Hungary's parliament passed a package of anti-corruption laws on 3 October 2022 as part of the commitments made by the government to the European Commission.
SLAPP – a Global Legal Problem That, If Unchecked, Could Stifle Freedom of Expression
History shows that the last bastion of freedom of speech, which guarantees these values, is the free press. But it’s no secret that since 2015, key constitutional values have been in crisis. Over the past three years, there have been repeated legal actions by state institutions, state-owned companies, businessmen and other lobbying organizations aimed at stifling the work of journalists, publishers and NGOs.
Increased Activity of the Serbian Competition Commission– Five Initiated Proceedings in Few Weeks
In the last two months, the Commission for the Protection of Competition (“Commission”) initiated several different proceedings i.e., 3 gun-jumping cases, one for abuse of a dominant position and one case regarding restrictive agreements. It is necessary to pay attention to these proceedings, because they are not coincidences but rather are initiated due to Commission’s reasonable doubt that market participants have breached the Law on Protection of Competition of Republic of Serbia (“Law“).
A Comparison: VBER Vs. Turkish Vertical Rules How Different Have They Become?
Following a thorough evaluation and review of the 2010 rules regarding vertical agreements and concerted practices, the European Commission adopted the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (“VBER”), which entered into force on 1 June 2022, accompanied by revised Guidelines on Vertical Restraints. It is assumed that the latest alterations and their potential effects on the commercial ecosystem will slowly find their place in Turkish competition legislation and practice.
Will Meta-Fi Be the Catalyst of Financial Digitization? - Part 2
In the previous article, we have included information about the value of cryptocurrencies in the metaverse within the framework of the financial metaverse and the transactions that constitute the subject of the financial metaverse. Now, from the perspective of the financial metaverse, we will discuss the banking sector, the current status of cryptocurrencies in Turkey, and whether the digital products obtained as a result of financial transactions can be evaluated within the scope of property rights by the courts, the compliance processes and legal aspects that should be considered in Meta-Fi.
Foreign HR Department May Be Liable for Committing Minor Offence in Poland
Warsaw, 25 November 2022 – HR departments located outside our country, acting on behalf of their employer, are nowadays a fairly common practice, especially in multinational corporations. What does the liability of these individuals look like? The risk of penal liability for minor offences committed by employees operating outside Poland against employees operating in Poland is low, but it can happen. This occurs in cases where the perpetrator acted outside Poland, but the consequences belonging to the elements of a minor offence ensued in Poland.
Amendments Made in Cosmetic Product Ingredient Lists
The Regulation on the Amendment (“Amendment Regulation”) of the Cosmetics Regulation (“Regulation”) was published in the Official Gazette dated 14 November 2022 and numbered 32013 and entered into force on the same date.
Unbundling of the Hydrogen Sector: A Commission Proposal in Breach of EU Law
Late last year, the European Commission ("EC") adopted a legislative package on hydrogen and decarbonised gas, which includes a proposal for a Directive on Common Rules for Internal Markets in Renewable and Natural Gases and in Hydrogen ("Draft Gas Directive"). On 9 September 2022, the EC published a revised version of this directive, the key objective of which is to regulate hydrogen as an independent energy carrier.
Will the Metaverse Act As a Catalyst for Financial Digitization?: ‘Meta-Fi’
“As the crypto industry grows, there will be an increasing array of financial activities on the public blockchain. That's why we want to make sure we're ready to not only support that but also provide relevant services.” Tyrone Lobban, JP Morgan's head of Blockchain Launch and Onyx Digital Assets
Changes to the Labour Code: More Paternity, Parental and Carer Leave
A proposal for the modification of the Labour Code was filed to the Hungarian Parliament on 2 November 2022. The bill aims to ensure compliance with the EU Directives No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers and No. 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions.
Right to Disconnect
The requirement of social isolation caused by the global pandemic, has brought forth a new world order. During this period, workplaces invested in technology in order to preserve their business and enhance their productivity while starting to conduct almost all their activities through digital communication channels. Home offices/remote work that began during such period now became a permanent working model across different sectors.
ECJ Ruling Ends Unlimited Public Access to UBO Register
Under Article 30 (5) (c) of Directive (EU) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering or terrorist financing (AML Directive 2015), Member States are obliged to ensure that information on beneficial ownership is accessible by any person or organisation that can demonstrate a legitimate interest in obtaining it.
Recent Changes to the Slovak Labour Code
On 4 October 2022, the Slovak parliament adopted an amendment to the Labour Code (the "Amendment") that enters into effect on 1 November 2022. The aim of the Amendment is mainly to implement two EU directives (No. 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions in the EU and No. 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers) and to respond to certain requirements resulting from application practice. In this article, we present an overview of the most important changes.
Startup Alternative Investment Funds - Law Regulation
Keeping investments in or out of line with the development of the IT sector.
Does Direct Marketing Require Specific Consent?
The Hungarian data protection authority (NAIH) fined Magyar Éremkibocsátó Kft, a limited liability company engaged in the numismatic business, HUF 30m (approx. EUR 73,000) for unlawful direct marketing activities.
ICC Decision on Liability in Case of Pursuing Action in Courts Notwithstanding a Valid Arbitration Clause
In Turkey, parties of a dispute tend to resort to courts even if they have a valid arbitration clause for the respective dispute. In the Final Award in Case 8887 (“Case”), International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) ruled that the defendant Turkish company (“Defendant”), by pursuing an action in the Turkish Courts despite the existence of a valid arbitration clause, breached its agreement to arbitrate and therefore it is liable for damages which the claimant Italian company (“Claimant”) might suffer due to this breach. In this article, we will briefly share the details of the Case and touch upon the reasoning of the ICC for deciding that Defendant is liable for the damages that the Claimant might suffered due to this breach.
No Fine to the Competitors Having a Common Whatsapp Group: Turkish Competition Board’s Decision on the Red Meat Industry
On October 26, 2022, the Turkish Competition Board (“Board”) published its reasoned decision dated June 23, 2022 and numbered 22-28/443-180, upon its preliminary investigation initiated against six undertakings (i.e. Ahmet Tanrıbuyurdu, Emin Helal Et ve Gıda A.Ş., Göktaşlar Et-Et Ürünleri Yan San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti, Namet Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Pınar Entegre ve Un Sanayi A.Ş. and Sultan Et ve Gıda Üretim Tic. Paz. Ltd. Şti.) that are active in the red meat industry to determine whether the undertakings have violated Article 4 of Law No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition (“Law No. 4054”).
Factoring and Liquidity Facilities: Making the Best of Both Worlds
Factoring volumes in Romania have seen a marked increase over the last year, up to EUR 3.68bln in the first half of 2022, according to public sources. While part of this 31.6 % year-on-year surge was driven by inflation rates, local businesses do appear to show a growing appetite for this type of financing product.