The Commission for Protection of the Competition of North Macedonia (CPC) has significantly intensified its enforcement activities in the food retail sector, signalling a stricter regulatory approach toward potential anti-competitive behaviour.

Asters has advised the International Finance Corporation on the restructuring of a USD 120 million loan facility provided to Nibulon. Baker Botts reportedly advised Nibulon.

Walless has advised Scandi Standard on its EUR 18 million acquisition of six chicken farms in Lithuania.

Walless has advised Saare Wind Energy on securing the seabed use rights for an offshore wind farm project in Estonia. 

Walless has advised Milgard Capital on obtaining a license from the Bank of Lithuania to operate as a manager of Collective Investment Undertakings for informed investors.

Schoenherr has successfully advised Stadtwerke Klagenfurt on the environmental impact assessment declaration proceedings for the Alpen-Adria-Sportbad. 

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised PKO Bank Polski on the financing of a 54-megawatt-peak portfolio of photovoltaic projects being developed by PVE Group.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has appointed Katarzyna Lukaszewicz as the new Co-Managing Partner of its Financial Regulatory Practice, alongside Partner Lukasz Gasinski.

Greenberg Traurig has advised GoldenPeaks Capital Holding on the senior and junior financing for the construction of its solar photovoltaic portfolio in Poland. CMS reportedly advised the lenders. Clyde & Co reportedly advised GoldenPeaks as well. Fieldfisher and Wardynski & Partners reportedly advised junior lender Berenberg.

TGS Baltic has advised Invego Latvia on its EUR 8 million secured bond issue, with the bonds now admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Baltic First North alternative market in Tallinn. Triniti reportedly acted as the collateral agent.

Cobalt has advised Luminor Bank as the sole lead manager on Altum's issuance of five-year bonds in the amount of EUR 70 million. 

Wolf Theiss has advised Raiffeisenbank Austria on its recent tender offer for outstanding notes and the successful issuance of new EUR 300 million ordinary senior eligible notes. Linklaters reportedly advised an international banking consortium that participated in the offering.

Former Managing Associate Cosmin Pohaci has been promoted to Partner at Ijdelea & Associates.

Sorainen has successfully advised Saferoad on obtaining Lithuanian Competition Council clearance for the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Gatas.

On 17 March 2025, a new Regulation of the Moldovan Competition Council (the "MCC") on Economic Concentrations (the "New EC Regulation") entered into force in Moldova (as secondary legislation). It introduces several key changes aimed at enhancing the enforcement of competition legislation and increasing transparency. The New EC Regulation transposes several European Union regulations, including the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/914 of 20 April 2023 and the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations 2023/C 160/01.

Following the criticism of the current state of regulatory burden in The Future of European Competitiveness report by Mario Draghi (issued in September 2024) and in the Budapest Declaration by the European Council which called upon European Commission to reduce reporting requirements by at least 25 % in the first half of 2025 (issued in November 2024) the European Commission announced a series of so-called “Omnibus” simplification packages.

In a significant turn in Austrian jurisprudence, the Austrian Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision on February 19, 2025 (file number 7 Ob 169/24i) (2024 Ruling), revising its long-standing position on loan processing fees previously upheld since its judgement in 2016 (Austrian Supreme Court 30.03.2016, 6 Ob 13/16d).

Schoenherr has successfully advised Stadtwerke Klagenfurt on the environmental impact assessment declaration proceedings for the Alpen-Adria-Sportbad. 

Freshfields has advised SMS group on its acquisition of the agglomeration and calcination technologies business from Metso. 

Former Managing Associate Cosmin Pohaci has been promoted to Partner at Ijdelea & Associates.

Wardynski & Partners has advised Animex Holding on its acquisition of Pupil Foods from Fundacja Rodzinna Rodziny Suleckich. GKR Legal advised the seller.

Following the criticism of the current state of regulatory burden in The Future of European Competitiveness report by Mario Draghi (issued in September 2024) and in the Budapest Declaration by the European Council which called upon European Commission to reduce reporting requirements by at least 25 % in the first half of 2025 (issued in November 2024) the European Commission announced a series of so-called “Omnibus” simplification packages.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised PKO Bank Polski on the financing of a 54-megawatt-peak portfolio of photovoltaic projects being developed by PVE Group.

Greenberg Traurig has advised GoldenPeaks Capital Holding on the senior and junior financing for the construction of its solar photovoltaic portfolio in Poland. CMS reportedly advised the lenders. Clyde & Co reportedly advised GoldenPeaks as well. Fieldfisher and Wardynski & Partners reportedly advised junior lender Berenberg.

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.

On April 22, 2024, Everlegal announced it had been appointed to provide legal support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – the UN Refugee Agency – for its activities in Ukraine.

Lambadarios has advised the four systemic Greek banks Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Piraeus Bank, and the National Bank of Greece on the EUR 1.3 billion financing of the new Northern Road Axis of Crete. Marinos Petroulias advised the developer, GEK Terna.

Wardynski & Partners has advised ICEYE on the contract to supply a MicroSAR Satellite Earth Observation System to the Polish Armed Forces.

PPPs represent a long-term collaboration between the public and private sectors, enabling more efficient construction, maintenance, and management of infrastructure, with an optimal distribution of risks and financial obligations.

Austria continues to experience a wave of significant insolvencies, stretching court resources and prompting comparisons to past recessions. Recent legal frameworks have introduced new possibilities for restructuring, though so far with limited uptake. Taylor Wessing Counsel & Head of Insolvency Andreas Howadt examines both the immediate pressures – rising liabilities, high-profile failures, and logistical strains – and the evolving legal environment looking ahead to 2025.

JDP has advised Apleona Group on reorganization of its Polish companies. 

Cobalt has advised Creditreform Latvija on a multi-stage reorganization. 

Pekin & Pekin has advised Arda Turan on his recent appointment as Head Coach of Ukrainian club FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

On 2 May 2025, the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Labour Code of Ukraine Regarding the Improvement of Legal Regulation of Certain Issues of Home-based and Remote Work" (the "Law") entered into force.

In a progressive move towards formalising seasonal and occasional work, the Assembly of North Macedonia has adopted a groundbreaking law to regulate temporary employment across key sectors. This legislative development aims to streamline the hiring process for temporary workers while ensuring they receive essential social security benefits.

Schoenherr has advised the shareholder of MyBestPharm on the sale to Laboratoires Urgo Healthcare. DLA Piper reportedly advised the buyers.

Sorainen has advised SafePAS on a EUR 700,000  investment round that saw the participation of Securetec Detektions-Systeme, the Estonian Business Angels Network, PurposeTech, BSV Ventures, and the Beamline Accelerator.

Madirazza & Partners has advised Abris Capital-backed Dental Holding on its acquisition of Sanitaria Dental and SCL Logistika in Croatia, and Sanitaria in Hungary. DLA Piper reportedly advised Dental Holding as well.

Former Managing Associate Cosmin Pohaci has been promoted to Partner at Ijdelea & Associates.

Liviu Togan has rejoined Musat & Asociatii as a Partner.

Popescu & Asociatii has successfully represented Viorelo International in obtaining more than RON 60 million in compensation in expropriation proceedings before a court in Romania.

Kocian, Solc, Balastik has advised Gridarch on the sale of a 110,000-square-meter land plot located within the Ostrava Airport Multimodal Park to EQT Exeter.

Integrites has advised Terwin Group on the structuring and financing of a USD 700 million investment project aimed at developing a nationwide logistics network across Ukraine.

Kutadgu & Arsi has advised Pacifistar Logistics Group on establishing the Star Concord Turkey Lojistik joint venture with Consol Management.

Pohla & Hallmagi, working with Wikborg Rein, has advised Marine Energy Solutions on its acquisition of the PRIME oil tanker. Reed Smith reportedly advised the unidentified sellers.

Kyriakides Georgopoulos announced that the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund's sale of a 67% stake in the Heraklion Port Authority to a consortium consisting of Grimaldi Euromed and Minoan Lines (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 11, 2024) closed on September 18, 2024.

PeliPartners has advised Bogdan Idu and his group companies on the sale of an LPG maritime terminal in Romania to Nawaf Salameh Family Office Group.

Greenberg Traurig has advised VeloBank, its holding company, and its shareholders, including funds affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, on the acquisition of Bank Handlowy w Warszawie's consumer business in Poland from Citibank Europe and BHW. Rymarz Zdort Maruta advised BHW. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advised Cerberus Capital Management. Clifford Chance reportedly advised Citibank.

Schoenherr has advised Perpetual Growth on its partnership with Prewave. Act Legal reportedly advised Prewave.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised GIA Investments on the sale of five entities, including Polska Grupa Brokerska, International Brokers Group, BD Advisory and Assistance, GSU Centrum Uslug Wspolnych, and GSU Polisa, to MJM Holdings. DLA Piper and Slaughter and May advised MHM Holdings.

Sayenko Kharenko has provided pro bono support for a cultural initiative that aims to set war-time poems, written by Ukrainian defenders, to music. 

Musat & Asociatii has won an appeal before the High Court of Cassation and Justice against a prior decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, allowing the retrial of the review application in the case concerning the torturers of Romanian anti-communist dissident Gheorghe Ursu.

Ellex has offered pro bono representation in a same-sex parenthood case before the national courts in Lithuania, resulting in the first-ever recognition of same-sex parents.

Kocian, Solc, Balastik has advised Gridarch on the sale of a 110,000-square-meter land plot located within the Ostrava Airport Multimodal Park to EQT Exeter.

Popescu & Asociatii has successfully represented Viorelo International in obtaining more than RON 60 million in compensation in expropriation proceedings before a court in Romania.

Wolf Theiss has advised Erste Group Bank and Banca Comerciala Romana on the EUR 21 million financing facility extended to Danube Capital Partners for the Day Tower office building in Bucharest. Stratulat Albuescu advised Danube Capital Partners.

As of 2025, the Hungarian Tax Authority (NAV) has established specialized transfer pricing expert departments, indicating an increased focus and scrutiny on transactions between affiliated companies. The three new departments are located in Budapest and in the eastern and western parts of Hungary (one in each region) and have special competence regarding the complex transaction between affiliated parties within Hungary or cross-border alike.

With the rise of digital platforms and the possibilities that the internet provides for businesses, more and more sellers are able to offer goods and services via these platforms and the internet. In this context, it has been difficult for the Ukrainian tax authorities to trace the flow of goods and services as well as to identify sellers to ensure that these goods and services are duly taxed.

Camiel van der Meij has joined Drzewiecki Tomaszek & Partners as a Partner.

Former Managing Associate Cosmin Pohaci has been promoted to Partner at Ijdelea & Associates.

The Law on the Protection of Personal Data ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 87/2018) - hereinafter: "the Law", and following the example of the Regulation (EU) - 2016/679 - General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), introduced the term and consequently the function – Data Protection Officer ("DPO").

Former Ellex Partner Migle Petkeviciene has joined Sorainen as a Partner.

Co-founded by Partners Adrian Georgescu and Ionut Gont, white collar boutique law firm Georgescu Gont has opened for business in Bucharest.

Galya Gugusheva has joined Gugushev & Partners as a Senior Partner.

CEE Legal Matters is proud to introduce the latest in our Comparative Guides series. This one focuses on Bribery & Corruption in CEE.