The Cybersecurity Act imposes new requirements on many companies regarding the operation of their electronic information systems. Organizations have until the end of 2023 to prepare to comply with the new rules.

Last week, we discussed the topic of incentives for the improvement of energy efficiency and energy improvement/rehabilitation, and possibilities for individuals and housing communities in that regard. This time we would like to glance at incentives for energy improvement/rehabilitation for housing communities– residential and residential–commercial buildings connected to district heating systems, which may be obtained through the project called „Energy improvement/rehabilitation of residential, multi-family buildings connected to district heating system– Public ESCO Project“ which is initiated by the Ministry of Mining and Energy in collaboration with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 

During its last session on October 26, 2023, the National Assembly adopted amendments to the Public Procurement Act.

At the II National Regulators Conference it was announced that the Digital Citizenship programme to be launched between July and September 2024 and the necessary legislation to be submitted to the Parliament in November 2023. With this step the Hungarian Government follows the trend, where citizens are dealing at an increasing rate with administrative cases on their mobile phones.

The new Law on Electronic Media (“the Law“) has been published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, no. 92/2023, and came into effect on November 4, 2023.

In June 2023, the Czech Republic adopted the Whistleblower Protection Act implementing the relevant EU Directive with a two-year delay. The law came into force on 1 August 2023.

There is a bill on the new Hungarian Architecture Act, which would replace the acts on Engineers and Professional Chambers, on the Shaping and Protection of the Built Environment and on the Protection of Townscape, and will consolidate their provisions in a modernised and clear code.

Is the M&A market facing a further slowdown due to the macroeconomic situation? Or, following the recent parliamentary elections in Poland, will the market quickly rebound after a brief pause and continue to experience the best economic period in modern history? Can we expect more records to be broken? The truth may lie somewhere in the middle, as there is no shortage of challenges lying in wait for the economy.

In connection with the implementation of Directive 2019/1152 on transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union, a principle has been introduced into the Polish Labor Code, according to which an employer may not prohibit an employee from parallel employment with another entity. The Polish legislator has established a strict ban on parallel employment with very few exceptions, which is widely criticized by employers.

Poland’s dynamic business landscape is about to transform as it adapts to the European Union’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation dated December 14, 2022 (FSR), which partially came into effect on July 12, 2023. This regulation aims to level the playing field for companies operating in the EU market by scrutinizing financial support from non-EU countries.

The Polish Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK) has devoted the last two years to the very important issue of influencers and their online advertising activities. Recent years have seen a significant development of influencer marketing not only in Poland but on a global scale. Across the world, companies and advertising agencies have noticed the growing popularity of celebrity accounts on Facebook or Instagram, and have strategically used them as a new channel to promote products or services.

In the realm of logistics contracts, Polish law does not provide a standardized blueprint. Instead, these contracts are multifaceted, drawing from various specific types and broader civil law principles. This makes it essential to keep an eye on the nuances.

Due to technological progress and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have increasingly turned to online shopping. This was accompanied by the rapid development of new methods of short-term financing, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, which allow customers to pay for purchases at a later date than the date of receipt. In Poland, financing is interest-free for a certain period, generally 30 days, after which interest charges apply.

The latest amendments to the Polish Code of Civil Procedure regarding interim relief in intellectual property cases, among other matters, entered into force on July 1, 2023. Interim injunction proceedings are crucial when the parties wish to quickly prevent further infringement of their intellectual property rights and obtain protection for the duration of the main legal proceedings. The main purpose of these proceedings is essentially to secure claims, i.e., to obtain a ruling (order) in which the court will order the opposing party to act in a certain way or prohibit certain actions.

Inflation rates, while high across Europe, have been particularly making headlines in Turkiye. Yalcin Babalioglu Kemahli in cooperation with CMS Managing Partner Done Yalcin, Ergun Law Firm Partner Lara Sezerler, Celepci Law in cooperation with Schoenherr Office Managing Partner Levent Celepci, KP Law Managing Partner Onur Kucuk, and Guleryuz & Partners Partner Zahide Altunbas Sancak discuss the current outlook.

In the context of economic and political uncertainties, coupled with the depreciation of the currency, interesting dynamics are unfolding within the Turkish legal landscape.

The phenomena of globalization and heightened international economic competition have led to a growing demand for qualified foreign labor in Turkiye. Especially in recent years, as Turkiye has become a target country for migration, the issue of work permits for foreigners has become a hot topic of employment.

Turkiye’s Medium-Term Program (MTP) for 2024-2026 serves as a comprehensive roadmap for aligning the nation with global, regional, and domestic economic indicators and trends. This document delineates key policies aimed at bolstering the Turkish economy, with a particular focus on the policies affecting the business and investment landscape. In this article, we have addressed the most significant elements of this policy that impact the M&A ecosystem in Turkiye.