On 19 September 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the National Bank of Ukraine adopted Regulation No. 1011, introducing a comprehensive methodology ("Methodology") to identify the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) of legal entities in Ukraine. This significant development aims to enhance transparency and provide detailed guidance on the process of identifying UBOs, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that legal entities in Ukraine are able to correctly identify UBOs within their ownership structure and disclose this information to the competent authorities.

Effective from 2 October 2023, Ukraine has ushered in a series of substantial amendments to its Advertising Law, aimed at modernizing advertising regulations and harmonizing them with the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

Stratulat Albulescu, working with Taylor Wessing, has advised the Mitel Group on its acquisition of Unify from the Atos Group. Garrigues and Mattos Filho reportedly advised Mitel as well. The French office of Baker McKenzie reportedly advised Atos.

Baker McKenzie has advised Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy on its PLN 340 million bond issuance as part of the company's PLN 2 billion issuance program. The firm also advised dealer and issuance agent mBank.

On October 3, 2023, GKC Partners announced that TotalEnergies Renewables' acquisition of a 50% stake in Turkey's Ronesans Enerji (reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 18, 2023) had closed.

Baker McKenzie has advised Echo Investment Group companies Grupa Archicom, Echo Investment, and DKR Echo Investment on offering 10 million new shares in Archicom and DKR's sale of 6.1 million existing shares. The PLN 220 million transaction was managed by the PKO BP Brokerage Office.

With a potential WeWork restructuring on the horizon, this article explores some issues landlords may face under their WeWork leases, with a focus on how courts in Poland might address them.

Baker McKenzie has successfully represented Operator Gazociagow Przesylowych Gaz-System before the General Court of the European Union in a dispute concerning a decision of the Board of Appeal of the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

Greenberg Traurig has advised Cyfrowy Polsat on the issuance of sustainability-linked series E bonds with an aggregate nominal value of PLN 820 million. Baker McKenzie advised the Trigon Brokerage House, Bank Pekao, and Santander Bank Polska on managing the issuance.

Baker McKenzie’s Turkish affiliate Esin Attorney Partnership has advised Denizbank on its USD 109 million loan from the EBRD. Reportedly, Clifford Chance and its Turkish affiliate Ciftci Attorney Partnership advised the EBRD.

On 12 September 2023, the President of Ukraine signed Law No. 5431 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine to Improve the Activities of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine" ("Law"), which launches a reform of Ukrainian competition law. The Law will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Tomas Skoumal has been elected as the new Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie’s Prague office, taking over from Martin Hrodek.

On 16 September 2023 the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Procedure for Payment of Fees for Actions Related to the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights" ("Resolution") will enter into force. The Resolution introduces new fees, provides additional reductions and clarifies existing ones.

On 21 October 2022, the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authority (“BRSA”) published BRSA Decision No. 10389 (“Tightening Decision”) to tighten the restrictions set forth under the BRSA Decision No. 10250 dated 24 June 2022 (“Restriction Decision”), which introduced Turkish lira borrowing restrictions for non-financial institutions that are subject to independent audit and BRSA Decision No. 10265 dated 7 July 2022 (“Decision No. 10265” and together with Tightening Decision and Restriction Decision, “Decisions”), which in turn aims to clarify and ensure the effective application of the Restriction Decision.

Baker McKenzie Turkish affiliate Esin Attorney Partnership, working with Hogan Lovells, has advised the US International Development Finance Corporation on a USD 100 million term loan facility for Sekerbank.

Schoenherr has advised Aldiana Management on its purchase of the Aldiana Club Ampflwang resort in Upper Austria. Baker McKenzie reportedly advised the sellers.

Clifford Chance and its Turkish affiliate Ciftci Attorney Partnership have advised Citibank on arranging two facilities totaling approximately USD 611 million – covered by international export credit agencies – to Turkiye Petrolleri in relation to Phase 1 of the Sakarya Offshore Gas Field Development Project.

Gide has advised the Enterprise Investors Fund IX on its minority investment in Polish precision radar and anti-drone systems company Advanced Protection Systems Inc. Baker McKenzie advised APS and its shareholders.