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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 stay up to date with the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas. 

A December 2022 decision by the Austrian Constitutional Court to annul the media privilege in the Austrian Data Protection Act has raised questions on how the country’s approach to the legal landscape regulating the media will change. Wolf Theiss Partner Kurt Retter and DLA Piper Counsel Stefan Panic analyze the ruling’s implications.

The SOG Law Firm, working with DLA Piper’s office in France, has advised the Renault Group on the divestment program for its import and distribution subsidiaries in six jurisdictions. Wolf Theiss reportedly advised the Emil Frey Group on acquiring the operations. Sabev & Partners reportedly advised the Renault Group as well.

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 stay up to date with the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas. 

Regulation (EU) 2022/1925, The Digital Markets Act, is set to apply from 2 May 2023

Addressing digital developments and concerns regarding contestability and fairness in the digital economy, the Digital Markets Act – an ex-ante regulatory system – entered into force on 1 November 2022 and will apply from 2 May 2023. Designed to complement competition law, the Digital Markets Act lays down prohibitions and obligations for designated gatekeepers that provide a range of “core platform services” and gives the European Commission broad investigative and enforcement powers. Generally speaking, the Digital Markets Act aims to prevent unfair practices by gatekeepers.

What does the new whistleblowing system entail?

In line with Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a new law on complaints, whistleblowing and rules for reporting breaches, which replaces previous legislation. Below we have summarized the key points of the new rules. This information has been prepared for private sector actors.

Clifford Chance has advised a club of banks led by Ceska Sporitelna – including UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia and the Czech branch of Citibank Europe – on a CZK 1 billion club financing for Packeta and its subsidiaries. Wolf Theiss advised Packeta.

Schoenherr has advised joint lead managers Erste Group Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen Girozentrale, Natixis, and TD Global Finance on Erste Group Bank's EUR 1 billion issuance of 3.125% mortgage Pfandbriefe due October 14, 2027. Wolf Theiss advised Erste.

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Wolf Theiss at a Glance

With over 360 lawyers in 13 countries, over 80% of the firm’s work involves cross-border representation of international clients. We have concentrated our energies on a unique part of the world: the complex, fast-developing markets of the CEE/SEE region. Through our international network of offices, we work closely with our clients to develop innovate solutions that integrate legal, financial, and business know-how.

Wolf Theiss provides fully integrated corporate services in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, real estate, banking and finance, tax and insurance, employment law, competition law, energy law, privatisation, restructuring, public procurement and litigation. At Wolf Theiss, we measure our success by the success of our clients. We align our goals with yours to ensure that your needs are being met in even the most complex of cross-border matters. This means that we know how to listen to you and help you use the assets you already have while finding opportunities.

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Wolf Theiss – Leading Lawyers in CEE/SEE