In Serbia, most of the exclusivity arrangements between pharma companies need to be, prior to their implementation, individually exempt by the Serbian Competition Authority (“SCA”). Most recently, the SCA issued two decisions in the individual exemption process. In one it denied, while, in the other it only conditionally approved individual exemptions for exclusive distribution agreements between pharmaceutical companies. These developments show a noticeable shift in the SCA’s stand towards exclusivity arrangements with the SCA taking a stringent approach, limiting the parties' ability to contract exclusivity arrangements in the sector.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

The Commission for Protection of Competition (“CPC”) and the Republic Secretariat for Public Policy (RSPP), in cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), enacted a while back a Control List for Assessing the Impact of Regulations on Competition (“Control List”), which establishes whether a specific proposal or draft regulation could lead to competition distortion in the market.

Nedelka Kubac Advokati has successfully represented Klement in an energy construction bid rigging case before the Slovak Competition Authority.

The most recent promotion round at CMS saw 54 lawyers promoted to the firm's partnership ranks, including Austria-based Daniela Kroemer, David Kohl, Florian Mayer, Kai Ruckelshausen, Lukas Peissl, Marlene Wimmer-Nistelberger, and Sonja Otenhajmer, Bulgaria-based Jenia Dimitrova, Hungary-based Agnes Solyom, Eszter Torok, and Katalin Horvath, and Poland-based Tomasz Sancewicz.

On 2 April 2024, a new bill was submitted to the Hungarian Parliament. Among other judicial system-related acts, the proposal aims to amend our Competition Act. The bill establishes the concept of ‘undertaking of fundamental importance’ (in Hungarian: “alapvető jelentőségű vállalkozás”) and gives new powers for the Competition Authority (HCA) in respect of these undertakings.