Ukraine has moved quickly to bolster its defense industrial base, with a new Defense City regime offering tax, customs, and administrative incentives to manufacturers, according to Kinstellar Partner Natalia Kirichenko, with the framework aiming to cut red tape, speed up production, and attract both domestic and international players under wartime conditions.

Latvia’s defense sector is taking off, drawing fresh investments and reshaping legal work, while renewable energy projects move into full swing and law firms race to keep up with talent and tech changes, according to Cobalt Partner Gatis Flinters.

Bosnia & Herzegovina may be light on new projects as politics continues to eclipse the economy, but one reform is quietly reshaping the legal market, according to Law Office Dizdar Founder Slaven Dizdar, who spotlights the Federation’s new Law on the Legal Profession, its first comprehensive overhaul in two decades.

Croatia’s deal flow is lively, with investor appetite outpacing the supply of high-quality targets and activity visible across a range of sectors, according to Attorney at Law Ivan Zornada, who also focuses on an important draft for the FDI-screening regime, possible US tariff impacts, and succession-driven exits.

Kosovo’s regulatory landscape is shifting fast, with a key highlight from Energy Regulatory Office decision pushing certain companies which meet the criteria entering the open power market and sparking legal challenges, according to RPHS Law Head of Energy Blerina Ramaj, who, at the same time, reports of a wind-power public auction framework and a new crypto-licensing regime aligned with EU rules as signals of a broader push toward modernization and EU convergence.

Albania’s post-election agenda is shifting into high gear, with a newly seated parliament pushing EU accession alignment and sector reforms, according to Lalaj & Partners Partner Sabina Lalaj, who says momentum is visible across key areas, from environmental legislation and SEPA integration to construction, real estate, and tourism.

Slovenia hasn’t seen many sweeping reforms lately, but a standout change, the amended Act on General Administrative Procedure, pushes hard on digitization and faster state processes, trimming deadlines and reshaping regulatory work, according to Fatur Menard Partner Lovro Jurgec, who also mentions a draft easing the Attorneys Act’s strict promotional limits and a fresh Pension Act overhaul.

Serbia is taking steps to curb illegal construction and boost corporate transparency, aiming to simplify property legalization and tighten oversight of company ownership, according to Injac Attorneys Managing Partner Nemanja Injac.

In North Macedonia, energy and infrastructure are dominant topics, with a new roadmap, looming deadlines, and a billion-euro project finally pushing long-stalled developments forward, according to Apostolska Aleksandrovski & Partners Partner Igor Aleksandrovski.

Turkiye’s tight credit and stalled megaprojects resulted in a slowdown in real estate and investment, but residential demand, M&A, and tech activity keep the market afloat ahead of a hoped-for 2026 rebound, according to Balcioglu Selcuk Eymirlioglu Ardiyok Keki Attorney Partnership Partner Ali Can Goren.

Romania’s sweeping tax changes in 2025, including higher VAT, dividend, and bank levies, have unsettled investors and slowed projects, yet the government hopes these measures will stabilize the budget and secure long-term growth, according to Vernon David Senior Partner Daniela David.

Bulgaria is undergoing a transformative period, with the euro transition, a fully operational FDI regime, the newly adopted Personal Insolvency Act, and major energy and infrastructure initiatives reshaping the legal and business landscape across multiple sectors, according to Wolf Theiss Partner Radosveta Kojuharova.

The Greek market is experiencing a wave of activity across multiple sectors, with M&A, energy, real estate, and startups all drawing strong investor interest, according to Drakopoulos Partner Petros Fragkiskos.

Slovenia is pursuing an ambitious reform agenda, from revamping its courts to attracting global talent and boosting investment opportunities – sending a clear message that it’s open, modern, and ready for business, according to Selih & Partnerji Partner Alen Savic.

Hungary’s usually quieter summer months have been marked by unusual levels of activity, according to Szabo Kelemen & Partners Andersen Hungary Partner Balazs Dominek, who points to rapid-fire legislative changes, evolving FDI rules, and new retail and energy regulations as key developments reshaping the market and keeping lawyers busier than expected.

Montenegro has been navigating a turbulent year on the legislative front, with sweeping changes across construction and corporate law already reshaping the business landscape, according to Komnenic & Partners Managing Partner Milos Komnenic.

Serbia is experiencing a mix of cautious normalization and uncertainty: while schools and universities have reopened and major projects like EXPO 2027 are moving ahead, inflation, political discontent, and questions over energy supply and stability continue to shape a turbulent landscape, according to JPM & Partners Senior Partner Jelena Gazivoda.

The Moldovan legal market might be relatively static at the moment, but beneath the surface, notable trends are reshaping its dynamics, according to Melnic | Bercu Partner Vlad Bercu, who points to the rise of AI-driven smaller firms, political turbulence around the legal profession’s independence, growing interest in IT, renewables, and labor leasing as developments worth watching.