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Non-Bank Lending in Serbia
September 2023 – According to Article 5 of the Serbian Banking Act (Zakon o bankama), no person other than a bank licensed in Serbia may engage in the granting of loans unless authorised by law. One Serbian law that does allow foreign banks (i.e., banks not established and licensed in Serbia) to provide cross-border loans to Serbian entities is the Serbian Foreign Exchange Act (Zakon o deviznom poslovanju). In particular, Article 18(7) of the Foreign Exchange Act expressly allows Serbian entities to borrow cross-border from foreign banks, which are not required to obtain a banking licence in Serbia for this purpose. Corporate finance Bearing in mind that raising capital on the capital markets through the issuance of bonds and
Kinstellar advises YouGov on the acquisition of GfK's consumer panel business
Kinstellar, in conjunction with DLA Piper, has advised international online research data and analytics technology group YouGov plc on the acquisition of the European Consumer Panel Business of GfK, a German market research firm, for EUR 315 million. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, YouGov has one of the world's largest research networks. Its products and services draw upon a detailed understanding of more than 24+ million registered individuals to deliver accurate, actionable consumer insights. GfK CP compasses over 100,000 households with panels across 16 European countries collecting and providing data on household purchases and insights intо the FMCG sector. The acquisition is subject to customary closing
Kinstellar strengthens its presence in Serbia by teaming up with and integrating SOG Law Firm
Kinstellar is delighted to announce that it has joined forces with leading Serbian law firm SOG in a strategic partnership that will significantly enhance our capabilities and position on the Serbian market. This new partnership brings together the collective strengths, resources, and experience of both law firms, creating a stronger offering in Serbia and the Western Balkans region. It presents a unique opportunity to achieve greater success, provide enhanced services to clients, and expand our local footprint. SOG — Kinstellar’s new team in Serbia SOG is a full-service and top-tier law firm in Serbia founded by a group of seasoned, internationally trained lawyers. The firm, similar in size to our current
Loot boxes – still a mystery in CEE?
The recent resolution of the European Parliament on video games calls on the European Commission to take the necessary steps to bring about a European approach to loot boxes which could lead to more restrictive regulation. Kinstellar’s TMT team looked into the national framework for loot boxes in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine to conclude that, while no specific local laws exist, the developments around gambling regulation should be monitored, as loot boxes have already been discussed in the context of national rules on gambling in some countries. Click on this link or the image below to read an overview prepared by our TMT experts in each jurisdiction.
Current eHealth trends in CEE and Turkey
The healthcare industry in Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey is undergoing a digital transformation, with telemedicine at the forefront. Governments and healthcare providers are adopting digital solutions to improve medical services and support healthcare system digitization, which can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve access to healthcare. Click on this link or the image below to read the overview put together by a team of our experts led by Partner Tomáš Čihula.
EUIPO offers SMEs trade mark and design grants of up to EUR 1,350
The European Commission and European Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”) have launched a small and medium sized business fund (SME Fund) to provide reimbursement for trademark and design application fees and pre diagnostic services. The grant scheme, designed to encourage SMEs to expand their IP portfolios, has a budget of EUR 25 million, available on a first come, first serve basis. The submission period for applications runs from 23 January to 8 December 2023. Read more in the brochure below: Download in English: In case of any questions with respect to the above, our specialists
Kinstellar named Law Firm of the Year in Central Europe at The Lawyer European Awards ceremony
Kinstellar is pleased to announce that it has been named “2022 Law Firm of the Year: Central Europe” by the leading UK and European legal publication The Lawyer at its annual European Awards ceremony. Each year the awards celebrate excellence across the European legal market and recognise firms that have demonstrated outstanding achievements through their mandates, performance, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service. Winners are chosen from among over 120 independent law firms headquartered in Europe and global firms across the continent. Kinstellar is also proud to have been shortlisted for the “Law Firm of the Year: South Eastern Europe” and ‘’Law Firm of the Year: Ukraine’’
Focus on Merger Control in the Balkans: Kosovo
A new Competition Act entered into force in Kosovo in summer 2022. The most important change introduced by the new Competition Act is the change of the merger control threshold. Click on the link and image below to read more. Kinstellar Kosovo Merger Control
Kinstellar bolsters its competition & compliance practice in Belgrade with new hires
Kinstellar, Emerging Europe and Central Asia’s leading independent law firm, is delighted to announce the appointment of Olga Šipka as a Special Counsel in the Belgrade office and the head of the local Competition and Compliance service line. Olga Šipka is a highly regarded and experienced lawyer in the Serbian and regional (ex-Yugoslavia) markets. Olga’s core practices include competition and antitrust, regulatory and compliance. She boasts significant, broad-based experience advising and representing leading Serbian and international companies on numerous competition, corporate, data protection, regulatory and M&A projects covering Serbia and the Western Balkans. Her experience extends across a wide range of
The perfect storm in business through the prism of global risks
"The Perfect Storm in Business through the Prism of Global Risks" was the topic of a panel discussion held on 19 May 2022 at the Metropol Hotel in Belgrade, jointly organized by the Business Intelligence Institute, TPA Srbija, Joint Law Office Marić in cooperation with Kinstellar and Samer & Co. Shipping. The oxymoron "Perfect Storm" means any event in which the situation is drastically complicated by an extremely rare set of circumstances. Rising raw material prices, the consequences of the pandemic, green transformation and global conflicts are topics that are on the agenda of all companies. The complexity of the current situation is reflected in its implications, including investments, companies, geopolitics, local
5G auctions
As the process of 5G coverage expansion continues, we bring you a short status update on 5G auctions and 5G rollout in the Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions. Kazakhstan Frequency already allocated: 3.5 GHz. Announced / expected 5G auctions: Three lots each for 100 MHz around 3.5 GHz will be sold at auctions that are planned for the end of May 2022. One lot per city—Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Shymkent—will be offered. Stage of 5G auctions and auction method: The relevant law and regulations for holding auctions have been adopted. Auctions will be held in two stages. At the first stage the bidders' compliance with qualification requirements
Transposition of New Deal for Consumers (Omnibus Directive, SGD, DCD)
Nearly a year has passed since the lapse of the transposition period for the Digital Content Directive and the Sale of Goods Directive, which brought important changes to national consumer protection rules. However, many jurisdictions still have not implemented the Directives. We are closely monitoring the implementation process in our EU jurisdictions. Below is an overview of the implementation status of the Directives in the remaining EU Member States where Kinstellar operates that have not yet implemented the Directivesand a brief summary of the main changes and the expected country-specific implications for business. In addition, we bring you information from several non-EU countries that have taken inspiration from the