On 31 July 2025, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the new Games of Chance Act, introducing significant reforms to the gambling sector. The Act brings notable changes, including the elimination of the concession model, increased financial obligations for operators, enhanced player protection measures, stricter advertising restrictions, and the establishment of a state-owned lottery. The Act […]
Fagron BV, the global leader in pharmaceutical compounding, providing personalized pharmaceutical care across 36 countries, has entered the Serbian market through the acquisition of two local companies: UNI-CHEM DOO Beograd and SB TRADE d.o.o. BDK Advokati acted as legal counsel to Fagron BV on both transactions. The team was led by senior partner Vladimir […]
The Higher Regional Court of Cologne recently published the reasoning for its decision of 23 May 2025 regarding the permissibility of Meta’s processing of users’ personal data for the purpose of AI training. The Court found that such processing is lawful under the GDPR. Background Following Meta’s announcement of its intention to use public personal […]
In March 2024, the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted the Financial Instruments Act (“Financial Instrument Act“) and the Act on Prospectus and Transparency Obligations for Issuers of Securities (“Prospectus and Transparency Act“) with the aim of harmonizing the domestic legal framework with the EU directives and regulations governing capital markets, most importantly […]
Neftys Pharma, a France-based distribution platform specializing in animal health products, has acquired a majority stake in the DDL Group, a Croatian wholesaler of veterinary pharmaceuticals, pet food and supplements, and veterinary equipment. The transaction includes DDL Zagreb, Linevet and Vetline, and further strengthens Neftys Pharma’s presence in the wholesale and distribution of veterinary products […]
The recent judgment of the Administrative Court in Uppsala, Sweden, is one of the first in which a court in an EU member state interpreted the Digital Services Act (DSA). The court examined whether the national medical products regulator imposed a general monitoring obligation on two online intermediaries. The court answered in the negative: there […]
Serbia’s new Central Records of Beneficial Owners Act (Zakon o centralnoj evidenciji stvarnih vlasnika, “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, nos. 19/2025, 51/2025 and 60/2025 correction) (“UBO Act“), which enters into force on 1 October 2025, brings about significant new obligations for entities operating in Serbia. Affected entities must comply with these requirements by […]
1. Regulatory recap There has been a significant banking-related regulatory and legislative activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first half of 2025: both sub-sovereign entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS) have each amended their main banking statutes[1]; the Banking Agency of the FBIH (FBA) has published its expectations […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Bisera Andrijašević and associate Marija Ksenija Popović authored the Montenegro chapter in the newly published Chambers Merger Control 2025 Global Practice Guide. This year’s Guide features close to 40 jurisdictions, with Jean Francois Bellis and Porter Elliott from Van Bael & Bellis acting as Contributing Editors. The Law and Practice section of […]
The Government of Serbia published on 13 June 2025 a decree abolishing the Decree on the Criteria for Granting Incentives to Employers Hiring Foreign Experts Relocating to Serbia. The abolished decree provided for subsidies to Serbia-based employers (companies, entrepreneurs, Serbian branches and representative offices of foreign companies) for hiring on a full-time indefinite-term employment contract […]
Coimisiún na Meán, the regulatory body responsible for supervising and enforcing compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) in Ireland, announced in early May the decision to grant trusted flagger status to the Central Bank of Ireland. One month earlier, AGCOM, the Italian equivalent of Coimisiún na Meán, recognized the status of trusted flagger to […]
Entec Evotec AS, a leading Norwegian provider of advanced handling systems for the maritime and industrial sectors — including subsea, offshore, wind, fisheries, aquaculture, seismic, and research, signed an agreement on Friday, 23 May 2025, to acquire Fortaco d.o.o. Gruža, the Serbian subsidiary of Fortaco Group, which is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Established in 2014, […]
In its decision published on 28 February 2025, the Italian Court of Cassation, Criminal Section, ruled on the case involving the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), where the consideration for the sale was received in cryptocurrency Ether. The court concluded that the seller should have reported in his tax returns the Ethers received. The appellant […]
The Advertising Code Board of Appeal in the Netherlands has found that MY.GAMES, a developer of Rush Royale: Tower Defense TD game, breached multiple provisions of the Dutch Advertising Code and the Code for Advertising Directed at Children and Young People (KJC). The case involved a game that allows players to purchase various in-game items, […]
In March 2025, the EU Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (“CPC Network“) adopted a common position concerning Star Stable Entertainment AB’s commercial practices in relation to the video game Star Stable Online (“SSO Game“). The CPC Network found that the practices violate EU consumer protection law. The CPC Network consists of national authorities in EU Member […]
In the previous article in this series, we compared the rules under Serbian Digital Assets Act (DAA) and MiCAR concerning the offerors (issuers) of crypto-assets and persons seeking admission to trading in such assets. The two pieces of legislation also apply to entities performing various crypto-asset services, such as custody, exchange, transfer, and trading. While […]
Issuers of crypto-assets may be subject to two types of potential requirements: (i) to obtain authorisation from the competent authority for the issuance of crypto-assets, and (ii) to publish a “white paper” providing potential investors with sufficient information about the project necessary for the investor to make an informed decision. The white paper contains information […]
Belgium is one of the handful of EU Member States that have transposed the NIS2 Directive into national law. The Center for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) released Version 2.0 of its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) in February this year, offering updated guidance on key regulatory aspects. CCB is the Belgian national authority for cybersecurity. The FAQ […]
BDK Advokati has contributed the Serbia chapter to the 2025 edition of the Chambers Life Sciences Global Practice Guide. Authored by partner Bisera Andrijašević and associate Anja Gligorević, the chapter provides comprehensive overview of Serbia’s life sciences regulatory landscape. The Law and Practice section covers key aspects of regulatory processes and requirements throughout the […]
Definitions of crypto-assets under the Serbian Digital Assets Act (“DAA“) and MiCAR are for the most part similar: both instruments define crypto-assets as a “digital representation of value” that can be transferred electronically (the term used in MiCAR), i.e. digitally (the term used in DAA). DAA defines crypto-assets as a digital representation of value that […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Bisera Andrijašević and associate Marija Ksenija Popović authored the Montenegro chapter of the Chambers Practice Guide on Merger Control. The Law and Practice section provides a comprehensive overview of Montenegro’s merger control framework, covering key aspects such as applicable legislation, enforcement authorities, notification requirements, authority’s approach to foreign-to-foreign transactions, joint ventures, third-party […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Milan Dakić authored the Serbian chapter in the Legal 500: Environment Comparative Guide, offering key insights into the country’s environmental regulatory landscape. The chapter covers current issues affecting Serbia’s environment, including permitting requirements, environmental impact assessments, soil and groundwater contamination, waste management and climate change regulations. It also provides insight and opinion […]
Authored by Bisera Andrijašević, a partner at BDK Advokati, the Serbian chapter is featured in the 2nd edition of the guide, alongside insights from 14 other jurisdictions. The Serbian chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s regulatory framework for the life sciences sector, covering key legislation on medicinal products (including biologicals), medical devices, food, […]
The price increases in both food and non-food products on the retail markets in the former Yugoslavia have triggered increased public pressure, including consumer boycotts, while the national authorities are intensifying their monitoring of the sector, launching or threatening with antitrust investigations and seizing upon administrative measures. In Serbia, the competition authority runs an ongoing […]
A1 Srbija, a member of Telekom Austria AG group, a leading telecommunications provider in Central and Eastern Europe, acquired 100% shares of the Serbian Conexio metro, a company operating fiber-optic network of the former Targo Telekom. The acquisition of Conexio metro strengthens A1 Srbija’s fiber-optic network with an additional 300 kilometers of fiber-optic cables, enabling […]
As of today, our website includes Digital Watch, a section dedicated to legal developments affecting the digital economy. Visitors of the BDK Advokati website will be able to read our presentations and analyses of the laws, case law, and guidelines concerning issues such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, competition, e-commerce, fintech and digital assets, advertising, online […]
Midea Group successfully completed its acquisition of ARBONIA climate, a division of Arbonia AG, for an enterprise value of EUR 760 million. Midea Group is a global technology enterprise encompassing smart home, industrial technology, building technology, robotics and automation, healthcare, and smart logistics. It has been listed in the Fortune Global 500 for nine consecutive […]
On 5 February 2025, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia annulled the 2023 Solidarity Tax Act. The decision was published on 13 February 2025 in the Official Gazette and is available here in Macedonian language. Solidarity Tax Act The Solidarity Tax Act, which took effect on the day of its publication on […]
On 13 February 2025, the Montenegrin Agency for Protection of Competition ruled that three travel agencies: Marco Polo Travel Agency, Inter Travel Club, and Zinza Group, all based in Podgorica, engaged in a restrictive agreement during a public procurement process. The case was initiated following a request from the Parliament of Montenegro which acted as […]
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) recently joined the group of non-E.U. countries that have based their data protection legislation on the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The enactment of the law provided an opportunity for BDK Advokati to share with leading Bosnian companies our expertise gained from years of implementing the GDPR and Serbian law […]
According to the Labor Act, an employee has the right to a reimbursement of the costs for commuting to and from work, in accordance with the employer’s Work Rules/Collective Agreement or employment contract, up to the amount of the public transportation ticket price, unless the employer has organized transport for its employees. Therefore, according to […]
The Administrative Court of Montenegro has rejected as unfounded the lawsuit filed by “Barska plovidba” AD Bar (“Barska plovidba“) against the decision of the Agency for the Protection of Competition (“Agency“) ordering the recovery of incompatible state aid, thus making the Agency’s decision final and irreversible. This is the first decision of a Montenegrin court […]
CEE Legal Matters announced the finalists for the 2024 CEE Deals of the Year Awards. Two deals BDK Advokati advised on in 2024 are shortlisted for the Deal of the Year: Aggreko’s Acquisition of Resalta in Serbia, and Merit Starlit 5-Star Hotel and Casino Construction in Montenegro. Aggreko’s Acquisition of Resalta, being a regional deal, […]
BOSQAR INVEST and its partners invested EUR 100 million for a 67% indirect stake in Mlinar Group, with BOSQAR acquiring an immediate 50.1% stake. MidEuropa Partners will reinvest its remaining stake and continue supporting the newly formed group in its expansion. This investment expands BOSQAR’s Future Food vertical, established earlier this year with the investment […]
BDK Advokati advised Vetti Group on the acquisition of 80% of equity in Belgrade-based animal healthcare institution Vet Planet Clinic. Vetti Group is part of Provectus Capital Partners (PCP), a leading independent private equity firm in South Eastern Europe with excessive investment track record in the human healthcare, dental services and veterinary clinics. BDK’s M&A […]
Termination by employer for employee’s breach of work duty or work discipline is the most common cause of employment termination and the one that often gives rise to challenges. Our senior associate Marija Gligorević held last week a workshop for in-house counsels and HRs, addressing a number of practical aspects of the termination process that […]
The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Law on Amendments to the Energy Act (“the Amendments“) on Wednesday, 27 November 2024. The main purpose of the Amendments is to harmonize Serbia’s regulatory framework in the energy sector with the European Union’s regulations, in accordance with obligations under The Energy Community Treaty and […]
BDK Advokati contributed to the 2024 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Gaming Law. The Montenegrin chapter was authored by Luka Popović, senior partner, and Milana Savović, junior associate. The chapter includes notable regulatory updates introduced during 2024, such as stricter technical requirements and updated guidelines for online gambling platforms It also details […]
The Supreme Administrative Court of Poland has recently ruled that a school’s processing of children’s fingerprint data, for the purpose of identifying them at the canteen entrance and verifying their payment for the meals, did not violate the GDPR. The judgement offers persuasive, but controversial arguments for its conclusion that the school’s processing was in […]
Montenegro has recently amended the Copyright and Related Rights Act (“Copyright Act“). The amended law aims to align domestic legislation with EU Directive 2019/790 on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (“DSM Directive“) and Directive 2019/789 laying down rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting organisations […]
The European Union has decided that after nearly 40 years, the moment has arrived to repeal the Product Liability Directive and replace it with a revised version. The EU Council adopted one on 10 October 2024. The new directive was published in the Official Gazette of the European Union on 18 November (“New PLD“). In […]
On 20 November 2024, one day after the Montenegrin parliament adopted a new Cybersecurity Act, our senior partner Bogdan Ivanišević and associate Anja Gligorević held a seminar in Podgorica about the obligations for companies stemming from the Act. The seminar was co-organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro and BDK Advokati. The event […]
On 5 November 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (“ECtHR“) issued a judgment in the joint case of Stefanović and Banković v. Serbia. The case joined two separate applications filed in April 2016, concerning the same issue. Namely, in both cases the Constitutional Court had quashed final and binding civil court judgments upon constitutional […]
In October 2024, the Ministry of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure passed the Rulebook on Arranging, Managing, Disposing and Landfilling Construction Waste during Performance of Works (Pravilnik o uređivanju, upravljanju, odlaganju i deponovanju građevinskog otpada u toku izvođenja radova, Official Gazette of RS no. 81/2024) (“C&D Waste Rulebook“). Waste management plan The obligation to prepare waste […]
Our senior partner, Bogdan Ivanišević, moderated a panel on the legal framework for cyber security in Serbia and the E.U., at the Cyber Security Summit held in Belgrade on October 30. His interlocutors were Dr. Milena Nikolić, contract manager for cyber security at Siemens Energy, and Senad Džananović, Sarajevo-based director of cyber security at ZIRA, […]
The freshly released edition of IFLR1000 rankings ranks our firm Tier 1 in Financial and corporate and Project development areas in Serbia and in Montenegro. Our Bosnian Project development practice is Tier 2, and Financial and corporate practice also receives recognition. Five of our partners are recognized as highly regarded professionals: Tijana Kojović, Vladimir Dašić, […]
Our senior associate Marija Gligorević held on 17 October 2024 a workshop for in-house counsels and HRs on termination of employment for redundancy caused by technological, economic or organizational changes. Marija explained the procedure for managing redundancy procedure, detailing the differences between individual and mass redundancy. The workshop also focused on the relevant redundancy documentation. […]
Tijana Kojović, our managing partner and head of dispute resolution practice, is recognized as a recommended lawyer in the 2024 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration. The report highlights nearly 1,500 distinguished lawyers from close to 100 jurisdictions who have been endorsed by their peers and clients for their expertise in the field of arbitration.
Our partner and environmental expert, Milan Dakic, contributed a chapter on Serbia in the latest edition of the Chambers ENVIRONMENTAL LAW 2023 Global Practice Guide. Milan shared views on various environmental topics – from the basic principles of environmental protection in Serbia and key permitting requirements, overview of waste management obligations, environmental liabilities, etc. to […]
In a case resulting in a recent decision of the Austrian Federal Administrative Court, the Court and the Austrian supervisory authority (Datenschutzbehörde) offered insightful interpretations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly focusing on Article 15’s right of access. Most interestingly, the Court held that a data controller must inform the data subject, at […]
BDK Advokati advised INVENIO Partners (INVENIO) who joined forces with Accession Capital Partners (ACP) in the process of segmentation of the vocational education division of LINK Group, a leading professional education business in Southeastern Europe. Dentons assisted in relation to English law matters, while NNDKP along with Gladei & Partners assisted in relation to Romanian […]
BDK Advokati’s Head of Life Sciences Bisera Andrijašević authored the chapter on Serbia in the 2024 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through publication Pharma & Medical Device Regulation. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory landscape in Serbia, including insight into the regulatory framework related to obtaining and amending marketing […]
As we reported, In August this year, the Government of Serbia adopted amendments to the Rulebook on clinical trials of human medicines (“Rulebook on Clinical Trials“), introducing significant changes to the clinical trials regime. The first amendment limited clinical trials to public healthcare institutions, excluding privately-owned healthcare institutions from the clinical trials system. The second […]
BDK Advokati advised shareholders of Amiga DOO, a regional leader in the production of poles for mobile networks, street lighting and innovative solar poles in the sale of 100% of shares to Beam Global (NASDAQ:BEEM). Beam Global is at the forefront of clean technology innovation, offering sustainable solutions for electric vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, […]
As announced on the Budapest Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday, Waberer’s International acquired 55% shareholding in Serbian company MD International (MDI), with an option to acquire the remaining 45%. The purchase price was not disclosed. Waberer’s is the largest road transport company in Hungary and one of the largest road freight transport companies in Europe, […]
BDK Advokati advised Alcazar Energy, a sustainable infrastructure fund, on the acquisition of the 118 MW wind farm project “Bijela” in Montenegro. BDK team was led by Senior Partner Luka Popović. Partner Milan Dakić provided construction-related advice. This is the first wind farm project for Alcazar Energy in the Western Balkans and we are happy […]
In the past two years, most recently on May 10, 2023, when the Austrian Datenschutzbehörde issued its decision, supervisory authorities in several European countries declared the processing of personal data by the company Clearview AI to be contrary to the GDPR. To determine whether GDPR applied to the processing of personal data by the company […]
BDK Advokati advised Vision Gaming Holding and other shareholders of Digital Revolution d.o.o. in the sale of 100% of shares to FIBERS PTE from Singapore. Digital Revolution together with Digital 1 operates one of the first online web-gaming sites Circus Bet which was founded in 2016 and immediately became one of the most popular platforms […]
We are pleased to announce that, according to the 2023 IFLR1000 rankings of law firms in Financial and Corporate Law and Project Development, BDK Advokati has maintained Tier 1 status in both Serbia and Montenegro. Our Project development practice in Bosnia & Herzegovina has also received significant recognition. IFLR1000 has ranked five of our partners […]
The Government of Serbia adopted in the beginning of August amendments to the Rulebook on clinical trials of human medicines (“Rulebook on Clinical Trials“), which entered into force on 12 August 2023. There are two significant changes which negatively affect clinical trials in Serbia. The first amendment relates to the site of a clinical trial, […]
BDK Advokati has contributed the Serbia chapter to the 2024 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through – Data Protection & Privacy (July 2023). The chapter presents the regulatory frameworks under Serbian data protection law, which has been in effect since August 2019. The law is modelled after the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Partner […]
The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has adopted amendments to the Financial Support to Families with Children Act to expand the rights of parents to take leave from work to care for their children. This action is in line with the country’s population policy, which aims to boost population growth. This Newsletter sets […]
We are pleased to have served as legal counsel to NLB Slovenia and NLB Montenegro on a €24 million loan agreement signed with Israeli BIG CEE. This financing is in connection with their acquisition of the “Capital Plaza” business and residential complex in Podgorica, Montenegro. BDK Advokati’s team on this transaction has been led by […]
BDK Advokati advised Spanish Grupo Hotusa on the long-term lease of the Queen of Montenegro hotel in Bečići, Montenegro. We are pleased to have contributed to securing a lease of this exceptional property for Grupo Hotusa. Our transactional team led by senior partner Luka Popović assisted with the transaction documents, provided corporate law advice, and helped obtained necessary licenses […]
The Serbian parliament has adopted the amendments to the Foreigners Act and Employment of Foreigners Act, which aim to liberalize the conditions for the entry of foreigners into Serbia and shorten the procedures for obtaining residence and work permits. With tax incentives already in place for digital nomads, the new rules easing the administrative conditions […]
The recent decision by the Amsterdam Court of Appeals, against Uber, underscores the significance of meaningful human involvement in automated decision-making. The judgment, dated 4 April 2023, provides specifics on what a genuine human involvement should include, in order to ensure lawfulness of the processing. Background Uber is an international transportation company that offers online […]
Summary Resale Price Maintenance (RPM) continues to be categorized as a hardcore restriction according to the recently updated Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER). However, under the latest ruling of the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) in Super Bock, the competition authorities are not entitled to presume that RPM is a “by object” restriction under Article […]
On 12 July 2023, the Regulation 2022/2560 of the European Parliament and of the Council on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market (known as Foreign Subsidies Regulation or FSR), adopted on 28 November 2022, came into effect. Under the FSR, the European Commission (“Commission“) is competent to review concentrations that exceed specified monetary thresholds for […]
An EU regulation overflowing to Serbian market The European Union’s deforestation-free regulation (“Deforestation Regulation“) entered into force on 29 June 2023. This is the latest EU legislative intervention in trade in the attempt to combat deforestation and forest degradation globally. The Deforestation Regulation constitutes the newest addition to the legislative efforts within the EU to […]
The Belgian supervisory authority (APD) recently decided that the information about teachers’ participation in a strike is not a special category of data, because it does not amount to data about trade union membership. In the same decision 49/2023, dated 28 April 2023, the APD explained that, when the legal basis for the processing of […]
Following the introduction of the procedure for off-label prescription of medicines in December 2022, the Serbian Government has now put in place the rules for reimbursements from the Health Insurance Fund (RFZO) for off-label use of medicines. Until December 2022, the Serbian law had not regulated off-label prescription of medicines. In practice, healthcare institutions prescribed […]
Mercator-CG and Franca retail chain signed yesterday the share and purchase agreement for the acquisition of Franca retail business in Montenegro. Franca retail chain consists of 67 retail outlets with over 900 employees across Montenegro. Through this acquisition, Fortenova Group is strengthening its retail business on the markets in South-East Europe. The BDK Advokati team […]
On 11 January 2023, the Italian data protection authority (“Garante“) issued a decision against Commify Italia Srl for several violations of the GDPR. The decision demonstrates that the lawfulness of data processing may depend on whether the controller has conducted the legitimate interest assessment, or not. Background Commify is a company operating a platform called […]
On 6 February 2023 the Norwegian Data Protection Authority (“Datatilsynet“) issued an administrative fine in the amount of approx. EUR 860,000 against the Norwegian fitness company SATS ASA (“SATS“), for violation of GDPR through unlawful collection and processing of the members’ data. This blog post examines two particularly interesting aspects of the 45-page decision: one […]
As of today (17 May 2023), companies in Serbia can be registered exclusively by submitting an online registration application to the Serbian Business Registers Agency (SBRA). The applicant has to have an account with E-Government portal. Such account can be opened free of charge. In order to submit an online registration application, the applicant has […]
Integrator and Croatian Meritus closed the formation of Workplace, a JV company that will continue the integration of HR consulting business in SEE and will enable further expansion in the SEE, CEE and the Baltics. Integrator initially acquired ManPower Group (MPG) business in Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Slovenia in 2020 and in Hungary in […]
BDK Advokati’s counsel Bisera Andrijašević and Associate Anja Gligorević authored the chapter on Serbia featured among 23 jurisdictions in the 2023 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Life Sciences. We have taken a snapshot of the life sciences regulatory landscape in Serbia in the current dynamic global regulatory climate. The EU pharmaceutical legislation […]
Two recent decisions of the Italian data protection authority (Garante), one from January 2023 and the other from February 2023, lay down basic principles that the data controllers should follow when sending bulk emails. First Garante case i) Facts of the case An employee of a hospital from Padova accidentally sent an email to 19 […]
On 16 March 2023, the French supervisory authority (“CNIL“) imposed an administrative fine in the total amount of EUR 125,000 against Cityscoot, a company that provides electric scooter rental service. CNIL found that Cityscoot violated provisions of the GDPR, by collecting its customers’ geolocation data almost constantly. Cityscoot failed to comply with the obligation to […]
The ECJ issued an important ruling on 16 March 2023 in Towercast case (C-449/21), in which it clarified that mergers which are not notifiable under the EU or national merger control rules can be reviewed based on Article 102 TFEU. This means that an acquisition by a dominant undertaking may, under certain conditions, represent in […]
Amendments to the 2008 Guidance on enforcement priorities The 2008 Guidance on the European Commission’s enforcement priorities in applying Article 82 of the EC Treaty to abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings (“Guidance”) has been until recently the only piece of soft law applicable to Article 102. In March 2023, the Commission amended the Guidance […]
BDK Advokati advised the shareholders of Expobank A.D. Belgrade on the sale of 100% of their shares to the shareholder of Adriatic Bank A.D. Podgorica. The BDK team was led by partner Vladimir Dašić and associate Sanja Dedović.
BDK Advokati’s team in Montenegro successfully advised Abu Dhabi Capital Group on the sale of the group of companies that own and operate The Capital Plaza, a premium business and residential complex in Podgorica, Montenegro. The companies were acquired by Big Group. The deal is the second largest M&A deal in Montenegro in the past […]
BDK Advokati remains Tier 1 law firm in Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Projects and energy and Real estate and construction. Our Intellectual property, Employment and Competition practices are also highly ranked. We have also confirmed our status of a Leading firm on the Montenegrin market. We have three senior partners […]
Dragoljub Cibulić and Dragoljub Sretenović analyzed recent trends and developments in Serbian project finance market for Getting the Deal Through: Market Intelligence. They authored the chapter in which they examine the impacts of the current macroeconomic environment and the regulatory measures. BDK represents sponsors, borrowers, lenders, and other participants in large energy and infrastructure projects. Among […]
The amendments to the new Companies’ Act of Republika Srpska, the sub-sovereign entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, entered into force on 2 March 2023. We offer an overview of the most important changes pertaining to limited liability companies (LLCs), this being the most common corporate form for private investments. Founding capital The popularity of LLCs […]
Employee share-based incentives are still relatively rare in Serbia, compared to more traditional cash bonuses. The Serbian Companies’ Act was updated in 2018 to provide, for the first time, a basic framework for implementing share incentive plans in a limited liability company, which is by far the most popular corporate form in Serbia. Share-based incentives […]
The Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition continues its RPM chasing spree. It has opened on 1 February 2023 yet another investigation into an alleged RPM practice, this time against Valliant, Serbian distributor of “Valliant” and “Protherm” heating equipment. The Commission has based its suspicion of RPM on its observation that the retailers selling “Valliant” […]
Degordian, a multinational digital-first agency originally from Croatia, has acquired 51 % in Shopycode, a Serbian software development company specializing in e-commerce. Shopycode started working in 2020 and in just a few years has become one of the leaders in e-commerce development, specialised in Shopify solutions, with a portfolio of clients from all over the […]
Portal Analitika has our counsel Bisera Andrijašević discuss State aid in Montenegro by analyzing the latest government decision to greenlight the acquisition of the assets of the former state-owned steel mill Nikšić by the state-owned electricity company Elektroprivreda Crne Gore AD Nikšić (EPCG).
Another foreign law overflowing to the Serbian market On 1 January 2023, the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains (“Supply Chain Act“) entered into force (an English translation is available here). The Supply Chain Act is a product of a long-term and global aspiration to introduce international human rights standards, often […]
A new General Collective Agreement applicable to all employers and employees in Montenegro came into force on 31 December 2022 and will be valid for an initial period of three years. The GCA introduces certain additional rights for the employees. The most important ones are set out below. Overtime – Maximum allowed number of annual […]
We are pleased to share the announcement of 2023 promotions: Luka Popović and Bogdan Ivanišević are promoted to Senior Partner. Luka has been with BDK for 10 years. He successfully leads our Montenegrin practice. Bogdan has developed and leads our intellectual property, data protection and e-commerce practices. He also engages in free speech and defamation […]
Two Turkish investor families around Mr. Baran Celik and Mr. Nuvit Gundemir signed the sale and purchase agreement with insolvency administrator Dr. Jan Markus Plathner to acquire large parts of Veritas Group, an insolvent automotive and industrial supply company based in Germany. The transaction was carried out as an asset deal. The acquisition includes three […]
BDK Advokati’s Head of Life Sciences Bisera Andrijašević authored the chapter on Serbia in the 2023 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through publication Pharma & Medical Device Regulation. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory landscape in Serbia, including insight into the regulatory framework; clinical practice; marketing authorisation; amending authorisations; […]
Sandberg Capital, Slovak private equity firm which focuses on investing in smaller and middle-sized companies with growth potential, is investing EUR 20 million in Serbian IT company Quantox Technology, one of the largest regional software development houses. Quantox was founded in 2006 by entrepreneur Vuk Popović, and currently counts more than 500 experts working from […]
Partner Milan Dakić authored the Serbian chapter in the 2022 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Environmental law. The publication gives an overview of environmental regulations in Serbia, including in relation to environmental permits, authorisations of environmental inspection, liability for environmental damages, climate change, waste management and other. The Serbian chapter can be […]
Integrator, the franchisee of Manpower in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Bulgaria, acquired Manpower’s business in Hungary from Manpower Inc. This transaction makes Integrator one of the major HR consulting and recruiting firms in the region, operating in six countries. BDK Advokati represented Integrator in negotiations of the transaction documents. BDK Advokati team […]
Catena Media (CTM, STO), a company specialized in online gambling, entered into an agreement with Gaming Innovation Group Inc. to sell its AskGamblers business and associated global casino brands. The value of the transaction is EUR 45 million on a cash and debt free basis. By this transaction Catena Media is selling two wholly owned […]
After the Foreigners’ Act announced in August 2022 new temporary residence permit regime for digital nomads, the Ministry of Interior has now enacted a bylaw which regulates the details of the procedure and documents required for the permit. Entry into Montenegro While the Foreigners’ Act remained ambiguous as to whether an applicant must enter Montenegro […]
MediGroup system and the Institute for Laboratory Diagnostics Konzilijum have formed a strategic partnership with the aim of further development and expansion of the laboratories network. Konzilijum is the first private accredited laboratory in Serbia. It has been operating successfully since 1994, providing quality service in various areas of laboratory diagnostics: biochemistry, microbiology, pathohistology, cytology, […]
As the year-end approaches, the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition has increased its enforcement activity. In the course of one week, it has launched three gun-jumping investigations and one abuse of dominance investigation. Gun-jumping investigations Serbian acquisitions In late October and early November 2022, two investigations were launched against the Serbian company Dobergard, a […]
Hungarian PE Fund Hodler Asset Management has acquired 45% of shares in SUPERIOR FOODS d.o.o. Hodler Asset Management is primarily involved in agricultural and food industry and this is their first acquisition in Serbia. Superior Foods d.o.o. is a Serbian company active in poultry meat processing. Our senior partner Vladimir Dašić, senior associate Jelena Zelenbaba […]
Simmons and Simmons’ Clean Energy Tool is an online portal providing access to legal and regulatory overviews for the development of clean energy projects in more than 45 jurisdictions worldwide. Based on the collaboration between global law firm Simmons and Simmons and BDK Advokati, this reliable database now includes comprehensive information regarding the legal framework […]
Serbia’s fiscal state aid schemes have been recurringly designated in the European Commission’s annual Progress Reports on Serbia’s progress in the process of implementing obligations from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (“SAA”) as incompatible with state aid rules. Article 73 of the SAA required Serbia to compile a comprehensive list of state aid schemes set […]
BDK Advokati has contributed the Serbia chapter to the 2023 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through – Data Protection & Privacy (August 2022). The chapter presents the regulatory frameworks under Serbian data protection law which applies since August 2019. The law is modeled after the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Among other topics, the […]
On 7 July 2022, the French supervisory authority (CNIL) imposed a EUR 175,000 fine on Ubeeqo International (Ubeeqo), a car rental service provider. Ubeeqo was found to be collecting customers’ geolocation data constantly and thus infringed the privacy of its customers. CNIL also found that Ubeeqo was storing the data on its customers for an […]
On 1 June 2022, the Slovenian supervisory authority (Information Commissioner) rendered a decision (no. 0612-23/2019/19) ordering a cloud provider (CP) to enter into joint controllership arrangements with its clients. The decision is noteworthy as a rare instance in which a supervisory authority determined that a cloud provider is a joint data controller, rather than a […]
BDK Advokati is proud to report that we are Tier 1 law firm in both Serbia and Montenegro, according to IFLR1000 latest ranking of law firms for Financial and corporate and Project development areas. Our practice in Bosnia & Herzegovina has also received a valuable recognition. The following BDK partners are recognized by IFLR1000 as […]
In 2014, Serbia made a big step forward in aligning its payment services regulations with the EU rules. The Payment Services Act (Zakon o platnim uslugama), a local equivalent of the first Payment Services Directive (“PSD1“), was adopted, opening the doors of the industry to non-bank service providers. The acquis target then moved in early […]
On 17 June, the UK government introduced in the House of Commons the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, a 192-page document containing numerous amendments to the country’s data protection laws. If implemented, the intended changes would make the UK data protection law more attuned to the needs of businesses. In contrast, privacy activists are […]
Funds managed by CapMan Buyout have agreed to sell to PE firm One Equity Partners the holdings in Fortaco Group, the leading brand-independent strategic partner to the heavy off-highway equipment and marine industries offering technology, vehicle cabins, steel fabrications and vehicle assemblies. BDK Advokati advised on the Serbian aspects of the transaction. Closing of the […]
The European Commission adopted in May 2022 a new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) and new Vertical Guidelines (Guidelines), effective as of 1 June 2022 and valid until 31 May 2034. The new VBER applies to all agreements concluded on or after 1 June 2022. The agreements which were in force as of 31 May […]
BDK advised EPAM Systems Inc. (NYSE) on the acquisition of IP assets and takeover and integration of employees of Serbian IT company Vivify Ideas d.o.o. Novi Sad. Our team of lawyes was led by managing partner Tijana Kojović. The senior team on the transaction also included Tomislav Popović, corporate and tax law counsel; partner Bogdan […]
The Government of Serbia adopted the Decree on the Criteria for Granting Incentives to Employers Hiring Foreign Experts Relocating to Serbia[1] (“Decree”), effective as of 18 June 2022. The Decree introduces state subsidies to companies and entrepreneurs registered in Serbia, as well as Serbian branches and representative offices of foreign companies (“Serbian Employer”), for hiring […]
Model Program The Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition has published Model Competition Compliance Program, along with the guidelines on how market participants should adapt the model to their personal circumstances. The practice of competition law enforcement in Serbia so far shows that competition law infringements are often result of a complete lack of awareness […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Milan Dakić authored the Serbian chapter featured among 25 jurisdictions in the 2022 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Construction law. The Serbian chapter gives a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework for the construction in Serbia, covering the latest legal information on, inter alia, the impact of COVID-19 on […]
On 18 May 2022, a group of MP’s proposed amendments to the Foreigners’ Act to introduce a possibility to obtain temporary residence permit for digital nomads. The parliamentary debate on the amendments is expected to start at the beginning of June 2022. The amendments are designed to attract to Montenegro foreigners from IT and other […]
On 1 April 2022, the Belgian DPA rendered a decision against an employer for restoring in an indiscriminate manner personal data on a former employee’s work laptop. The facts The case involves a Belgian employer who restored all e-mails that had previously been on the laptop of its ex-employee, both his private and professional e-mail […]
Greiner Packaging International GmbH, an international group with 692m EUR sales revenues and over 4,900 employees worldwide, has acquired 100% of shares in Termoplast Grupa. Termoplast Grupa is the 49% shareholder of Greiner Packaging Slovenia, the leading producer of plastic packaging solutions in the SEE region that has two production plants located in Serbia. Our […]
BDK Advokati remains Tier 1 law firm in Serbia in 6 practice areas: Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Competition, Dispute resolution, Projects and energy, Real estate and construction. We are also recognized again as a Leading firm on the Montenegrin market. Our Intellectual property and Employment practices are also highly ranked, whereas our […]
We have once again hosted the teams showcasting their performance before lawyers, professors and arbitrators, in preparation for the 29th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. Best of luck to the Belgrade Vis Moot Team in Vienna! As part of the Belgrade Pre-Moot, our managing partner Tijana Kojović participated at XII Belgrade Arbitration Conference with a presentation on […]
BDK Advokati’s counsel Bisera Andrijašević and junior associate Anja Gligorević authored the chapter on Serbia featured among 19 jurisdictions in the 2022 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Life Sciences. The Serbian chapter gives an overview of the regulatory regime for the life sciences sector in Serbia, offering information on the topics such […]
Acquisition of Ledo/Frikom frozen food business by Nomad Foods received last night 2021 CEE Deal of the Year award by CEE Legal Matters. The ceremony took place at the CEE Deals of the Year Awards Banquet, organized in conjunction with the Dealer’s Choice International Law Firm Summit at the HAC in London. The deals are […]
CEECAT Capital, private equity and private credit investor, has acquired a majority ownership interest in Gomex d.o.o., a leading neighborhood grocery store chain in Serbia. Gomex has approximately 2500 employees and more than 190 retail stores spread across Serbia. The investment will enable Gomex to accelerate its growth and expansion plans in Serbia. The investment […]
Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., tire manufacturing company based in Japan, entered into a share purchase agreement with the Swedish-based Trelleborg AB to acquire all shares of Trelleborg Wheel Systems Holding AB, a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of off-highway tires for agricultural and forestry machines, material handling, construction vehicles, motorcycles and other specialty […]
On 17 March 2022, the Government of Serbia adopted the Decision on the Temporary Protection in the Republic of Serbia of Displaced Persons from Ukraine (available in Serbian here). The decision was published on 18 March 2022, and it entered into force on 19 March 2022. According to the Asylum and Temporary Protection Act (Official […]
In a recent decision, the Spanish Data Protection Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos – “AEPD“) fined Marins Playa, S.A. (“Marins Playa“), a provider of hotel services, with 30,000 euros for collecting and further processing photographs contained in the ID documents of its guests. At check-in, the hotel personnel requests and scans the ID […]
ESG in Legal Practice Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG“) is more than regulatory compliance. It assumes a proactive approach on the part of private actors in response to environmental, social, and governance concerns. The phenomenon might be difficult to grasp in societies captured in a long process of transition and catching up with global business […]
While the European Union has introduced special temporary protective measures for people fleeing the war in Ukraine, Serbia is currently not faced with a mass influx of displaced persons from that country. As a matter of principle, people fleeing the war in Ukraine or persecution in Russia may avail themselves in Serbia of the asylum […]
Arts. 12 and 15 of the EU Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR“) regulate the right of access (“RoA“). This right consists of three main components: (i) confirmation of whether personal data are processed; (ii) access to the personal data; and (iii) information about the processing itself. The European Data Protection Board (“EDPB“) adopted, on […]
BDK Advokati advised Convex Holding from UK in connection with the sale of their remaining 49% share in Trizma d.o.o. to M Plus Croatia d.o.o, after the initial sale of 51% share back in 2018. Trizma is a call centre provider located in Serbia while M Plus Croatia d.o.o. is a regional player in the […]
On 11 February 2022, the Spanish Data Protection Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos) fined Amazon Road Transport Spain, S.L. (“Amazon RT“) EUR 2,000,000, for including criminal record certificates within the documentation that it requests during the hiring process of freelance truck drivers. The following are the aspects of the decision which we have […]
Investment Flows We conclude our series on investment protection between Serbia and major economies with a post on France. According to the Development Agency of Serbia, France is third country of origin of foreign investments in Serbia, with a 9.7% market share, in terms of the value of projects, and fifth country of origin, with […]
Our partner Luka Popović for CEE Legal Matters on the legislative and economic climate in Montenegro.
The Montenegrin Parliament adopted at the end of 2021 a set of legislative changes concerning taxation, in the Labour Act, Mandatory Social Security Act, Personal Income Tax Act, and Corporate Income Tax Act. The new regime applies from 1 January 2022. Personal income Employment The announced reform’s key goal was to increase average salary in […]
Investment Flows This week we focus on Italy within our series on investment protection between Serbia and major economies. According to the Development Agency of Serbia, Italy is the top country of origin of foreign investments in Serbia, with a 10.7% market share in terms of the value of projects, and second country of origin, […]
The Serbian Government is preparing a new Act on Environmental Impact Assessment[1] (“Draft EIA Act“) with the aim to further harmonize the existing environmental impact assessment (“EIA“) regulatory framework with that of the EU, which has been so far lagging behind the EU acquis, as well as to integrate the appropriate assessment procedure from the […]
Amendments to the Labour Act (“Labour Act”) of Republika Srpska (“RS”) entered into force on 1 January 2022, simultaneously with the amendments to the RS’ Social Contributions Act and the Income Tax Act. The novelties pertain to the change of the tax base, reduction of the tax rate, reduction of the health insurance contribution rate, […]
Low notification thresholds Competition laws of Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have notoriously low merger control notification thresholds. In all three jurisdictions, it is sufficient for one party to a concentration to have sales on the local market for the concentration to be notifiable. Specifically: In Serbia, concentration is notifiable if: the aggregate combined […]
Investment Flows We enter the new year with a post on Germany within our series on investment protection between Serbia and major economies. Our previous posts covered the United States, China, and Russia. According to the Development Agency of Serbia, Germany is the top country of origin of foreign investments in Serbia, with a 15.1% […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Milan Dakić authored the Serbian chapter in the 2021 edition of the CEE Legal Matters Comparative Legal Guide on Real Estate. The Serbian chapter outlines the critical aspects ranging from real estate ownership, acquisition, financing, and taxes to condominiums and commercial leases. The PDF version of the Serbian chapter can be viewed […]
The practice of the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition (“Commission“) shows that competition law infringements are often not intentional but a consequence of a lack of understanding of one’s obligation under the law. Aiming to increase the awareness among market participants of practical implications of abstract competition law norms and promote the adoption of […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Milan Dakić, with the support of counsel Tomislav Popović, associate Jelena Zelenbaba, and junior associates Tijana Martinović and David Vučinić, authored the Serbian chapter in the 2021 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Environmental law. The Serbian chapter gives an overview of the regulatory framework for the environmental sector in […]
We are happy to announce promotions, effective as of 1 January 2022! This year, we promote four of our colleagues to the next level of their professional careers within our firm. Dragoljub Sretenović from our Banking & Finance practice is being promoted to the position of Partner. Dragoljub contributes nine years of experience. Throughout that […]
Investment Flows We continue our series on investment protection between Serbia and major economies with the post on Russia. According to the Development Agency of Serbia, Russia is not among the top countries of origin of foreign investments in Serbia. However, according to the International Monetary Fund‘s Coordinated Direct Investment Survey for 2019, Russia is […]
The Act on Prohibition of Harassment at Work (“Anti-Harassment Act”) of Republika Srpska entered into force on 19 October 2021. It introduces protection mechanisms against harassment within the work environment and imposes certain ex ante obligations on the employers. Definition of harassment at work Harassment at work is defined as any behavior (physical, verbal, or […]
Montenegro has specific tax rules applicable to innovative companies, within the framework of the Innovation Activity Act (Zakon o inovacionoj djelatnosti), the Act on Incentives for Research and Innovation Development (Zakon o podsticajnim mjerama za razvoj istraživanja i inovacija), and implementing rulebooks, the key ones being the Rulebook on Registry of Innovation Activity (Pravilnik o […]
Introduction The Serbian Companies Act has a number of new and amended provisions. Registration of companies as users of e-government services Effective from 27 April 2023, companies will be required to register as users of e-government services. This means they will have electronic mailbox to receive electronic mail from public authorities. Legal entity can be […]
Investment Flows Following our initial post on the United States, we continue our series on investment protection between Serbia and major economies with the focus on China – one of the most important and publicized sources of foreign investments in Serbia. The Development Agency of Serbia reports that China ranks seventh country of origin of […]
Senior associate Milica Basta participated at the online conference “Data Protection – 2021” organised by the agency Forum Media from Belgrade. The event took place on 29 November 2021. More than 20 professionals from public and private sector entities attended. Milica spoke about the tools for interpretation of the Serbian Data Protection Act (2018) when […]
On 26 November 2021, the National Assembly enacted the amendments to the Expropriation Act (“Amendments“), a legislation that originates from 1995 and has not been significantly updated since 2009. A number of public intellectuals, NGOs and opposition parties have loudly criticized the Amendments. We outline below the most important changes. Notion of public interest By […]
BDK Advokati contributed to the 2021 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on gaming law. The authors of the Montenegrin chapter are Luka Popović, partner, and Stefan Đurović, junior associate in BDK Advokati Montenegro. The chapter provides a detailed overview of the permitted online and land-based types of games of chance in Montenegro, licencing […]
The current global environment is giving BNPL (“buy now pay later”) incredible momentum. People are working and shopping more and more from their homes. Many of them need more financial support than usual to complete their purchases. That is where BNPL comes in handy. The basic model is simple: BNPL allows the customer to pay […]
Introduction to the Series Foreign investments play an important role in Serbia’s economic policy. With 53 signed bilateral investment treaties (“BITs“), only few of which are not in force, Serbia has a notable network of international investment protection instruments for an economy of comparable size. However, investment protection regimes applicable between Serbia and various countries […]
DoorDash, Inc. (NYSE: DASH) has reached a deal to acquire Finnish food-delivery company Wolt Enterprises OY in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately EUR 7 billion. Helsinki-based Wolt operates in over 180 cities across 23 European countries, including Serbia. It has over 45 000 merchant partners, 90 000 courier partners and 12 million registered customers […]
The first recovery order since the enactment of the Serbian State Aid Control Act was issued on 1 November 2021. It directs the Ministry of Finance to recover from the Serbian subsidiary of the Italian shoe-maker Geox a total of approximately RSD 414 million (approx. EUR 3.5 million), with default interest running from two different […]
BDK Advokati has been ranked as Highly Recommended law firm in Serbia by Benchmark Litigation Europe 2022, while our Managing Partner Tijana Kojović has been ranked as Litigation Star in the areas of Commercial and transactions and Competition/antitrust. Full rankings are available here.
First day of the 10th International Energy and Investment Days was held yesterday in Congress Centre “Master” of the Novi Sad Fair. The Association Renewable Energy Sources of Serbia (RES Serbia) and BDK Advokati hosted the panel discussion dedicated to investments in the renewable energy sector in Serbia. Panelists Dejan Popović, the president of the […]
According to the Labour Act, a number of employment-related decisions (e.g. decision on termination of employment, decision on overtime work, decision on suspension etc) must be personally served on the employee at the employer’s premises, or at the employee’s address by registered mail. In case personal service fails, the decision must be published on the […]
On 22 September 2021, the Icelandic data protection authority (“Persónuvernd“) issued a ruling against a law firm, Magna Lögmanna ehf (“Magna“), in which it determined that the law firm’s disclosure of complainant’s personal data to the general e-mail address of an Icelandic municipality did not comply with GDPR. The complainant was in a dispute with […]
J.P. Morgan and UK Export Finance are jointly supporting the construction of Morava Corridor motorway, by providing a €430 million guaranteed loan to the Republic of Serbia. This is one of the largest ongoing infrastructure projects in Serbia and one of the first sovereign loans granted by a commercial lender for development of infrastructure. The […]
GIC, a global investment firm headquartered in Singapore, has acquired a 30% stake in CETIN Group. PPF Group remains the owner of the remaining 70%. CETIN Group is a leading wholesale provider of telecommunications infrastructure services in the CEE region, operating in four countries: Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary and Serbia. CETIN Serbia was founded in […]
blinkdraft| Employment launched for Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) blinkdraft| Employment is now available to corporate clients with their seat in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srspka. blinkdraft| Employment is an on-line service developed by BDK Advokati that allows clients to access a comprehensive database of employment law templates. The templates now made available to clients […]
On 26 July 2021, the French Data Protection Authority (“CNIL“) issued a fine of EUR 400,000 against Monsanto, leading company in the field of agricultural biotechnologies. The decision elucidates the criteria for differentiating between a data controller and a data processor and validates a strict approach to interpreting the obligation of data controllers to inform […]
BDK Advokati has contributed the Serbia chapter in the 2022 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through – Data Protection & Privacy (July 2021). The chapter presents the regulatory frameworks under Serbian data protection law which applies since August 2019. The law is modelled under the EU General Data Protection Regulation. The chapter also describes […]
MediGroup system acquired TalijaLab, biochemical laboratories which operate in 20 locations across Serbia providing services in various fields of laboratory diagnostics: biochemistry, microbiology and genetics. By this transaction MediGroup has expanded its MediLab network becoming the largest network of laboratories in Serbia with laboratories in over 50 locations. BDK Advokati advised MediGroup on this transaction. […]
In the freshly released edition of IFLR1000 rankings, BDK Advokati keeps its top rankings in the Financial and corporate and Project development areas in Serbia and Montenegro. Our Bosnian practice also receives recognition. All our partners who work in the respective practices are recognized as highly regarded professionals: Tijana Kojović, Vladimir Dašić, Dragoljub Cibulić, Milan Dakić and Luka Popović. The […]
The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM), an American multinational food processing and commodities trading corporation, has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire Sojaprotein, one of the leading soybean processing companies in Europe and leading European provider of non-GMO soy ingredients. Sojaprotein is part of Victoria Group which has been recently acquired by MK Group […]
BDK Advokati’s partner Luka Popović was elected a member of the board of governors of AmCham Montenegro on its general assembly held on 20 July. BDK Advokati has been a long time AmCham member and an active participant in its sectoral committees, and Luka’s election further confirms our commitment to contribute AmCham and help in […]
In 2020, Serbian Supreme Court of Cassation reversed the decisions of the lower courts which had found that an employee who had refused to enter into an annex to employment agreement was lawfully terminated. Under Serbian law, the terms of employment agreement can be amended through a special procedure which involves the employer’s offer to […]
Our partner Bogdan Ivanišević for CEE Legal Matters on the first 18 months of implementation of the Serbian Data Protection Act, and on a publication by Data Protection Commissioner as a contribution to the development of data protection law in Serbia.
Our partner Bogdan Ivanišević spoke for Nova Ekonomija on the proposal of the Protection of Trade Secrets Act. Serbian parliament subsequently adopted the law, on 27 May 2021. Bogdan noted that the proposal of the new law introduces numerous novelties in Serbian legal framework, aimed at strengthening the legal protection of trade secrets. He pointed […]
Hungarian real estate investor Indotek Group has signed a sale and purchase agreement for the purchase of 11 office buildings from Globe Trade Centre (GTC) for the proposed acquisition price of EUR 267,6 million. The GTC office portfolio is located in New Belgrade, a prime business district in Belgrade, and consists of 11 premium quality […]
Trade with the EU prompts the need for compliance with EU law Serbia does not yet have legislation requiring its companies and other businesses to monitor the compliance with human rights and environmental standards throughout their value chains. However, such requirements are becoming increasingly relevant for Serbian companies, given the country’s high dependence on trade […]
On 20 November 2020, the Austrian Federal Administrative Court issued a judgement. Contrary to the decision of the Data Protection Authority (“DPA“), the Court found a violation of the data subject’s rights. The judgement has shown how two different authorities can come to opposite conclusions based on the same facts and methodology. Background The judgement […]
The Serbian Parliament has enacted the Climate Change Act[1] with a view to further harmonize its legislation with its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the related Paris Agreement, as well as with aquis. Driven by the Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Climate Change […]
On 21 April 2021, the Serbian Government announced that it has reached a final deal with a group representing interests of freelance internet workers on the partial amnesty for the unpaid past income tax and social security contributions and on the new rules of taxation of their income. The final agreement was a result of […]
The provision of the Labour Act allowing termination for redundancy does not distinguish between fixed-term and permanent employees. The distinction between indefinite-term and fixed-term employees is made only with respect to the obligation to pass mass redundancy programme, which is triggered if certain minimum number of indefinite-term employees is being declared redundant. Redundancy occurs when […]
BDK Advokati*, along with Allen & Overy as the lead counsel, has advised the joint lead managers in connection with the offering of EUR 300 million global eurobonds by Republika Srpska, a sub-sovereign entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first foreign currency bond offering by Republika Srpska on the London Stock Exchange and […]
Last week, we critically commented on the NBS’s interpretation of the Serbian Foreign Exchange Act with respect to the permissibility of pledge on local receivables as security for claims of foreign creditors against Serbian debtors. As a reminder, NBS negatively answered the question whether resident A may pledge its receivable against resident B as security […]
BDK Advokati’s counsel Bisera Andrijašević and junior associate Anja Gligorević authored the chapter on Serbia featured among 19 jurisdictions in the 2021 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on Life Sciences. The Serbian chapter gives an overview of the regulatory regime for the life sciences sector in Serbia, offering information on the topics such […]
BDK Advokati is once again among the top ranked law firms by Legal 500 EMEA. In the 2021 edition released on 14 April 2021, we are Tier 1 firm in Serbia in six practice areas – Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Competition, Dispute resolution, Projects and energy and Real estate and construction, and […]
The National Bank of Serbia (“NBS“) released interpretative guidance regarding the application of the foreign exchange regulations on certain cross-border transactions. Among other things, the guidance responds to a question whether Serbian resident A may pledge a receivable owed to it by Serbian resident B (domestic receivable) for the benefit of non-resident C. Whereas it […]
The Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal, in the Netherlands, recently issued a decision concerning compliance with a legal obligation as legal basis for data processing (Article 6.1(c) of GDPR). The decision builds upon a line of recent court decisions in the Netherlands which allow data controllers to rely on the legal obligation more freely than what […]
The Court of Amsterdam rendered on 11 March 2021 the decision in a proceeding initiated against Uber for an alleged failure to observe the data subjects’ right of access (Article 15 of the GDPR). The Court for the most part accepted that Uber was not obliged to grant the data subjects access to their personal […]
Nomad Foods Limited has entered into an agreement to acquire Fortenova Group’s Frozen Food Business Group (FFBG) for aggregate consideration of approximately €615 million on a debt-free, cash free basis. Nomad Foods is Europe’s leading frozen foods company (with brands such as Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Aunt Bessie’s, Goodfella’s) whereas FFBG is a leading European […]
The Government of Serbia adopted on 11 March 2021 two new bylaws under the State Aid Control Act (Zakon o kontroli državne pomoći, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia no. 73/2019): the Regulation on Conditions and Criteria for Compliance of Regional State Aid (Uredba o uslovima i kriterijumima usklađenosti regionalne državne pomoći) (“Regional Aid […]
On 29 January 2021, the Belgian Data Protection Authority (“GBA“) issued a decision interesting for its contrast between a simple set of facts, on the one hand, and inclusion of bold statements about some fundamental data protection concepts, such as data breach and lawfulness, on the other hand. The parties to the proceedings before the […]
The Consultative Committee of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (“Convention 108+“) developed Guidelines on Facial Recognition, addressed to legislators, decision makers and businesses (“Guidelines“). The Committee brings together experts representing the 55 states parties to the Convention as well as 20 observer […]
District Court of Central Netherlands in Utrecht rendered a decision on 8 January 2021 concerning the “naming and shaming” scheme published on a Dutch website. The court provided valuable insights into a conflict between the legitimate interests of data controller and third parties, on the one hand, and fundamental rights and freedoms of data subject, […]
The Republic of Serbia and People’s Republic of China signed the Social Security Agreement (“Treaty“) which entered into force on 1 February 2021. Chinese citizens employed with Chinese companies but working in Serbia will be exempt from mandatory pension and unemployment insurance contributions in Serbia, while Serbian companies and Serbian employees will enjoy the same […]
The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante) issued on 17 December 2020 a EUR 40,000 fine against an Italian software company (Miropass s.r.l.) for GDPR violations connected to the use of its appointment booking system. The decision analyses legal responsibility of the software company in its varied roles under data protection law – those of a […]
The case law across Europe on the use of video surveillance is possibly richer than case law on any other data protection issue – but there is always some new aspect for a decision-making body to examine and for lawyers to learn about. Most recently, the Swedish data protection authority (Datainspektionen) helped polish our understanding […]
The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) has updated its regulation of cross-border loans and guarantees involving Serbian borrowers and security providers (Update). The Update allows Serbian borrowers to agree to partially or fully repay at any time loans taken from international financial institutions (IFIs) of which Serbia is a member or with which Serbia has […]
We are happy to announce promotions of three of our senior associates into counsels: Dragoljub Sretenović, Bisera Andrijašević and Tomislav Popović. We are equally glad to announce that our collegue Dijana Pejić Šinik, independent attorney at law from Banja Luka working in cooperation with our firm, has risen to the professional level of senior associate. […]
The Federal Administrative Court of Austria confirmed by its decision of 26 November 2020 the stance of the Austrian Data Protection Authority (“Datenschutzbehörde“) that so-called “party affinity” data may not be processed without the data subject’s consent. Most importantly, the Court clarified that data about an individual fall within the scope of “personal data” even […]
Following the decision on opening investigation into alleged illegal state aid to Montenegrin airline company Montenegro Airlines, which led to grounding of its airplanes and termination of transport operations in December 2020, the Montenegrin Agency for Protection of Competition (“Agency“) has opened two more investigations into alleged illegal state aid granted to state-owned transport companies. […]
As of 21 January 2021, Serbian and foreign citizens can travel to Serbia for business reasons, without a negative PCR test. To be able to do so, they have to send an email to inocovid19@pks.rs at least 48 hours prior to the entry into Serbia. The e-mail must contain the following information: personal data about […]
The Serbian Ministry of Labour published on 18 January 2021 the Guide for Safe and Healthy Work from Home (Vodič za bezbedan i zdrav rad od kuće) (“Guide“). The Guide defines work from home as work which involves the use of information and communication technologies (PC, laptop, smartphone, and tablet) enabling remote work. Documenting work […]
AFP news agency has published an article debunking anti-maskers’ interpretation of a recent decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning COVID-19-related measures, which implied that the Court invalidated the mandatory use of face masks. AFP cited our attorney at law Relja Radović and linked to his analysis of the Court’s decision published […]
As of 1 April 2021, foreigners can apply for the temporary residence permit without having to enter Serbia, electronically via e-Government Portal (“Portal“). The applicant should select “Living in Serbia”. After submitting the application form, the applicant will be instructed on further actions through the Portal. Once the temporary residence permit is granted, the applicant […]
Britain’s Frontier Pharma and the Baystone Investment Group have acquired Serbian pharmaceuticals company Zdravlje Leskovac, which is owned by Actavis, a subsidiary of Israeli company Teva. Baystone Group and Frontier Pharma are expected to further invest in Zdravlje Leskovac production and bring additional products to the facility over time. BDK Advokati advised Frontier Pharma and […]
The 2020 edition of the Chambers’ Global Practice Guide on gambling law includes the chapter on Montenegro authored by Luka Popović, partner and Stefan Đurović, junior associate in BDK Advokati Montenegro. The Montenegrin chapter gives an overview of the regulatory regime for the games of chance industry in Montenegro, offering information on the topics such […]
On 24 December 2020, the Serbian government published a new decree that provides details on how the tax liabilities deferred under the fiscal stimulus decree of 10 April 2020 and additional governmental decision of 31 July 2020 are to be paid under the rescheduled terms. Deferred liabilities concern payroll tax and social security contributions (“SSC”) […]
Introduction On 22 December 2020, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“the Court”) declared unconstitutional two measures imposed in the efforts to suppress the COVID-19 epidemic, namely the mandatory use of face masks in the Canton of Sarajevo and the general restriction of movement in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Federation”). The Court […]
As of 1 December 2020, the application for temporary residence permit and work permit for foreigners can be submitted at one stop-shop at the police station in the district of the foreigner’s temporary address in Serbia (application available here: http://www.pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/SlGlasnikPortal/prilozi/prilog.html&doctype=reg&abc=cba&eli=true&eliActId=431184®actid=431184)The police forwards the application for the work permit to the National Employment Service (“NES“). Foreigner […]
The Minister of Capital Investment in the newly elected Government of Montenegro announced on 24 December 2020 that the Government will not grant any more state aid to the national airline Montenegro Airlines. The decision equals a death verdict for the airline, as it’s only chance of survival was the 2019 Law on Investment into […]
At one of the last sessions this year, the Serbian parliament voted to adopt the Digital Assets Act (Zakon o digitalnoj imovini) intended to regulate, but also enhance, the use of cryptocurrencies and similar instruments in Serbia. The new legislation, which will apply from June 2021, was adopted substantially as proposed in the draft which […]
A court in Germany rendered a decision on 24 September 2020, re-affirming the position of supervisory authorities and courts in Europe that processing of data by CCTV in a public area is generally prohibited. The decision should be noted because it provides a detailed analysis of the conditions under which the use of CCTV is […]
The National Bank of Serbia has adopted new measures to facilitate loan and financial leasing instalment repayments to corporate clients affected by COVID-19 pandemic, which have come into force on 15 December 2020. Banks and financial leasing providers are obliged to publish on their websites an offer to the clients affected by COVID-19 pandemic for […]
On 9 November 2020 Belgian Data Protection Authority (“APD“) rendered a decision confirming that the employee’s consent can be a valid ground for processing under certain conditions. The decision by APD also points to the importance of including in a notice to data subjects all elements required by the GDPR. I. Background The […]
Partner Bogdan Ivanišević and senior associate Bisera Andrijašević authored the chapter on Serbia in the 2021 edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through publication Life Sciences. The contribution provides a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory landscape in Serbia for the life sciences industry. We examined the organisation and financing of healthcare structures, the […]
Medigroup system acquired Affidea Special Hospital, a modern and well-equipped diagnostic centre in Belgrade (Serbia). BDK Advokati advised Affidea Diagnostic B.V. on this transaction. Affidea Special Hospital is well known for diagnostic services including MRI, MDCT, mammography, X-ray, ultrasound, EEG, EMNG, gynecological ultrasound etc. The sale will enable Medigroup to expand its network and offer […]
Senior associate Milica Basta spoke at the online conference “Data Protection – 2020” hosted by the agency Forum Media from Belgrade. The event took place on 30 November 2020. More than 30 professionals from public and private sectors attended. Milica spoke on the two-year implementation of GDPR in EU as a guide for application of […]
Our attorney-at-law Marija Gligorević participated in this year’s edition of HR week at the panel HR for tomorrow: leading the changes. Other panelists were our colleagues from Karanović and partners, Ivana Karanović and Milena Papac, Aleksandra Dutina from Carlsberg and Dragana Koruga Ristić from Coca Cola. Marija talked about challenges employers are nowadays faced with […]
On 27 October 2020, following a two-year investigation, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), published its enforcement notice against credit reference agency Experian Limited (Experian). During the investigation process, Experian strove to improve compliance with the GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act, but it did not go far enough and ICO’s enforcement notice points […]
BDK Advokati advised the Embracer Group AB on the acquisition of all issued shares of Mad Head Games d.o.o. (MGH), an award-winning and growing development studio from Novi Sad, Serbia. Our team conducted due diligence on MHG and worked together with Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå KB on transaction documents. Embracer Group AB is a Swedish […]
The Serbian parliament adopted amendments to the Act on Protection of Population from Infectious Diseases (Zakon o izmenama i dopunama Zakona zaštiti stanovništva od zaraznih bolesti, “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, no. 136/2020), which has entered into force with immediate effect. Personal protection measures against infection The amendments impose on retail businesses the […]
On 17 September 2020, Italian data protection authority (Garante) rendered two related decisions, one against a hospital in Naples, and the other against an IT company, concerning a data breach which affected two thousand applicants for positions in the hospital. The decisions underlie the importance of transparency in the processing of personal data, proper identification of […]
By the end of this year, Serbia is expected to have a completely new legislation dedicated to cryptocurrencies and other instruments referred to as “digital assets” (digitalna imovina). The draft legislation (Nacrt Zakona o digitalnoj imovini) was prepared by the Ministry of Finance and a group of stakeholders, including the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and […]
We are excited to announce the launch of Human Rights Protection & Litigation practice. The respect for human rights remains a pressing issue in the Western Balkans. New challenges our societies face, such as the increasing executive powers and the COVID-19 pandemic, keep human rights to the forefront of the public concern. Legal profession bears […]
This year’s edition of Lexology Getting the Deal Through publication Pharma & Medical Device Regulation includes a contribution by BDK Advokati. Partner Bogdan Ivanišević and senior associate Bisera Andrijašević authored the chapter on Serbia. Bogdan and Bisera provide a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory landscape in Serbia for this dynamic and innovative industry. […]
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Serbia has adopted several state aid measures aimed at helping the economic entities preserve jobs and liquidity. In this respect, the Government took the lead from the European Commission and its measures adopted within the scope of the Temporary Framework to support the economy in […]
On 18 September 2020 Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main rendered an interesting judgement which holds, in the main, that data leakage does not on its own evidence controller’s breach of the GDPR and warrant payment of non-material damages. More is required for a plaintiff to succeed in his or her claim. Background A Belgian […]
If employers want to be compliant with GDPR, what should they do with employee’s corporate e-mail account after termination of his employment? Italian supervisory authority’s decision of 2 July 2020, against Mapei S.p.A. (“Mapei“), gives us answers to this question. Background A former employee of Mapei lodged a complaint before Italian supervisory authority (“Garante“) in […]
Last September, the European Data Protection Board (“EDPB“) issued its Guidelines 07/2020 on the concepts of controller and processor in the GDPR. The guidelines were subject to public consultation until 19 October. As it can be inferred from the title, the document gives criteria for the correct interpretation of some key concepts used in the […]
The Court of Appeal of Ireland adopted on 1 July 2020 a judgement in a dispute between Peter Nowak and the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, as respondent (“DPC“), at the end of a years-long judicial saga. The case, taken in its entirety, offers interesting insight into two important questions: can written opinions and assessments made […]
The Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition launched its fourth investigation in September 2020. The latest one will look into whether Zdravstvena ustanova Apoteka Janković, a privately owned chain of pharmacies (“ZUA Janković“), breached merger control rules by not notifying the acquisition of control over the pharmaceutical business of state-owned chain of pharmacies Zdravstvena ustanova […]
We are grateful to our clients for the work that has landed us once again into Tier 1 for Corporate and Finance in both Serbia and Montenegro in the latest IFLR1000 directory. We are satisfied with our Tier 2 ranking in Bosnia and Herzegovina in this practice area. We will work harder to improve the […]
BDK’s senior partner Vladimir Dašić spoke at FINIZ round table on trends in mergers and acquisitions in Serbia in light of the pending COVID-19 crisis. He stressed that the crisis had a significant negative impact on the economies of the region. Serbia declared the state of emergency in spring which significantly disturbed economic activity. However, […]
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) issued on 28 July 2020 a fine of €250,000 against Spartoo, a French company which specializes in selling shoes online. The decision offers rich insights into the failures of a data controller to fulfil the GDPR requirements concerning data minimization, data retention, privacy notices, and security of processing. The […]
The Montenegrin Agency for Protection of Competition (“Agency“) issued on 3 September 2020 a decision to open a formal investigation procedure into the compatibility with state aid rules of the state aid granted by virtue of the 2019 Law on Investment into Consolidation and Development of the Company for Air Transport of Passengers and Goods […]
An appellate labour court in Germany rendered a decision on 4 June 2020, stating that a biometric time recording system, in the employment context, as a rule is not lawful. This decision is in line with earlier EU member states’ practice. There is an emerging consensus that processing of biometric data is impermissible except in […]
Uz blinkdraft| Corporate, korisnici pristupaju odabranom templejtu i, prateći online intervju, kreiraju finalni dokument prilagođen specifičnostima organizacije. Usluga je dostupna u web shopu. “blinkdraft| Corporate je komplementaran sa blinkdraft| Employment koji smo lansirali u martu 2020. Projekat je odraz našeg oslanjanja na tehnologije u pružanju pravnih usluga i uverenja da standardizovani pravni procesi treba da […]
BDK Advokati advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Enterprise Expansion Fund (ENEF) on their recent closing of a €12 million secured credit facility loan to the software developer and technology research and development service provider, High Tech Engineering Center (HTEC). This loan will provide HTEC capital to support their short- […]
Vlada Srbije je 31. jula 2020. objavila Zaključak kojim privrednim subjektima odobrava dodatnu direktnu pomoć iz budžeta. Preduzetnici i mikro, mala i srednja pravna lica (MMSP) koja su u julu 2020. godine primila direktnu pomoć iz budžeta u skladu sa Uredbom o fiskalnim pogodnostima i direktnim davanjima privrednim subjektima u privatnom sektoru i novčanoj pomoći […]
Obligations subject to moratorium Less than a month after the expiry of the first COVID-19-related moratorium on corporate and retail debt, to Serbian banks and financial leasing companies, the National Bank of Serbia has imposed a new moratorium on payment obligations owed to banks under banking products (such as loans, overdrafts, credit cards, hedge instruments […]
The new Montenegrin Companies Act entered into force on 11 July 2020, introducing numerous novelties in the regulation of companies. Some of the new provisions have not been sufficiently developed to be operational and will have to be supplemented by further legislation or interpretation. Existing corporates will have to amend their memorandums of association and […]
The Ministry of Labour adopted the Rulebook on Prevention of Epidemics of Infectious Diseases (Pravilnik o preventivnim merama za bezbedan i zdrav rad za sprečavanje pojave i širenja epidemije zarazne bolesti “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, no. 94/2020) (“Rulebook“), which will become applicable on 11 July 2020. The employers must enact a Plan […]
COVID-19 pandemic is on a hike and the employers are therefore faced with the necessity to introduce remote work in order to secure occupational safety and health of their employees. However, the Serbian law does not provide for a legal basis for the employers to order teleworking in exceptional times. During the recent state of […]
The Serbian Competition Commission has been laying low since the outbreak of corona virus, with the activities at the minimum. There has not been much news on its website either, except that on 1 June 2020, it clarified who is considered to be a party to a concentration and how merger filing thresholds are calculated. […]
Levelling the playing field on the internal market by competition law and state aid control rules has been the EU’s mantra from the very beginning. Meanwhile, the EU has become both the world’s main destination for foreign direct investment, with EUR 7,197 billion worth of foreign direct investment stocks held by third-country investors in the […]
We are pleased to say that our managing partner Tijana Kojović is among the leading female transactional experts, according to the 2020 edition of IFLR1000 Women Leaders. Tijana has been ranked as a leading lawyer in Serbia for the last 15 years by major legal directories regardless of her gender. IFLR1000 Women Leaders is a […]
Google LLC has appointed BDK Advokati to act as the local representative under the Serbian Data Protection Act. The appointment letter was also published at the website of the Serbian Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection. The data subjects may continue using established channels to directly contact Google regarding the rights […]
This is an update to the article originally published on our website on 14 May 2020. The article is updated from time to time to reflect new developments on the topic of financial and fiscal aid provided by various authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Republika Srpska Financial aid Horizontal aid for March 2020 Republika […]
Republika Srpska Financial aid Republika Srpska has so far adopted a modest package of financial aid. Its Solidarity Fund will finance social contributions for March salaries to the businesses which were closed by order of the Government of Republika Srpska in March due to COVID-19 epidemics. Those are the businesses from the sectors such as […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 10114 registered cases. State of emergency lifted. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
There are no changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro compared to our update published on 7 May Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 9848 registered cases. State of emergency lifted. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 9791 registered cases. State of emergency lifted. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
As a follow-up to the Decree on the Procedure for Issuance of Debt Securities (“Decree“), the Serbian Securities Commission (“SEC“) has enacted amendments to the Regulation on Content of Application for Prospectus Publication Approval and Documentation Accompanying Application and the Regulation on Form and Minimal Content of Information to be Included in Prospectus, Basic Prospectus […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 9677 registered cases. State of emergency declared, will last until Thursday 7 May 2020. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. On 5 May 2020, there are no changes to our last daily report on Serbia and Montenegro. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1947 confirmed cases (Republika Srpska 985; Federation B&H 942; Brčko 20). Bosnia and Herzegovina declared emergency situation. Republika Srpska declared state of emergency; in force as of 3 […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 9464 registered cases. State of emergency declared, will last until Thursday 7 May 2020. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and […]
Engleska verzija Ovaj tekst je prvobitno objavljen na našem veb sajtu 11. aprila 2020. godine, a ažuriramo ga s vremena na vreme u skladu sa pojašnjenjima i izmenama regulative koje donose nadležni organi. Ko se kvalifikuje za fiskalne pogodnosti i direktnu pomoć Mere su dostupne sledećim kategorijama pravnih lica: preduzetnicima, uključujući i one koji […]
Serbian version This is the update to the article originally published on our website on 11 April 2020. The article is updated from time to time in accordance with the clarifications and changes to the regulations issued by the Serbian authorities. Who qualifies for the fiscal incentives and direct financial aid The measures are […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 8724 registered cases. State of emergency declared, will likely last until 10 May 2020. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 8497 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 8275 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
BDK Advokati is proud to announce that the project financing for the Belgrade waste management PPP project has received the IFLR Europe DoY 2020 award. Together with Clifford Chance, we have been representing IFC, EBRD and OeEB as lenders on this deal. In accordance with its policy to take innovation as key aspect when evaluating deals across Europe, […]
Engleska verzija Vlada Crne Gore usvojila je dva seta mjera u cilju suzbijanja negativnih efekata epidemije korona virusa na privredu, kao i na najranjivije kategorije stanovništva. Prvi paket je obuhvatio set hitnih mjera koje su najvećim dijelom usmjerene na ograničavanje budžetske potrošnje u cilju uštede i preusmjeravanja javnih resursa na borbu protiv korona virusa, sa […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 7779 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
Montenegrin version The Government of Montenegro adopted two sets of measures in order to mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 epidemic on the economy, as well as on the most vulnerable categories of citizens. The first package involves a set of emergency measures mostly aimed at limiting the budget spending and redirecting public resources towards […]
Engleska verzija Ovaj tekst je prvobitno objavljen na našem veb sajtu 11. aprila 2020. godine, a ažuriramo ga s vremena na vreme u skladu sa pojašnjenjima i izmenama regulative koje donose nadležni organi. Ko se kvalifikuje za fiskalne pogodnosti i direktnu pomoć Mere su dostupne sledećim kategorijama pravnih lica: preduzetnicima, uključujući i one koji […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 7483 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 14 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
Serbian version This is the update to the article originally published on our website on 11 April 2020. The article is updated from time to time in accordance with the clarifications and changes to the regulations issued by the Serbian authorities. Who qualifies for the fiscal incentives and direct financial aid The measures are […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 7276 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 7114 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who enter the country, except for: crew members in international road, rail, water and air transport; Serbian or foreign agricultural workers and owners of agricultural land across the […]
Engleska verzija Ovaj tekst je prvobitno objavljen na našem veb sajtu 11. aprila 2020. godine, a ažuriramo ga s vremena na vreme u skladu sa pojašnjenjima i izmenama regulative koje donose nadležni organi. Ko se kvalifikuje za fiskalne pogodnosti i direktnu pomoć Mere su dostupne sledećim kategorijama pravnih lica: preduzetnicima, uključujući i one koji […]
Serbian version This is the update to the article originally published on our website on 11 April 2020. The article is updated from time to time in accordance with the clarifications and changes to the regulations issued by the Serbian authorities. Who qualifies for the fiscal incentives and direct financial aid The measures are […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 6890 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 6630 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 6318 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
On 16 April 2020, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted a decree establishing a scheme for the issuance of unconditional, on-demand state guarantees to banks for working capital loans to Serbian corporates. The total guaranteed amount is EUR 480 million, while the total value of the COVID-19-related loans to be guaranteed by the […]
COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a myriad of legal issues, one of them being how one can lawfully be excused from performance of its contractual obligations where such performance is affected by the consequences of the epidemics. The golden rule of contract law is pacta sunt servanda (contract must be observed). We will analyse below three […]
The National Bank of Serbia has taken steps to preserve financial stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the associated state of emergency declared in Serbia. Specifically, NBS imposed moratorium on payment obligations of corporate and retail borrowers and payment obligations of corporate and retail debtors under financial leasing contracts. The moratorium […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 5690 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
BDK Advokati is delighted to announce that it is once again among the ranked firms by Legal 500 EMEA 2020 edition. We are in Tier 1 in Serbia in 6 practice areas – Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Competition, Dispute resolution, Projects and energy and Real estate and construction, and Tier 2 in Intellectual property and Employment. Our […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 5318 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 4873 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Following the joint statement of 23 March 2020 by the European Competition Network (ECN), consisting of the European Commission, the European Surveillance Authority and the national competition authorities of each EU/EEA Member States on the joint approach to the application of competition law during the coronavirus crisis, the European Commission (“Commission“) issued on 8 April […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 4465 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 4054 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 3630 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
The Government of Serbia adopted on 10 April 2020 the emergency Decree on the Procedure for Issue of Debt Securities (“Decree“), which provides for the simplification of the current regime regarding public offerings of debt securities by Serbian companies on the territory of Serbia. This new simplified regime will be in force for a period […]
Serbian version This article was published on 11 April, and updated on 16 April 2020. See our latest update as of 1 May 2020. Who qualifies for the aid The measures are available to the following categories of commercial actors: private entrepreneurs (sole proprietorship), including those who have registered temporary cessation of business activities on […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 3380 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 3105 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 2867 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
The new Serbian Act on Games of Chance, adopted in March this year, is set to apply from 10 April 2020. The novelties are not numerous, and conceptually the gambling activity is regulated in the same manner as in the outgoing legislation. The changes will affect the operators financially as the new legislation imposes stricter […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 2666 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 2447 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 2200 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 1908 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 1624 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe, several national competition authorities have already opened investigations into potential infringements of competition laws. Italian competition authority has opened an abuse of dominance investigation into the sale of medical masks, gloves, and hand gels at alleged anti-competitive prices by Amazon and eBay, while the Greek competition authority has […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 1476 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 1171 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020 (14 days for health professionals, prison guards, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and military personnel). Isolation at home […]
BDK Advokati is proud to announce that, for the second year in a row, a deal we advised on is recognized as Serbian deal of the year by CEE Legal Matters, a magazine that covers legal industry in Central and Eastern Europe. This time, Coca Cola HBC’s acquisition of Bambi has been voted the most […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 1060 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020. Mass testing and quarantine for COVID-19 positive announced. Movement of people Total closure of borders, except for road transport crews […]
Under the authority vested upon it by the state of emergency, the Government of Serbia has passed a number of bylaws with the aim of protecting public health in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. One of them is disputable Decree on Misdemeanour for Violation of the Order of the Minister of the Interior on Restriction […]
Serbian version Serbian data protection authority – the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection – has not issued any guidance on the processing of personal data in the workplace, during the coronavirus outbreak. Serbian employers who wish to know the boundaries of permissible data processing under the current circumstances are left […]
Serbia 900 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020. Mass testing and quarantine for COVID-19 positive announced. Movement of people Total closure of borders, except for road transport crews and other persons with special permit. Foreign […]
Changes to the yesterday report are marked. Serbia 785 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020. Mass testing and quarantine for COVID-19 positive announced. Movement of people Total closure of borders, except for road transport crews […]
Serbia 659 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who entered the country after 14 March 2020. Mass testing and quarantine for COVID-19 positive announced. Movement of people Total closure of borders, except for road transport crews and other persons with special permit. Foreign […]
Serbia 528 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Self-isolation at home or quarantine for 28 days for those who enter the country. Mass testing and quarantine for positive announced. Movement of people Total closure of borders, except for road transport crews and other persons with special permit. Foreign crew transiting Serbia by inland […]
Serbia 528 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia must self-isolate in their homes for 28 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and […]
Serbia 457 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia must self-isolate in their homes for 28 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and […]
Serbian version By the Decision of 24 March 2020, Personal Data Protection Agency (“DPA”) in Bosnia and Herzegovina banned state-level and local authorities in the country from releasing the data of individuals who test positive for coronavirus. The Agency also prohibited making publicly available the data on isolated and self-isolated persons who adhere to the […]
Serbia 384 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia must self-isolate in their homes for 28 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and […]
Serbia 303 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia must self-isolate in their homes for 28 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and […]
Montenegrin version As a measure against further spread of coronavirus, the authorities in Montenegro have published on a government website lists of individuals who are in mandatory self-isolation after returning home from abroad. The lists, structured by municipalities, include individual’s name, surname, date from which the person is in isolation, and the home address. The […]
First Serbian HR Community online event “Remote Teams” was held on 20 March. The topic was remote work and the challenges that such work provides. HR executives of over 100 companies from various industries attended the event. BDK’s senior associate Nikola Cincović spoke on legal aspects of remote work. He explained the legal framework and […]
Serbia 222 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia must self-isolate in their homes for 28 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and […]
Serbia 222 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia prior to the ban must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, […]
Serbia 149 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia who entered Serbia prior to the ban must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those who came prior to the ban from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, […]
Serbia 118 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia allowed to enter Serbia but must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those coming from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Greece. Movement of […]
Serbia 97 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia allowed to enter Serbia but must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those coming from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Greece. Movement of […]
Serbia 83 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia allowed to enter Serbia but must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those coming from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Greece. Movement of […]
Serbian government has issued a special regulation on the organization of work during the state of emergency prompted by COVID-19 (Uredba o organizovanju rada poslodavaca za vreme vanrednog stanja, “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, no. 31/2020). The question is, however, to what extent this regulation really answers the employers’s real dilemmas. Key provisions […]
Serbia 65 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia allowed to enter Serbia but must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days. 28 days of quarantine for those coming from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Greece. Movement of […]
In the face of COVID-19 pandemic, a number of European countries are taking extraordinary measures in an effort to slow down the spread of infection and cope with the toll that the epidemic is taking on healthcare sector and economy in general. In addition to being a serious threat to life and health for a […]
Serbia 55 registered cases. State of emergency declared. Health measures Serbian nationals and foreigners with temporary or permanent residency in Serbia allowed to enter Serbia but must self-isolate in their homes for 14 days (28 days for those coming from Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Greece). Movement of people Provisional […]
On 26 February 2020, the director of the Serbian Tax Administration revealed a detailed instruction (“Instruction“) on the application of the “independent contractor test”. The test was introduced by the recent amendments to the Personal Income Tax Act and it applies as of 1 March 2020. The Instruction is addressed to tax inspectors. The independent […]
blinkdraft| is a new service of BDK Advokati that allows clients to access a comprehensive database of templates in employment law in Serbian language-only or in bilingual version (English and Serbian). Clients can quickly convert templates into custom made, ready-to-use, legal documents through an easy and highly intuitive process. blinkdraft| requires only a basic understanding […]
Following recently organized presentation in ICT Hub concerning the new rules of the Serbian Companies’ Act on equity incentives in limited liability companies, BDK’s senior associate Tomislav Popović, expert in corporate and tax laws, held another presentation on this topic to Serbian start-ups. The event was hosted by Impact Hub. For more information on the […]
Serbian COVID-19 is spreading. According to publicly available information to date, there are two registered cases of infection with the virus in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one registered case in Serbia. There are no registered cases in Montenegro, yet. However, taking into account the developments in the neighboring countries, no one can exclude that infection […]
English COVID-19 se širi. Prema javno dostupnim informacijama, u Bosni i Hercegovini su na današnji dan registrovana dva slučaja zaraženih virusom, a u Srbiji jedan. U Crnoj Gori još nema registrovanih slučajeva, ali se, s obzirom na okruženje, njihova pojava ne može isključiti. Institucije u Srbiji još nisu izdale posebna uputstva poslodavcima o merama koje […]
BDK Advokati hosted a workshop on the Serbian Staff Leasing Act (“Act“) that came into force on 3 March 2020. Senior associate Nikola Cincović and associate Marija Gligorević led the workshop that was attended by the representatives of companies who were eager to hear about the specifics of the new legislation and discuss the challenges […]
Senior associate Milica Basta participated in the International Symposium for Directors of Primary and Secondary Schools organized by the publishing company Klett from Belgrade. The event took place on 27-29 February 2020 in Vrnjačka Banja, and gathered almost 400 school directors from Serbia and Montenegro. Milica delivered a presentation on the obligations of schools as […]
BDK Advokati in cooperation with AmCham Montenegro held on 21 February 2020 a workshop on the New Labour Act for over 70 participants from Montenegrin companies. The Labour Act came into force on 8 January 2020 and you can read more about it in the article published by BDK Advokati. Jelena Bogetić, associate in BDK […]
BDK’s managing partner Tijana Kojović and senior associate Tomislav Popović, expert in corporate and tax laws, spoke to the representatives of some 20 start-ups and MSEs on the new rules of the Serbian Companies’ Act regarding equity incentives in limited liability companies. The event was hosted by ICT Hub. For an elaboration of the new […]
BDK Advokati has contributed Serbia chapters to two related Getting the Deal Through publications: Life Sciences 2020 and Pharma & Medical Device Regulation 2020. Both chapters were authored by partner Bogdan Ivanišević and senior associate Bisera Andrijašević. In the Life Sciences chapter, we examined the law and practice concerning organisation and financing of healthcare, advertising, […]
As of the 1st of February, a new Trademarks Act applies in Serbia. The Act introduces a significant number of changes in the Serbian trademark law, some of them arising from the need to close the earlier gaps between Serbian and EU trademark law. The new law also institutes procedural novelties which are of primary […]
A number of corporates whose directors are not employed but engaged on no-remuneration management contracts have reported unusual requests by tax inspectors in response to their exercise of legal right to claim VAT refund. The Serbian tax authorities have a long-lasting practice of responding to such requests with visits to the petitioner’s premises and detailed […]
GetSwift, a worldwide leader in delivery management automation headquartered in New York City and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, has acquired a 60% stake in Logo d.o.o., a Serbian information and communications technology firm. Logo d.o.o. operates in the Serbian market for almost 30 years and also provides its services in Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and […]
Serbian Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection (“Commissioner”) issued on 16 January 2020 the long-awaited Standard Contractual Clauses (“Serbian SCCs”). The document will become applicable on 30 January 2020. Serbian SCCs are not designed as a cross-border transfer instrument first and foremost. Rather, the clauses apply to a controller-processor relationship irrespective […]
Serbia has recently amended the Companies’ Act to introduce a legal framework for employee stock option plans (“ESOPs“) in limited liability companies (“LLCs“). Although the Parliament passed the law on 23 December 2019, the relevant provisions enabling creation of ESOPs in LLCs will take effect on 1 April 2020. LLC is the most popular corporate […]
New Montenegrin Labour Act introduces important changes to the regulation of employment. 1. The maximum duration of fixed-term contract is extended to 36 months Although the basis for conclusion of fixed-term contracts remains limited (work the duration of which is pre-determined by a deadline, by a completion of certain work, or occurrence of a specific […]
BDK Advokati contributed to the latest edition of The In-house Lawyer Private Client guide, which provides an overview of the laws and regulations of Private Client across a variety of jurisdictions, including Serbia. The Serbian chapter was contributed by BDK’s Tomislav Popović and Luka Radojević. The chapter offers a nimble summary of main rules on […]
Employees in Serbia have been traditionally entitled by law to reimbursement of costs of commuting to and from work in the amount capped at the price of public transportation ticket, unless the employer organizes transport for the workers. Even though this statutory language refers to cost reimbursement, this benefit had been paid for a number […]
BDK Advokati announces the promotion of Saša Stojanović to partner and Bisera Andrijašević to senior associate. Saša joined BDK Advokati in 2018 from the top Viennese law firm Eisenberger & Herzog as experienced M&A lawyer. He led several M&A transactions in the course of 2019 and proved himself as competent lawyer and excellent manager and […]
Biomin GmbH erwirbt sämtliche Anteile an der serbischen VINFEED DOO, welche eine der führenden serbischen Vertriebsgesellschaften im Bereich der Tierernährung ist. Biomin GmbH ist Mitglied der österreichischen ERBER Group, welche eine führende Gruppe im Bereich Futter- und Lebensmittelsicherheit mit weltweiter Präsenz ist. Die Transaktion wurde am 18 Dezember 2019 vollzogen. Über den Kaufpreis wurde Stillschweigen […]
Biomin GmbH acquires all shares in Serbian VINFEED DOO, one of the leading Serbian distributors of animal nutrition products. Biomin GmbH is a member of the Austrian ERBER Group, a leading group of globally present companies active in the field of food and feed safety. The deal was closed on 18 December 2019. The parties […]
Background Despite ideological and legal differences between the social partners (employers’ and trade unions) that emerged in the course of its drafting, the Staff Leasing Act (“Act“) was finally adopted on 6 December 2019 and will become applicable on 1 March 2020 (except for the provisions on licensing of the staff leasing agencies, which will […]
Decathlon, one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers, opened its first outlet in Serbia. With stores in more than 50 countries and tradition of more than 40 years, this French sports chain offers sports equipment for all age groups and for more than 80 sports. Decathlon is expected to enrich Serbian sports retail market […]
Tijana Kojović, managing partner of BDK Advokati, co-moderated with Milan Lazić, partner in Karanović & Partners, the AmCham Roundtable on Judicial Practice in Commercial Practice. The participants to the roundtable were Nela Kuburović, the Minister of Justice, Vesna Lazarević, deputy president of the Administrative Court, Radmila Obućina, president of the Commercial Court of Appeals, Jovan […]
Canadian mid-tier gold and base metals producer Eldorado Gold sells its two Serbian mining companies Tara Gold and South Danube Metals to Ibaera Capital, an Australian PE focused on exploration and project development. Eldorado Gold was advised by BDK Advokati’s senior partner Vladimir Dašić and associate Sanja Dedović.
The Serbian government has sent to the National Assembly a bill on the amendments to the personal income tax and social contributions laws. The new rules are supposed to apply as of 1 January 2020. The proposed changes are numerous, but the ones that attracted most attention are changes in the way of taxation of […]
BDK Advokati contributed to the latest edition of Chambers and Partners Practical guide on Gaming. The chapter on Montenegro is authored by Luka Popović, partner and Stefan Đurović, junior associate in BDK Advokati Montenegro. The chapter offers a detailed account of licencing and regulatory framework applicable to the gaming industry in Montenegro, such as the […]
The Ministry of Finance has finally reversed its own 2007 opinion which incorrectly held that gross payments on a notional amount under an interest rate swap agreement between a Serbian resident and a non-resident are subject to withholding tax on interest. This opinion was obviously wrong as it overlooked the economic essence of the payments […]
Labiana Group, one of the global leaders in animal health industry, closed the acquisition of all issued shares in Veterinary Institute of Subotica (Vetzavod), a Serbian leading animal vaccine producer. Labiana acquired 67.05% of Vetzavod’ shares from Victoria Group AD and 32.95% from Sojaprotein AD. Labiana Group has two pharmaceuticals plants in Spain and is […]
Senior partner Vladimir Dašić shared his thoughts on “Drivers, issues and countermeasures” at a panel organized by SEE Private equity and M&A forum in Belgrade. Other speakers at the panel were Alexandra Nagle from Alantra and Leo Morozov from Fortenova group. Vladimir emphasized the importance of maintaining a regional perspective because this is what gives investors the opportunity to […]
The Serbian National Assembly enacted on 10 October 2019 the new State Aid Control Act, which will become applicable only on 1 January 2020 (with the exception of the provisions regulating the organization of the Commission for State Aid Control (“Commission“), which are already applicable). The new legislation was drafted with a view to harmonization […]
IFLR1000 firm rankings and lawyer ratings for 2020 have been published. BDK Advokati remains Tier 1 law firm in Serbia and in Montenegro in both areas ranked by IFLR1000 in these jurisdictions – Financial and corporate and Project development. BDK Advokati is also ranked in Bosnia and Herzegovina for those two practice areas. Once again […]
BDK partner Luka Popović spoke about challenges facing the private sector in enforcement of international contracts during a judicial workshop on enforcement of international sales contracts. The workshop was organized on 24-25 October by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), and the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro. The workshop is part of […]
MediGroup has acquired 100% of the shares in Zdravo Med, healthcare clinic based in Subotica, while its human laboratory division MediLab has opened its laboratories in the city of Niš. MediGroup is the largest private healthcare provider in Serbia with 15 facilities across key cities, providing inpatient, outpatient, lab, IVF, ophthalmology and cosmetology services. Zdravo […]
BDK Advokati has contributed the Serbia chapter in the 2020 edition of Getting the Deal Through – Data Protection & Privacy (August 2019). The chapter presents the regulatory frameworks both under the data protection law from 2008 and under the law which became applicable in August 2019. The exposition of the two laws allows the […]
Central and Eastern European Gaming Conference, held in September this year in Budapest, gathered a prominent group of stakeholders in the gaming sector to discuss the most recent business and legal developments in the industry across the European markets. BDK partner Luka Popović spoke at the Balkans panel about legislative changes in the Montenegrin and […]
For the second consecutive time, CEE Legal matters organized Balkan GC Summit in Belgrade. The event gathered general counsels, compliance officers and lawyers from the region to discuss vibrant topics in the legal industry. BDK Advokati’s partner Bogdan Ivanišević held a presentation in which he addressed the issue of misunderstandings that often occur between companies […]
The new legislation on liquidation proceedings in Republika Srpska (Zakon o likvidacionom postupku “Official Gazette of Republika Srpska”, no. 82/19) (“New LPA“) comes into force on 12 October 2019. It introduces new, simplified, form of voluntary liquidation of companies and other business entities, and detailed rules on liquidation of assets and claims settlement in ordinary […]
Financing agreements for the waste management public-private partnership project in Vinča, Belgrade, were signed last week. The project has total investment size estimated at approximately EUR 350 million, envisaged to be financed by equity and non-recourse debt from IFIs – EBRD, IFC and OeEB. This is one of the largest and certainly the most complex […]
On 23 September 2019, the Serbian Prime Minister announced a reform of taxation of self-employed sole entrepreneurs. The new rules are supposed to become effective as of 1 January 2020. If enacted in the present form, they will affect sole entrepreneurs who are engaged on service contracts exclusively with one employer. The largest effect will […]
Milica Basta, senior associate at BDK Advokati, has held a seminar on the processing of personal data in the context of employment for representatives of Serbian companies. The event took place on 26 September 2019 in Belgrade and was hosted by Forum Media. In her presentation, Milica examined the legal bases on which employers may […]
Bogdan Ivanišević, partner at BDK Advokati, spoke on 23 September 2019 about Serbia’s new Data Protection Act to representatives of the leading Serbian companies. The event took place in the packed conference hall of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber co-organised the event with the Ministry of Justice. Bogdan first gave his view on […]
BDK Advokati advised Convex Holding from UK in connection with the sale of 51% of their shares in Trizma d.o.o. to Meritus Upravljanje d.o.o. from Croatia. Trizma is a call centre provider located in Serbia while Meritus Upravljanje is the owner of M+ Group, a regional player in the area of contact center services and […]
Recently, the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) has refused to certify a report on amended loan agreement between a foreign bank and a Serbian corporate borrower because the original loan agreement, governed by Serbian law, contained a zero-floor Euribor clause. Zero-floor Euribor clause means that if Euribor is negative, it will be deemed to be […]
BDK Advokati advised Tvornica Duhana Rovinj (TDR), a member of British American Tobacco Group, in connection with its exit from Serbian wholesaler of tobacco products Veletabak by sale of 25% of shares to Authoritas, the owner of the remaining 75% of all shares. TDR acquired shares in Veletabak in 2008. The exit follows the expiration […]
The Amendments to the Enforcement Act (“Official Gazette of RS”, No. 54/2019) came into force on 3 August 2019 (“Amendments“) but will, all but one, become applicable only on 1 January 2020. The following are the main novelties: Dormant enforcement proceedings pending against blocked bank accounts The only provision that became applicable on 3 August […]
Newly appointed head of Serbian data protection supervisory authority recently stated that implementation of Data Protection Act 2018 should be postponed. Possible delay in implementing the new law attracted attention from the local media and specialized organizations. One of those, Startit, interviewed BDK Advokati partner Bogdan Ivanišević on this topic, together with Rodoljub Šabić – […]
Serbian In the past two days, the recently appointed head of Serbian data protection supervisory authority announced one radical move and sharply criticized some provisions in Serbia’s new data protection law. The commitment and audacity of Milan Marinović should be encouraging to those who feared that the new data protection tsar would be the exact […]
AmCham Serbia hosted on 5 July 2019 a session on the main aspects of the new Serbian Data Protection Act. The topic attracted significant number of attendees, mainly general counsels and IT specialists from local companies – members of AmCham Serbia. Milica Basta, senior associate at BDK Advokati, was one of the speakers. Milica started […]
On 18 June 2019, the French data protection supervisory authority (CNIL) issued a decision on video surveillance at work. The Uniontrad Company case demonstrates that a law specifically regulating the processing of images is not an indispensable prerequisite for reaching a decision. Instead, CNIL relied on the general GDPR rules on proportionality, fair notices, and […]
Soft drink bottler Coca-Cola HBC closed on Tuesday 18 June 2019 the acquisition of leading Serbian biscuit and confectionary maker Bambi from private equity investor Mid Europa Partners, for an enterprise value of 263 million euros. BDK Advokati along with Norton Rose Fulbright acted for Coca-Cola HBC. Our team was led by senior partner Vladimir […]
The Serbian Commission for the Protection of Competition (“Commission“) terminated on 15 May 2019 an investigation initiated in November 2015 against Philip Morris, JT International, British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco[1] for allegedly having entered into a restrictive agreement in the form of a concerted practice. The investigation, the first one ever in Serbia on […]
Partner Bogdan Ivanišević and senior associate Milica Basta represented BDK Advokati at this year’s edition of Tarabica IT conference, held on 25 May in Belgrade. The event is traditionally dedicated to topics relevant to the IT industry and as such it mainly gathers IT professionals from major Serbian companies and institutions. During the session named […]
The Amendments to the Registered Pledge on Movables Act (“Movables Pledge Act“), which became applicable on 7 May 2019, introduce, inter alia, new provisions on bank account pledge. The change was motivated by a desire to create legal basis for constitution of pledge on project accounts. However, the wording of the new provision raises some […]
Modern business transcends national borders and increasing workforce mobility is a natural consequence. While the conditions for working in Serbia remain the same, the recently adopted amendments to two Serbian statutes regulating employment of foreigners make the procedures applicable to obtaining work permits in Serbia easier. Under the current regime, foreigner must first obtain temporary/permanent […]
BDK Advokati represented P&O ports from Dubai in the acquisition of Port Luka Novi Sad. The value of the transaction is EUR 23 million. The acquisition and investments to be made should help Luka Novi Sad to recover its devastated infrastructure and reach its full capacity of two and half million tons of cargo loading […]
One of the long-term aims proclaimed in the Montenegro’s tourism development master plan is to develop country’s high-end tourism offering. As high-end tourism requires high-end hotels, a number of regulatory incentives has been introduced in order to foster their development, such as construction-related duties reliefs and VAT exemptions. A recently adopted strategic planning document for […]
Milica Basta, senior associate at BDK Advokati, was one of the speakers at the Forum Media data protection conference held on 23 April 2019 in Belgrade. At the event, which gathered a large number of Serbian companies, Milica held a presentation on requirements that Serbian new Data Protection Act imposes on local businesses. She emphasized […]
The new Health Protection Act (Zakon o zdravstvenoj zaštiti “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 25/2019) and Health Insurance Act (Zakon o zdravstvenom osiguranju “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 25/2019) have come into force on 11 April 2019. Status of health institutions According to the Health Protection Act, the general legislation on corporates will apply also […]
The 2019 edition of Legal 500 EMEA guide ranks BDK Advokati as Band 1 firm in Serbia in Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Competition, Dispute Resolution, Employment, Projects and energy and Real estate and construction. We are in Band 2 in Intellectual Property in Serbia. Our practices in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also ranked. Managing partner Tijana Kojović is confirmed as leading individual […]
Our Managing Partner Tijana Kojović chaired the second panel at XI Belgrade Arbitration Conference, devoted to the taking of evidence in arbitration. The panel had three segments: witness statements, expert evidence and admissibility of evidence. Dr. Andreas Lienhard, associate and member of Pestalozzi’s Litigation & Arbitration Group had a presentation on witness statements. Aleksandra Petrović, […]
Serbian residents are generally allowed to acquire shares in foreign companies. However, the Serbian Capital Markets Act (“CM Act“) prohibits cross-border public offers of shares directed at Serbian residents. Public offer is defined as any notice providing sufficient information on the conditions of the offering and the securities being offered so to allow offerees to […]
We proudly announce that Belgrade Airport Concession is the winning deal in Serbia. This is the second accolade for this prestigious transaction, after it has won last week 2018 European Airports Deal of the Year award by IJGlobal. CEE Legal Awards contest also brought 2018 Deal of the Year award to our Montenegrin practice, for […]
Brexit is not a topic even remotely as hot in Serbia as it is in the European Union. This is not surprising given that Serbia is not a Member State. The impact of Brexit on the UK-Serbia relations in the financial sector will be modest because the EU passporting system for banks and financial services […]
IJ Global, the market intelligence platform covering the global infrastructure finance, has awarded its prestigious IJ Global Awards at the annual awards ceremony held on the 21 March 2019 at the Natural History Museum, London. The magnificent venue was appropriate setting to mark the achievements of global infrastructure and project finance professionals. The Belgrade Airport […]
BDK Advokati has contributed a Serbia chapter to “Chambers Global Practice Guide Copyright 2019”, one of the Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guides. Each country chapter, including the chapter on Serbia, provides detailed answers to 71 questions concerning the categories of copyrightable works, authorship and copyright ownership, economic and moral rights, exceptions to copyright, neighboring […]
BDK Advokati represented Ellis Enterprises d.o.o. a subsidiary of Valvoline (NYSE: VVV), in the acquisition of the production facility and IP rights from Serbian lubricant producer FAM for a purchase price of EUR 9.5 million. As a result of this acquisition, Valvoline will add to its portfolio FAM’s products which are well-known in the Balkan […]
Coca Cola HBC AG has penned an agreement with Mid Europa Partners to acquire Bambi a.d. for an enterprise value of EUR 260 million. By this acquisition, Coca Cola HBC will add to its beverage portfolio snack brands well-known in the Balkan region, such as Bambi, Plazma, Wellness and Zlatni Pek. The deal is expected […]
Bogdan Ivanišević, partner, and Bisera Andrijašević, associate, authored the Serbia chapter in the 2019 edition of Getting the Deal Through – Life Sciences 2019. The chapter describes the legal regime and practices concerning a broad range of topics, including collaboration of pharmaceutical manufacturers with healthcare professionals, advertising of medicines and medical devices, infringements of competition […]
CEE Legal Matters announced the finalists for the CEE 2018 Deal of the Year in 17 CEE countries. Two major deals BDK Advokati advised on in 2018, Belgrade Airport concession and Acquisition of United Group by BC Partners, are shortlisted for the Serbian Deal of the Year. Telenor acquisition, where we advised Société Générale as […]
The new Medical Devices Act (Zakon o medicinskim sredstvima, “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 105/2017), which had entered into force already on 1 December 2017, became applicable on 1 December 2018. The adoption of this legislation marks the beginning of distinct legal treatment of medical devices, separate from the treatment of medicinal products which remain […]
BDK Advokati advised Dnata, a globally successful corporation based in the United Arab Emirates, on the acquisition of all shares in Serbian EAP Shared Services d.o.o. from Etihad Airport Services LLC. EAP Shared Services d.o.o. acts as a contact center of various airlines and brings their loyalty programs under one roof in Europe. The deal […]
BDK Advokati advised Montenegrin publicly listed company Industriaimport-Industriaimpex AD on the acquisition of 49% of registered capital of Serbian pharma wholesaler Farmalogist d.o.o. from PE firm Adriatic Fund B.V. BDK Advokati also assisted Industriaimport-Industriaimpex AD in connection with the Shareholders’ Agreement entered with the owners of the remaining 51% of shares in Farmalogist. The acquisition […]
A long awaited regulation for the Montenegrin program of citizenship by investment is set to enter into force on 1 January 2019. The investment threshold for citizenship depends on the region of Montenegro in which the investment is made. It is set at EUR 450,000 for investments in the coastal area or in the capital […]
On 21 December 2018, VINCI reached financial close and took over the management of Belgrade Airport Nikola Tesla, marking an important milestone for the project finance market in Serbia. With more than EUR 400m of loan commitments, it is the country’s largest project financing to date. BDK Advokati acted as Serbian legal counsel to the […]
BDK Advokati in cooperation with AmCham Montenegro held on 18 December 2018 a seminar on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Podgorica, for 70 participants from Montenegrin companies and law firms. Bogdan Ivanišević, head of BDK Advokati team specialized in data protection & privacy, summarized the key characteristics of GDPR and explained how the Regulation extends […]
Marko Popović, associate at BDK Advokati, spoke on 30 November at the Winter Vivaldi CFO & Legal Forum organized by Mokra Gora School of Management at Mećavnik, in western Serbia. The forum attracted more than 60 participants, mostly CEOs and CFOs of a host of Serbian companies and start-ups alongside software developers, lawyers, accountants, and […]
The International Comparative Legal Guide, a series of publications providing comparative legal information on a range of practice areas, added a Montenegrin chapter to its Gambling 2019 guides. The publication covers common issues in gambling regulations, including licencing requirements and restrictions, online operations requirements, enforcement and liability. The Montenegrin chapter to Gambling 2019 guide was […]
The latest amendments of the Planning and Construction Act,[1] effective as of 6 November 2018, introduce the requirement for all construction and designing companies (including solo entrepreneurships) to obtain licenses for various types of design/construction works until 6 November 2019. The licensing requirement that now applies across the board previously applied to the designing or […]
Ana Jankov, employment partner at BDK Advokati, was one of the panellists at the Forum Media conference held in Belgrade on 31 October 2018. The conference was attended by legal specialists from governmental institutions and Serbian companies. The speakers and the participants focused on hot topics in the field of labour law and fuelled a […]
The inaugural edition of the European Gaming Congress was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 16 October. The event was organized by European Gaming Events and was designed to provide the participants with an opportunity to discuss burning issues on the gaming markets and regulatory updates in the countries of Mediterranean, Balkan, and DACH region. Our […]
The first business forum Spain – Serbia has been launched in Belgrade to promote economic relations between the two countries and to stimulate investments and trade on both sides. The forum is organized by the Economic and Trade Office of the Embassy of Spain in Belgrade on behalf of the Spanish Agency for Trade and […]
Bogdan Ivanišević, partner, and Milica Basta, senior associate, authored the Serbia chapter in the 2019 edition of Getting the Deal Through – Data Protection & Privacy (September 2018). The authors analyse the scope of legal protection of personal data, grounds for lawful processing, obligations on the part of data controller and data processors, cross-border transfer […]
BC Partners, a leading international investment firm, signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in United Group B.V. from KKR which is to remain a minority stakeholder. This is an important event on the South-East European market given that United Group provides broadcasting and distribution services to more than 1.8 million customers in the […]
The validity of local conditions, one of the initial and most important documents in the permitting process showing what investor can build on certain piece of land, is to be extended from one to two years. The deadline to commence work under construction permit is also to be extended from two to three years from the […]
