Gecic Law, working with Deloitte Legal and RPHS Law, has advised MTS on a dispute with Pristina authorities stemming from the decision to revoke MTS’s operating license in Kosovo.

The recent establishment and practice of its Commercial Court – along with other legal developments and the government's push on energy – signify a shift towards impartiality, transparency, and investor-friendly policies in Kosovo, according to Sejdiu & Qerkini Managing Partner Korab Sejdiu.

On May 13, 2022, the Assembly of Kosovo passed Law No. 08/L-056 on Protection of Competition, replacing the previous law that had been in effect since October 2010. The new law aims to align the legal framework with EU rules and enhance the efficiency of the Kosovo Competition Authority (KCA). In the context of mergers, acquisitions, and other forms of concentration, the KCA aims to scrutinize concentration filings to assess potential threats to competition in the Kosovo market.

Kosovo has recently adopted a new law to regulate the pricing of medicinal products (Law on Pricing of Medicinal Products). This marks the first time that Kosovo has taken steps to regulate the pricing of medicinal products, and it is a significant milestone in an upcoming major reform within the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector. The reform also includes new laws on medicinal products and medical devices, health insurance, and related areas.

RPHS Law has advised Shkolla Finlandeze on the full sale of Kosovo-based plagiarism and AI content detection company Crossplag to Norway's Inspera. Pallaska & Associates advised Inspera.

RPHS Law has advised Puratos NV on its partnership with Korabi Corporation.

ODI Law has advised the owner of Macedonian supermarket chain Kit-Go on its sale to Kosovo-based company Viva Fresh. The Zeqiri Law Office reportedly advised Viva Fresh.

The healthcare industry is undergoing reform and the renewable energy sector is shifting to foreign-investment-friendly auction-based strategies, while the new Civil Code and large investment projects – including healthcare digitalization and infrastructure development – are on the books in Kosovo, according to RPHS Law Partner Visar Ramaj.

The banking and financial sector in Kosovo has undergone significant changes in recent years, including the introduction of new legislation for the industry. Kosovo has managed to build a sound and stable financial system, which has contributed to supporting the overall growth of the economy. In addition, financial institutions have been very active in making significant progress in the implementation of advanced technologies and innovation following the latest CEE developments.

Squire Patton Boggs has successfully represented the Republic of Kosovo in arbitration proceedings under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce for a dispute with a virtual mobile network operator.

As Lexpo – The Legal Innovation Event returns in 2023 after a three-year hiatus, showcasing the latest trends in legal innovation in Continental Europe, CEELM spoke with Dentons Europe Director of Innovation and Member of Lexpo's Advisory Board Andrea Miskolczi to gain an insight into the current state of technology and innovation in CEE, and what the event's attendees have to look forward to.

The information and technology sector has grown exponentially in Kosovo in the past five years, mainly focusing on the provision of services to international markets. This growth has happened mainly because of two reasons: first, the labor force is cheaper compared to the European market and, second, around 70% of the population is under the age of 35 and has advanced digital skills. The mix of these two has ensured access to international markets and the provision of quality deliverables.

Squire Patton Boggs has successfully represented Kosovo in an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration concerning the revocation of a microfinance license.

The latest legislative amendments on private international law and property ownership are promising for foreign investors, while Kosovo’s renewable energy investments are on the rise, according to Vokshi & Lata Senior Partner Adem Vokshi.

Arbitration is growing in popularity in Kosovo and notable legislative updates are now in place, including the one establishing the Commercial Court, according to Boga & Associates Partner Sokol Elmazaj.

Kosovo’s legal order is based on the principle of separation of powers, whereby the judiciary is governed by the Kosovo Judicial Council. Kosovo’s legal system is based on the continental law tradition, whereby court decisions are generally not considered precedents, although lower courts tend to follow the opinions and rulings of higher courts.

The legal landscape has changed remarkably since 2008 when I made the jump from being an in-house lawyer at the Central Bank of Albania to a legal associate at a law firm. At the time, for a lawyer working in two small-sized non-EU countries such as Albania and Kosovo, work was predominantly focused on the local markets, with no or little exposure to international activities. This started to change as the CEE region became more attractive to foreign investors, who were looking at opportunities often spread across several countries. The legal work in M&A, privatization processes, and energy investments often involved teams from various law firms, both in CEE and in Western Europe or the US, and was my gateway to gaining knowledge of the regional market and understanding the space for growth there.

Last year, more precisely in December, Kosovo endured a deepening crisis considered one of the worst in the last decade.