Client Alert
Orphan works – a first-time regulation in Bulgaria
Orphan works are works or phonograms first published in the European Union (EU) and protected by copyright or related rights where the proprietor cannot be identified or, if identified, cannot be located despite a diligent and duly documented search....
Czech Republic: Amendment to the energy act
On April, 10 2015 the Chamber of Deputies approved a draft amendment to the Energy Act. At this moment we are waiting for amendment approval by the Senate (the Senate meeting is scheduled from 13 May 2015). If the Senate would return the Amendment to the House of Deputies, the House of Deputies have had to accept the Amendment by a constitutional majority, which seems at the moment very unlikely. It is therefore difficult to assess whether the amendment eventually even in this wording comes into force. The amendment could bring positive change including a substantial reduction of administrative burden for entrepreneurs and small producers of electricity....
The district court of Munich I denies recognition of HaaSanG and of the moratorium referring to liabilities of HETA Asset Resolution
As a follow-up to our Client Alert of 3rd March on the HETA situation, please find attached a new Client Alert in response to media reports over the weekend of a not yet final decision of the District Court of Munich I. In the decision, the court denied recognition of the effects of the Austrian statute on restructuring measures for HYPO ALPE-ADRIA-BANK INTERNATIONAL AG (HaaSanG) as well as of the Austrian Act on the Recovery and Resolution of Banks (BaSAG) and has, to a considerable extent, granted the claim of Bayern LB against HETA for the repayment of several loans....
HETA – Landgericht München I verneint Anerkennung des HaaSanG und des Moratoriums
Das Landgericht München I hat mit einem Urteil vom vergangenen Freitag, den 08.05.2015, für Aufsehen gesorgt, in dem es die Wirksamkeit (i) der aufgrund des österreichischen Bundesgesetzes über Sanierungsmaßnahmen für die HYPO ALPE-ADRIA-BANK INTERNATIONAL AG (HaaSanG) angeordneten Erlöschenswirkung sowie (ii) des aufgrund des österreichischen Bundesgesetzes über die Sanierung und Abwicklung von Banken (BaSAG) angeordneten Aufschubs der Fälligkeit gemäß Mandatsbescheid der FMA vom 01.03.2015 ("Moratorium") auf dem deutschen Recht unterliegende Verbindlichkeiten der HETA gegenüber der BayernLB nicht anerkannte....
Gas market highlights (Hungary)
With new legislation put in place regarding capacity booking and the revocation of universal service licences, and the launch of the national utility company, the past few months have brought considerable changes to the gas market. We have summarised the latest developments....
Neues Recht der GesbR kann massive Auswirkungen auf Syndikatsverträge haben
Seit Beginn des Jahres ist die "Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts" neu geregelt, was auch zu massiven Auswirkungen bei Syndikatsverträgen, die in der Wirtschaft weit verbreitet sind, führen kann. Denn: Syndikatsverträge, auch Stimmbindungsverträge oder Shareholder Agreements genannt, werden nach herrschender Meinung nach GesbR-Recht qualifiziert – damit könnten übliche Kündigungsbeschränkungen oder -verbote als gesetzwidrig eingestuft werden....
EUGH: Keine Bindungswirkung von UVP-Feststellungsbescheiden für Nachbarn
In einer brandaktuellen Entscheidung hat der EuGH festgestellt, dass UVP-Feststellungsbescheide, mit welchen die UVP-Pflicht verneint wird, gegenüber Nachbarn keine Bindungswirkung entfalten. Die Entscheidung wirft zahlreiche Rechtsfragen auf. Eine frühzeitige Befassung mit UVP-Fragen ist unumgänglich....
An American investment fund progressing towards receiving a refund of polish taxes withheld by entities paying it dividends
On 15 April 2015, the Warsaw Administrative Court overturned a decision of the Polish Tax Office refusing a refund to an American investment fund of withholding taxes remitted to the Polish Tax Office by entities paying out dividends to the Fund in 2006-2009....
ECJ: Environmental impact assessment decisions not binding on neighbours
New ECJ decision affects Austrian declaratory EIA decisions: The ECJ recently ruled that declaratory EIA decisions that ex ante deny an EIA obligation are not binding on neighbours. The decision raises numerous legal questions. Therefore, dealing with EIA issues at an early stage is vital....
Serbian competiton authority clears Etihad-Alitalia and Holcim-Lafarge mergers subject to commitments
The Serbian competition authority has recently reviewed two international mergers in close cooperation with the European Commission. At the end it cleared both cases with commitments. The close coordination with the European Commission highlights Serbia`s willingness to align its competition law enforcement practice more closely with that of the EU....
A new turn in Croatian antitrust law?
On Monday, 20 April 2015, the High Administrative Court overturned and declared the decision of the Croatian Competition Agency (“CCA”) as unlawful by which the Croatian Orthodontic Society (“COS”) was accused of having entered into a cartel agreement....
New rules regulating the tobacco industry – Transposing the measuresfor a transparent and monitored market
The provisions of the new Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU adopted on 14 March 2014, aim to reflect the developments concerning tobacco and related products, while focusing on health protection and prevention of illicit trade of such products on the territory of the European Union. The general focus areas of the adopted text that need to be transposed into National law by 20 May 2016, are the following....