🇺🇦 Follow-Up: Amendments to Ukraine’s #Gambling Legislation now in force 👇 The amendments to gambling regulations, which we covered in an earlier post, officially came into force on 1 April 2025. These changes aim to combat gambling addiction (ludomania) and strengthen the state regulation of gambling and #lottery activities. The Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries has officially ceased operations as of 1 April 2025. 📌 Further developments: 🔸 The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has been appointed as the central executive body responsible for formation of the state policy on gambling and lotteries. 🔸 A new executive body, the State Agency PlayCity, will be established to replace the former regulator.   💡 Have questions? Contact Natalia Kirichenko, Partner, for more details. 🖥️ Read our coverage of the updates which are now in effect: https://lnkd.in/d8vsNZbp #intheknow #UkraineLegislation #GamblingRegulation #Compliance #LegalUpdates #IndustryNews

🌟 Join us at the #Automotive R&D Conference organised by The Diplomat Bucharest this week 📅 on April 11, 📍 at the Parliament Palace in #Bucharest. 🔍 The event explores the key R&D trends shaping the automotive industry in 2025, highlighting emerging technologies, investment patterns, and strategic initiatives that are poised to redefine the future of transportation. 🎤 Representing Kinstellar’s state-aid service line, Iulian Sorescu, Partner and Head of practice, will join the event as speaker in the first session (starting at 10:30 AM), where he will share insights on R&D Strategies in a rapidly evolving market. 🔗 For more details about the event and the registration process, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dcdSdcei. 👥 We look forward to seeing you there and engaging with other leaders and innovators in the automotive sector! #intheknow #AutomotiveSector #StateAid #ResearchAndDevelopment #Kinstellar #TheDiplomatBucharest

🚨 🇨🇿 Big changes ahead for #Czech employers! Are you ready? The Czech Parliament has just approved a major amendment to the Labour Code—nicknamed the “#Flexinovela”—bringing some of the most significant updates in recent years. The new rules are expected to enter into force on 1 June 2025. 💡 From shorter notice periods and salary transparency to longer probation periods, parental leave flexibility, and revised rules for employing minors—these changes will require a comprehensive review of existing contracts and internal policies. ⚠️ Many provisions will directly impact your employment documentation and day-to-day HR operations. Non-compliance could cost you—literally. 📜 Scroll through our visual summary for the 11 key takeaways and what they mean for your business. 👇 Now is the time to get prepared. #intheknow #LabourLaw #CzechRepublic #HRCompliance #EmploymentLaw #Flexinovela #LegalUpdate #WorkplacePolicy #GenderPayTransparency #HRAlert

📣 🇦🇹 2024 insights and 2025 outlook of the #Austrian M&A market. Philipp Kapl, Horst Ebhardt, Partners, and Associates Matija Bernat and Nicolas Haaser, in our #Vienna office, co-authored an in-depth overview of the Austrian M&A market, featured on Chambers and Partners #Europe. 💡 🔍 The analysis sheds light on the complexities of a market that had a 7.9% increase in deal count, but showed a 24.2% decrease in transaction volume last year compared to 2023, with no mega-deals recorded in 2024 – a notable deviation from global trends. Read the article to explore key trends and developments in the Austrian M&A sector, including: 📌 Sector dominance of telecommunications, industry, and technology 📌 Legal innovations such as Flexible Corporation (#FlexCo), a new form of corporation 📌 Possible implications of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (#CSDDD) 📌 Effects of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (#FSR) on the M&A market 🌍 Looking ahead, Austria's M&A landscape faces a mixed outlook for 2025. While interest rates and inflation are gradually easing and GDP shows signs of modest growth, the steady rise in insolvencies, high financing costs, and geopolitical uncertainties continue to pose significant challenges. 📎 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dzCc6GYq #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #MergersAndAcquisitions #AustriaM&A #Austria #LegalInsights #CorporateLaw #PrivateEquity

📢 What’s new in Romanian competition law ⚖️ The Romanian Competition Council (#RCC) has been highly active this quarter — publishing new FDI guidelines, clearing major mergers, and imposing substantial fines. Here’s a quick look at the key developments: ⬇️ 📘 #FDI Guidelines: Draft rules clarify how to calculate investment value, when to file based on preliminary agreements, and what counts as “control” — aligning with merger control standards. The public consultation ran until mid-March. 🤝 M&A round-up: Nine deals approved across sectors like insurance, energy, DIY, and automotive. OMV Petrom’s transport outsourcing deal also got the green light. 🔍 Investigations in focus: • Alleged abuse of dominance in the LPG port services market • Suspected bid-rigging in residential construction tenders 📉 Major fines issued: • EUR 26M for restricting generic COPD drugs (Boehringer Ingelheim) • EUR 44M for price coordination in the cement industry 🔗 Full article here: https://lnkd.in/dj3wE8et 🖋️ By: Luiza Bedros (Associated Partner), Cătălin Graure (Counsel), Cristina Costin (Junior Associate) #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #CompetitionLaw #Antitrust #LegalUpdate #Romania #MarketWatch #MergersandAcquisitions

We're delighted to announce the well-deserved promotions of three outstanding lawyers in our Budapest office 🎉 Huge congratulations to: ⭐ Aron Barta who has been promoted to Managing Associate. Áron focuses on Corporate, Capital Markets and Corporate Restructuring matters. Áron’s expertise encompasses capital market matters including IPOs and SPO and he has experience advising and representing leading multinational corporates in handling the wide range of legal, regulatory and strategic issues arising from complex corporate restructuring projects. ⭐ Fanni Oroszi, LL.M who has been promoted to Senior Associate. Fanni focuses on competition law, merger control, state aid, consumer protection, general compliance, foreign direct investments and environmental matters. ⭐ Gergely Simon Lipták dr. LL.M. who has been promoted to Senior Associate. Gergely is specialized in a wide range of corporate matters with a sharp focus on private and public limited companies, along with a keen interest and strong regulatory mindset in capital markets focusing on regulated markets, securities issuance as well as investment fund managers, and their respective funds. 💬 Balazs Sepsey, Office Managing Partner in Budapest, adds: “It is incredibly rewarding to witness the growth of such talented and driven professionals. As a leader, I see it as my mission to support them in reaching their full potential. These promotions are a testament to their hard work and dedication — and I am excited to see who steps up next.” Please join us in congratulating Áron, Fanni, and Gergely on this fantastic milestone! 👏 #ExceptionalTogether #Promotions #LeadingLawyers #Growth #Budapest #Hungary #ManagingAssociate #SeniorAssociate

📊 🇧🇬 Kinstellar Bulgaria: Banking, Finance & Capital Markets Briefing – April 2025 📑 Our latest update covers significant legislative and regulatory developments in Bulgaria affecting the financial sector — from proposed caps on bank fees and statutory interest rate changes to new frameworks for crypto assets and non-performing loans. We also dive into key case law, including CJEU’s ruling on asymmetric jurisdiction clauses and Supreme Court decisions impacting loan acceleration, limitation periods, and mortgages on future properties. 🔗 Full briefing available here: https://lnkd.in/dtCbcddR 💡 Have a topic you'd like us to explore? Feel free to contact us. #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #Banking #Finance #CapitalMarkets #Bulgaria #LegalUpdate #Crypto #NPLs