In Serbia, the regulatory authority for the life sciences sector is the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency. This agency oversees a diverse array of functions aimed at ensuring that medicines and medical devices are safe, of high quality, and effective. It is also responsible for approving clinical trials, ensuring adherence to the rigorous standards of good clinical practice. An essential component of this process is the ethics committee, an independent expert body that reviews clinical trials. This committee is composed of specialists from the fields of medicine, law, ethics, and other relevant disciplines, tasked with protecting the rights, safety, and well-being of trial subjects while also ensuring public protection of their rights.

In today’s business landscape, the implementation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards has become crucial for the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of companies in various industries. ESG standards increasingly shape the business strategies of companies from various sectors. The implementation of ESG standards in the transport and logistics sector brings with it various difficulties, but also considerable benefits. However, given that it is widely known how much the logistics and transport sector affects the environment (primarily due to the greenhouse effect), and how important this sector is for the global economy, the application of ESG standards in this sector becomes a conditio sine qua non.

Although Serbia’s Labor Law has remained unchanged for years, adjacent legislative developments reflect how employers are adapting to evolving workplace realities. Two such areas, work from home and labor shortages, have been addressed through the new Law on Safety and Health at Work and updated regulations on employing foreign nationals, both adopted in 2023. These developments indicate a gradual but meaningful adjustment in regulatory priorities in response to practical challenges faced by employers.

As an EU candidate country, Serbia has committed to aligning its climate policies with the European Green Deal and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. Since the launch of the Berlin Process in 2014, Serbia has made tangible progress, including the adoption of the Law on Climate Change in 2021 as the legal foundation for its transition toward climate neutrality by 2050.

After attracting EUR 5.2 billion in foreign direct investment in 2024, Serbia continues to attract significant investment interest across energy, real estate, and manufacturing sectors in 2025. With this renewed inflow of capital and expansion of joint ventures, the nuances of shareholder relationships in limited liability companies are coming into sharper focus, especially for founders, joint venture partners, and minority investors. While the Companies Act offers a legal foundation in this climate, much of the real control and protection lies in what is known as the “shareholders’ agreement,” a private contract that defines how shareholders invest, cooperate, and exit.

The Serbian energy market is characterized by a strong reliance on coal, while aiming to significantly increase the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in total electricity production. The Strategy on Energy Development until 2040 with the Projection until 2050 (Strategy), adopted in 2024, sets forth as its main goals: energy security, the decarbonization of the energy sector, environmental protection, improvement of energy efficiency, and the establishment of an economically competitive energy market. Serbia is now producing approximately 60% of its electricity from coal, with RES’s share in the total production portfolio targeted to increase to 45% by 2030 and 73% by 2040.

Although the Slovenian capital market is still in the developing phase and has not yet reached its full potential, recent updates to the regulatory framework and market infrastructure represent substantial improvements. Such developments are related to a) the remarkable growth of the investment funds industry (especially in the field of alternative investment funds), b) the entry into force of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), and c) the enactment of new legislation related to personal investment accounts.

Slovenia’s banking sector continues to exhibit conservative lending trends, with growth concentrated in the household segment. Lending to non-financial corporations remains flat on a year-on-year basis, while household deposits are on the rise. Despite steady progress in digitalization, cash remains dominant – nearly 64% of payment transactions at physical locations in 2024 were conducted in cash.

Following the March 2025 amendment to Hungary’s Fundamental Law, which elevated the use of cash as a constitutionally protected right, significant legislative changes entered into force on 1 July 2025. These amendments aim to bring existing legal provisions in line with the constitutional recognition of the freedom to pay with cash, thereby guaranteeing that consumers can continue to choose their preferred method of payment, including cash, when purchasing goods or using services.

At the meeting of the Social-Economic Council of the Republic of Serbia, a decision was made on an extraordinary increase in the minimum wage in Serbia, which enters into force on 1 October 2025.

Amid the shifting geopolitical landscape in Europe—marked by heightened pressure on defense capabilities and the imperative to enhance strategic resilience—Romania occupies a pivotal position in the region’s security architecture.

It’s mid-July, the summer is in full swing, and most of us are either on annual leave or eagerly counting down the days until we can finally unplug and recharge. That’s why I decided to dedicate this light, summer-friendly topic, perfect for reading in the shade at +35°C, to reminding us that the right to paid annual leave is not only one of the fundamental human rights, but also a necessary response to the lifestyle we lead.

In a rapidly evolving global landscape, regulatory expectations are becoming increasingly complex. While transitional periods may offer a degree of flexibility, the pace of regulatory change demands continuous attention from market players and dedicated resources to maintain compliance and achieve long-term operational resilience.

The fight against software piracy has entered its second phase, marking a significant shift from the earlier era of physical piracy to the current challenges of combating digital piracy.

In light of a judgment rendered in proceedings for the annulment of an unlawful decision terminating an employment contract upon expiry of the probationary period, a question has arisen which, from the standpoint of legal theory and the fundamental principles of labor law, arguably should not be a matter of dispute: should a termination decision issued upon the expiry of the probationary period include a statement of reasons?

On 03.07.2025, the Albanian Parliament approved Law No. 56/2025, adding a new provision to Law No. 7764, dated 02.11.1993, “On Foreign Investments”, as amended. This law was published in the Official Gazette on 11.07.2025.

On 27 June 2025, the Assembly of North Macedonia adopted a new Electronic Communications Act (ECA). This landmark legislation represents a comprehensive overhaul of the country's digital regulatory framework, aligning it with the European Electronic Communications Code (Directive 2018/1972) (the "Directive") and the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (Regulation 2024/1309) (the "Regulation").

By Resolution No. 847 of 14 July 2025, the Government amended the Criteria and Procedure for designating enterprises, institutions, and organizations as critically important for the functioning of the economy and the maintenance of vital public life during extraordinary periods (the "Criteria").