From January 1, 2024, the general VAT rate will increase from 20 percent to 22 percent.

Sending marketing emails is an excellent way to increase sales. Those who don’t make sales don’t do business. However, a question arises as to whether this complies with strict data protection rules. It is known that the Data Protection Inspectorate is increasingly vigilant and imposes hefty fines for violations.

Most people clearly understand the need for insurance when renting or owning real estate. However, a common problem is knowing what to consider when insuring and what to look for or remember regarding insurance policy conditions when it has been signed and damage occurs. I’ll highlight five essential nuances often overlooked by companies and individuals when insuring their rented or personal real estate, drawing from my more than 25 years of experience in insurance law.

More than two years ago, in April 2021, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe. AI is a rapidly developing group of technologies. Today, there is little doubt that these technologies have the potential to bring (and are already bringing) enormous economic and societal benefits across a wide range of industries and social activities. However, in the absence of legal regulation, these technologies can also be abused, with particularly severe consequences for both individuals and society.

Lithuania's Ilaw Lextal has announced the promotion of four of its Attorneys to Associate Partner positions – Inga Neniske, Egle Visinskiene, Ramune Saikuviene, and Neringa Gylyte – effective September 2023.

Cobalt has advised the BaltCap Private Equity Fund III and investment company Draugiem Capital on their acquisition of a majority stake in Latvia-based multi-sector production company Pepi Rer. RER Lextal reportedly advised Pepi Rer.

The due performance of obligations in Lithuania may be secured by various security instruments. Pledge, mortgage, and financial collaterals all create a right in rem for the creditor, i.e., such a security, upon due perfection, becomes enforceable against third parties and withstands bankruptcy, reorganization, and similar procedures of the security provider. Other types of collateral, such as default interest, surety, guarantee, deposits, and other instruments agreed by the parties terminate immediately upon bankruptcy, reorganization, or similar procedures of the security provider.

Lextal has advised digital asset platform Blocktrade on the launch of its new BTEX token which raised over EUR 5 million to date.

Former Associate Partner Ksenia Kravtsenko has been promoted to a Partner position at Lextal in Estonia.

Lithuania has never been among the leading countries in the field of energy from renewables. Dependence on imported electricity is still high, with just around 30% of electricity demand being produced locally. The installation of various power plants was slow and did not have a strong economic basis, with the main opportunities arising in wind and solar energy.

The past two years have brought about tectonic shifts across all industries, business sectors, and economies. Adapting to the ever-changing concept of a “new normal” became an everyday task, and law firms were no exception. Motieka & Audzevicius Partner Rokas Jankus, iLaw Lextal Managing Partner Tomas Bagdanskis, and Sorainen Managing Partner Laimonas Skibarka share how Baltic firms have managed to hold their own in these challenging times.

The war in Ukraine has irrevocably altered the face of Europe, and legislative landscapes are no exception. iLaw Lextal Partner Jolanta Liukaityte-Stoniene, Motieka & Audzevicius Partner Rimantas Daujotas, and Fort Legal Partner Ruta Radzeviciute-Meizeraite focus on the legislative updates in Lithuania.

Starting from 1 February of 2023, the Commercial Code of Estonia changed, and a new Commercial Register Act came into force.

The legislation concerning crypto-assets has always been fragmented between different states in the EU. Having a crypto exchange license in one EU country did not mean that it would be automatically legal to operate in another EU state as well. Whereas some countries like Estonia were the pioneers of crypto legislation, many others have been lacking behind and have further exacerbated this fragmented state.

Contributed by ILaw Lextal.

Recent amendments to the Employment Contracts Act modernized the organization of working time and on-call time. The category of an employee with independent decision-making capacity has been added.

There is a growing concern, across CEE, about a potential wave of insolvency and restructuring proceedings. Given the economic aftermath of COVID-19, coupled with the ramifications of rising inflation and interest rates, energy crisis concerns, and the war in Ukraine – the road ahead seems bumpy at best.

The corporate and M&A practice of Ilaw Lextal has been very busy working on employee option share investment schemes and overall transactional work, primarily driven by and likely to increase due to rising inflation and interest rates, according to Partner and practice Head Dziuginta Balciune.