Marked by recent political shifts, impacted by global trends, and facing many legislative changes, Poland is seeing critical updates on taxation, energy, state companies' leadership, the balance of transactions, and renewed discussions on judicial reform, according to Crido Legal Managing Partner Jakub Ziolek.

Serbia has been hard at work implementing extensive revisions to its immigration laws – merging the work and residency permits, for example – producing both timely results and temporary issues, according to DNVG Attorneys Partner Damjan Despotovic.

With Hungary's economic and legal outlook plugged into global uncertainties and no shortage of those, two market sectors still stand out in terms of potential – energy and agriculture – according to HP Legal Partner Laszlo Hajdu, who, looking at the fundamentals, shares an optimistic view of the country's future.

Albania breaks new ground in its energy and financial sectors as it moves towards renewable energy and market liberalization, while significant changes are afoot in payment services and tax law, according to Tashko Pustina Partner Alban Shanaj, all of which point squarely toward a coming period of dynamic growth and opportunity.

While the legal landscape in North Macedonia might be somewhat stagnant – due to 2024 being an election year – there are still challenging complexities to the judicial reforms on the table, as well as struggles with consistency and knowledge, according to Polenak Law Firm Partner Tanja Polenak.

Over this winter season, Romania has seen substantial legal changes to various aspects of its wider legal framework – from FDI and competition to consumer protection and taxation – according to Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Partner Alina Radu.

After a few years of political struggle, Bulgaria seems to be on a good path, with interesting legislative updates on the horizon and promising M&A activity levels, spurred primarily by strong activity in the energy and IT sectors, according to KDBM Law Founding Partner Dimitar Kaldamukov.

There are imminent changes in the Czech Republic's legal and economic landscape – including a significant overhaul of the tax system, pending legal updates on class actions and the use of experts in court, and evolving trends in litigation financing and business solvency – all of which directly impact the work of lawyers, according to Weinhold Legal Associate Partner Zbysek Kordac.

Charting Turkiye's choppy seas, Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli Partner Bihter Bozbay Inan dives into the country's strengthening economic ties with the Middle East, its fiscal policies and upcoming local elections, and digital transformations in the banking sector.

Poland’s legal landscape is characterized by the increased mobility of lawyers and legal teams, while its markets are feeling optimistic following the results of the recent elections, according to Schoenherr Poland Managing Partner Pawel Halwa, and everyone is waiting for the new government’s investment and legislative priorities to come into focus.

Comprehensive regulatory changes targeting tobacco products, specifically vapes and electronic cigarettes, as well as the upcoming general election taking place on December 17 hold the front page for lawyers in Serbia, according to Cvjeticanin & Partners Managing Partner Nenad Cvjeticanin.

2023 has been marked by unprecedented challenges and unexpected developments, according to Wolf Theiss Partner Ileana Glodeanu. From major events like the Hidroelectrica IPO to a surge in large-scale transactions and surprising sectoral activities, Glodeanu shares her thoughts on market conditions and emerging trends in Romania.