Santander Factoring, mFaktoring, PKO Faktoring, and BNP Paribas Faktoring. Clifford Chance and Lakatos, Koves and Partners advised the banks.

Baker McKenzie and its Turkish affiliate Esin Attorney Partnership have advised Sunset Hospitality Group on a financing round led by Goldman Sachs.

Former Accenture Senior Legal Contract Manager Christopher Fischer has become the new Group Head of Legal at DenizBank.

DLA Piper has promoted Andras Orban to Counsel and Head of Equity Capital Markets and Viktor Romsics to Counsel and Head of Infrastructure, Construction, and Transport.

DLA Piper has advised UBM Development on the issuance of its first deeply subordinated green hybrid bond, raising EUR 65 million under UBM’s Green Finance Framework. Wolf Theiss advised Raiffeisen Bank International as sole structuring adviser, bookrunner, paying agent, and dealer manager for the buy-back offer.

Herbst Kinsky has advised Biogena on its EUR 10 million bond issuance.

As part of its latest promotions round, Dentons has elevated Karolina Cotronei, Ali Can Goren, Baris Yuksel, and Kamran Pirani to Partner.

Integrites has represented Elba Basincli Dokum and its trading arm Eleks Dis in the Ukrainian antidumping investigation into imports of radiators for heating originating from Turkiye and the People’s Republic of China.

Eversheds Sutherland has promoted former Counsel Michal Hrabovsky to Partner.

In line with relevant European legislation, from 28 June 2025, new accessibility provisions will apply in Hungary to certain products and services, affecting a wide range of companies.

Given the growing emphasis on sustainability and responsible business practices, obligations in the field of ESG are becoming increasingly significant. The banking sector is emerging as one of the key players in this transformation, with evolving regulatory frameworks influencing its operations.

With the adoption of the Law on the Central Register of Beneficial Owners (“Official Gazette of the RS”, No. 19/2025), which entered into force on 14 March 2025, the legal framework governing this area has undergone significant changes. The application of most provisions is postponed until 15 September 2026, while certain provisions are applicable earlier.

Popovici, Nitu, Stoica & Asociatii has advised Romania Education Alliance on the acquisition of a majority stake in Little London International Academy. Radu Smochina si Asociatii reportedly advised the sellers.

As part of its latest promotions round, Dentons has elevated Karolina Cotronei, Ali Can Goren, Baris Yuksel, and Kamran Pirani to Partner.

Sorainen has advised Wildix and its founders on Livonia Partners’ decision to increase its equity stake in the company.

Dentons has advised Sousol Holdings on the sale of its 54-megawatt ready-to-build wind project in Constanta County, Romania, to Engie Romania. Leroy si Asociatii advised Engie Romania.

WKB has advised Greenvolt Group on the sale of VRW 11 to Energa Wytwarzanie. Bird & Bird advised Energa Wytwarzanie.

RTPR has advised the syndicate of banks including mandated lead arrangers Banca Transilvania and Banca Comerciala Romana and lenders Raiffeisen Bank, BRD – Groupe Societe Generale, CEC Bank, ING Bank, and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania on a RON 3.1 billion syndicated loan facility granted to Electrica with Raiffeisen Bank also serving as a sustainability agent. Dentons adivsed Electrica.

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.

DLA Piper has promoted Andras Orban to Counsel and Head of Equity Capital Markets and Viktor Romsics to Counsel and Head of Infrastructure, Construction, and Transport.

This year, CPK will launch tenders totalling around PLN 30 billion. These will include the construction of roads or construction work for the Warsaw-Lodz railway line. Currently, tenders worth around PLN 4 billion are being conducted for the construction of a long-distance tunnel in Łódź and the creation of a baggage system.

Ukraine's infrastructure sector is experiencing heightened activity driven by urgent reconstruction needs and modernization efforts following the impact of the war with Kinstellar Partner Oleg Matiusha expressing cautious optimism over the significant opportunities awaiting investors as recovery efforts accelerate.

Cobalt has advised Creditreform Latvija on a multi-stage reorganization. 

E+H has advised Megatech Industries on its reorganization from financial distress and subsequent sale to Italian mobility supplier Sapa. Wolf Theiss, working with Gianni & Origoni, advised Sapa.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner has advised approximately 38% of the creditors in the restructuring proceedings of Pierer Industrie on a vote under the Restructuring Ordinance in Austria.

Vukmir and Associates has advised Maslinica Hotels & Resort in the negotiations with the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, culminating in the signing of an annex to the company’s Collective Agreement.

On 2 May 2025, the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Labor Code of Ukraine on Improving Legal Regulation of Certain Issues of Home-Based and Remote Work" dated 27 March 2025 No.4339-IX ("Law") entered into force.

The latest amendment to the Labour Code, the so-called Flexinovela, which will be effective from 1 June 2025, introduces a number of changes that need to be reflected in employment documentation. We focus on the following key areas where we recommend making adjustments:

Schoenherr has advised AI ophthalmology spin-off RetInSight and its founding shareholders on the sale to Topcon Healthcare. Dorda reportedly advised Topcon Healthcare.

Schoenherr has advised Enterprise Investors on the acquisition of a 100% stake in Centrum Medyczne Internus. DLA Piper reportedly advised the sellers.

Herbst Kinsky has advised Biogena on its EUR 10 million bond issuance.

Following up on the CJEU's judgment of 9 January 2025, C-416/23, Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde (Demandes excessives), the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court addressed excessive and manifestly unfounded data subject requests to data protection supervisory authorities in six cases (VwGH 29 January 2025, Ra 2023/04/0002; Ra 2022/04/0049; Ro 2023/04/0018; Ro 2022/04/0016; Ro 2022/04/0022; Ra 2020/04/0084). The Austrian Federal Administrative Court added another decision on such requests (BVwG 11 March 2025, W137 2305838-1).

Fieldfisher has announced the launch of its Polish operation with offices in Warsaw and Krakow with a team led by Rafal Stroinski and Piotr Szelenbaum as joint Country Managing Partners.

Consumer-focused litigation, especially relating to Swiss loan credit contracts, has driven significant growth in dispute resolution practices in Slovenia since 2022, according to Ketler & Partners, member of Karanovic Partner Minu Anamaria Gvardjancic. With the courts adopting a very proactive stance and wide interpretation of the impact of EU case law increasingly asserting consumers’ rights, disputes are expected to continue expanding in the coming months.

Romania’s logistics and transportation sector is entering a new era. With the recent regulatory approval of DSV’s acquisition of DB Schenker, the industry is witnessing the most significant consolidation move in over a decade. The deal directly reshapes how logistics providers in Romania position themselves, scale their operations, and recalibrate strategic priorities.

Cerha Hempel has advised Flughafen Wien on a joint venture with international logistics company Bradford Airport Logistics to establish Vienna Airport Logistics GmbH. Sidley Austin and Schoenherr advised Bradford Airport Logistics.

DZP has successfully represented LOT Polish Airlines before the Court of Justice of the European Union against Ryanair.

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.

Your Legal Partners’ Katerina Politopoulou, Maria Golfinopoulou, and Prokopis Linardos Talk About the Deal of the Year in Greece.

Sorainen has advised Wildix and its founders on Livonia Partners’ decision to increase its equity stake in the company.

Fieldfisher has announced the launch of its Polish operation with offices in Warsaw and Krakow with a team led by Rafal Stroinski and Piotr Szelenbaum as joint Country Managing Partners.

Schoenherr has advised Enterprise Investors on the acquisition of a 100% stake in Centrum Medyczne Internus. DLA Piper reportedly advised the sellers.

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.

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.

As part of its latest promotions round, Dentons has elevated Karolina Cotronei, Ali Can Goren, Baris Yuksel, and Kamran Pirani to Partner.

Pohla & Hallmagi has advised SMH Group on the acquisition of the business of Tallinna Kommunlaateenused. Eversheds Sutherland reportedly advised the sellers.

Baker McKenzie and its Turkish affiliate Esin Attorney Partnership have advised Sunset Hospitality Group on a financing round led by Goldman Sachs.

With the rise of digital platforms and the possibilities that the internet provides for businesses, more and more sellers are able to offer goods and services via these platforms and the internet. In this context, it has been difficult for the Ukrainian tax authorities to trace the flow of goods and services as well as to identify sellers to ensure that these goods and services are duly taxed.

Camiel van der Meij has joined Drzewiecki Tomaszek & Partners as a Partner.

Kinstellar has announced Maja Mayrhuber as the fourth Partner to join its new Vienna office.

As part of its latest promotions round, Dentons has elevated Karolina Cotronei, Ali Can Goren, Baris Yuksel, and Kamran Pirani to Partner.

Sorainen has advised Wildix and its founders on Livonia Partners’ decision to increase its equity stake in the company.

Schoenherr has advised AI ophthalmology spin-off RetInSight and its founding shareholders on the sale to Topcon Healthcare. Dorda reportedly advised Topcon Healthcare.

CEE Legal Matters is proud to introduce the latest in our Comparative Guides series. This one focuses on Bribery & Corruption in CEE.

Contributed by Arzinger.

Contributed by Selih & Partnerji.