Client Alerts

On May 31, a new legal institution in Polish procedural law came into force. The main goal of the modifications is to further digitalize proceedings. These changes could be a positive development for the judiciary, but on the other hand, they could be viewed as negative, as certain legal constructions can generate very serious problems and threaten the interests of the parties involved.

The work on a particularly significant amendment to the Polish Labor Code has been finalized. On 20 May 2019, the Act amending the Polish Labor Code and other acts ("Act") was passed to the President of Poland for a signature. The Act contains several changes, but the two most significant are related to mobbing and the issuing of work certificates. The first one aims to encourage employers to effectively counteract mobbing and therefore expands a catalog of individuals entitled to demand compensation due to mobbing. The second change provides for an extension to applying for corrections to an employee's work certificate.

The Constitutional Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopts the Decision by which it ruled that certain provisions of five local laws are contrary to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The Parliament adopted a new Bill amending the Energy Act introducing a number of measures to further integrate RES Generation into the liberalised market and abolishing electricity export fees.

The new Persons with Disabilities Act (PDA) aims to enhance conditions for social and labour integration of people with disabilities in Bulgaria and provides stricter obligations for employers compared to the formerly applicable framework. From April 2019, Rules for Implementation of the PDA were adopted to provide further guidance to employers on the new obligations. First deadline for employers under the new PDA and the Rules is 2 July 2019.

The Austrian Foreign Trade Act (AußWG 2011) contains provisions requiring ex ante approval for certain foreign direct investments ("FDI") in Austria.

On 7 May 2019, the Ministry of Economic Affairs published a consultation draft for amendments to those provisions ("Draft"). The Draft aims to create more transparency and certainty around FDI approval in Austria, and a sharper approval regime for certain transactions (especially pertaining to investors affiliated with governments of non-EU states). In this regard, it also takes into account Regulation (EU) 2019/452 "establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union", which establishes a framework...

On 25 April 2019 the Amendments to the Act on Combating Drugs Abuse entered into force which liberalizes the cultivation and production of low THC cannabis for medicinal purposes in Croatia.

New amendments to the Croatian Companies Act entered into force on 20 April 2019. The aim of the amendments is easier and more efficient incorporation and termination of limited liability companies and simple limited liability companies along with the implementation of the Shareholders Directive.