With preparations for the 2024 CEE Legal Matters Hungary General Counsel Summit in full swing, Schoenherr's Miklos Klenanc talks about the upcoming event and the panel he'll be moderating.

Wolf Theiss, working alongside Clifford Chance, has advised Cellnex Telecom on the EUR 803 million sale of its Austrian telecommunications tower assets to a consortium comprising Vauban Infrastructure Partners, EDF Invest, and MEAG. Schoenherr, working with the Paris and London offices of Hogan Lovells, advised the buyers.

The sustainable finance sector has seen a surge, with Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs) hitting EUR 212 billion in early 2024^[1], driven by a global emphasis on environmental responsibility and incentivizing ESG-compliant practices. This trend underscores the role of SLLs in corporate finance and global sustainability efforts.

Schoenherr has advised EBG MedAustron on the expansion of the MedAustron cancer treatment and research center in Wiener Neustadt. 

In Austria, almost 1,000 units of stored blood are needed every day; in Germany, it is around 15,000 units. Blood is an important emergency medication in the event of accidents, childbirth, surgeries or serious illnesses. It has a shelf life of only 42 days and cannot be produced artificially.

Schoenherr has promoted Nora Olah to Local Partner in its Bucharest office.

RTPR has advised Romcim on its acquisition of Tehno World. Schoenherr advised Romcim on the associated merger clearance and FDI filing and Popovici, Nitu, Stoica & Asociatii advised TehnoWorld on the deal.

Schoenherr has advised Austrotherm GmbH on the merger control filings for the acquisition of the EPS insulation business unit of the Austrian insulation manufacturer Brucha.

RTPR has advised Innova Capital on the sale of Optical Investment Group to EssilorLuxottica. Schoenherr reportedly advised EssilorLuxottica.

Schoenherr has advised Funke Works on its acquisition of Freyspiel from Sonja and Jakob Frey. Griss & Partners advised the sellers.

Moravcevic, Vojnovic and Partners in cooperation with Schoenherr has advised Fortis Renewable Energy on the acquisition of a 180-megawatt solar power plant in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised Assa Abloy on the acquisition of Skidata from the Kudelski Group. Baker McKenzie, working with Hogan Lovells, Holding Redlich, and Lenz & Staehelin, advised the Kudelski Group.

On 26 June 2024, the Romanian Competition Council (the "RCC") announced that it had conducted a dawn raid as part of an investigation concerning the possible abuse of a superior bargaining position by a company active in the supply of liquid medicinal oxygen against a public hospital. The investigation has been launched ex officio as a result of information received from public sources. The case is noteworthy as it marks the first time the RCC has launched a review regarding an alleged abuse of superior bargaining position, a relatively new type of infringement under Romanian competition rules.

Schoenherr has advised R-GOL.com on its acquisition of a majority stake in SportBM.

Derivatives, repurchases, and securities lending transactions are often used by sophisticated financial institutions and large corporate entities in Bulgaria to manage their portfolios of investments, hedge against financial risks, or get short-term credit. Such products are predominantly offered on an OTC basis by foreign banks, with mainly the largest local banks having the know-how and resources to do the same.

Schoenherr has advised Bontexgeo on the sale of an industrial asset in Tiszaujvaros. The undisclosed buyer was reportedly advised by sole practitioner Livia Bretscher.

In a recent judgment, the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) held that the claim "climate neutral" is ambiguous and often misleading unless the advertisement itself explains its specific meaning. This sets a trend for Austria, where courts have traditionally followed the standards set by the BGH in relation to environmental advertising when assessing such claims under unfair competition law. On an EU level, the restrictions regarding claims about greenhouse gas emissions are becoming even stricter, leaving advertisers with much to consider before making claims such as "climate neutral".

Schoenherr has advised Siemens Energy on a joint venture agreement with Koncar for the production of transformer tanks. Mamic Peric Reberski Rimac advised Koncar.