On 11 December 2022, the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Preventing and Counteracting Mobbing (Harassment)” (the “Mobbing Law”) became effective.

In the recent years the number of cases where companies tries to protect their trade secret from unlawful use by ex-employees as their competitors in Bulgaria has increased.

Major changes have come into force under the 2023 tax law amendments in Hungary, which mainly include reliefs, such as the extension of the application of the 5% VAT rate on the sale of new housing on the one hand, but on the other hand, bring restrictions to real property related duties.

Amendments to the Tax Procedures and Tax Administration Act (“Act“) were adopted and entered into force on December 20, 2022. The following is a reminder of the most significant changes you should keep an eye on.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are a combined range of technologies, including machine-learning techniques, robotics and automated decision-making systems used to improve prediction, optimize operations and resource allocation, and personalize service.

On 1 February 2023, an amendment to Act No. 589/1992 Coll., on social security premiums and premiums to state employment policy, will come into force. The amendment introduces a discount on insurance premiums for employers who, on a part-time basis, employ designated groups of employees for whom it is usually more difficult to find employment on the labour market.

Employees are entitled to compensation from their employers for commuting from another town or city. Due to the significant increase in fuel prices, the corresponding thresholds have been doubled by the end of the ‘state of emergency’ in effect (end of June 2023, for now).

The Republic of Serbia continues to encourage creativity in the field of audiovisual production through incentives’ allocation to individuals even so in 2023.

Our current publication is in detail Serbian Legal Framework for alcoholic beverages. It thoroughly analyses governmental approvals required to market alcoholic beverages, advertising restrictions, licensing and distribution requirements and restrictions, permissible product ingredients, and practical compliance issues.

In 2021 Romania adopted its new legislative framework introducing a deposit-return system applicable to non-refillable primary packaging made of glass, plastic or metal with volumes between 0.1l and 3l inclusive, containing water, juice or alcoholic beverages ("DRS").

The Office for Personal Data Protection (the "Office") has published its control plan for 2023.

The General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’) offers more types of remedies to individuals whose rights were infringed. Can those remedies be exercised parallelly, or shall the person concerned choose among them? The Court of Justice of the European Union (‘CJEU’) provides an answer to this question in its fresh decision, delivered in a Hungarian case.

The very idea of introducing a new financial instrument issued by a limited liability company (“LLC” or “Company”) is to improve the economic environment as well as financial growth by providing a way for companies to incentivize employees, especially the ones in IT industry, thus enabling companies to operate in accordance with high standards adopted worldwide.

The government of Republic of North Macedonia recently introduced a new tax law for solidarity, in an effort to address the consequences of the crisis. In response to the difficult economic and energy crisis faced by vulnerable citizens, as well as companies that have experienced significant increases in revenue as a result of the crisis, the government has implemented a series of measures including subsidies, social protection, tax exemptions, and financial support for domestic energy companies.

The new act on the limitation of the environmental impact of selected plastic products (the “Act”) is a transposition of the European Directives 2008/98/EC on waste and in particular the 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. 

The European Court of Justice ("ECJ"), in its judgment of 9 February 2023 in Case C-453/21, considered the interpretation of the dismissability of a Data Protection Officer and the performance by the DPO of other duties that may give rise to a conflict of interest. The ECJ ruled that an appointed DPO cannot hold a position within the organisation that would result in him or her determining the purposes and methods of processing personal data. The decision has significant implications for organisations wishing to entrust their DPO with additional tasks that may conflict with the DPO's duties.

New regulations allowing employers to carry out preventive and ad hoc sobriety checks on employees will come into effect on February 21, 2023. Employers will be allowed to start the checks two weeks after they publish relevant regulations in the workplace.

On the 19th of January, there has been yet another competition infringement investigation (ex officio) by the Serbian Commission for the Protection of the Competition, this time against VAILLANT doo Beograd (Vaillant) regarding the market of gas boilers!