Examining Competition in SEE
2023 Antitrust Enforcement Activities of the Competition Authorities in Southeast Europe
Competition authorities throughout the region[1] exhibited notable engagement in antitrust investigations in the previous year. These investigations frequently entailed dawn raids and substantial utilisation of digital forensic techniques. A wide range of industries were impacted, resulting in varying levels of fines being imposed. While different types of breaches were investigated, the enforcement focus for the […]
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A Panel Discussion with Stanford Students
Stanford MBA Global Study Trip: Exploring the Western Balkans Business Landscape
The Stanford Graduate School of Business as a part of the MBA curriculum organized a study trip for their 30 MBA students to explore the Western Balkans, specifically Croatia and Serbia. During their visit at the end of March, students met with leading regional and global companies and government officials and explored the history, customs, […]
Read more Legal 500 Ranking
Karanovic & Partners Earns Top Tier Recognition in Legal 500’s 2024
We are proud to announce that Karanovic & Partners has once again secured its position among the top law firms in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East, and Africa 2024 edition, with 12 practice areas across the jurisdictions ranked in the top tier, and 11 more recommended in other tiers. This year, we are pleased […]
Read more SGA Legal Insights
Contractual Strategies: Legal Perspectives on Gaming Publishing
On 26 March, Karanović & Partners collaborated with the Serbian Games Association (SGA) to host a business breakfast as part of the SGA Legal Insights initiative. This initiative serves as a platform for legal experts to share their knowledge and expertise on key topics within the video game development sector. The event centred around the […]
Read more Minimum Tax Act in SEE
Unpacking the Minimum Tax Act: Implications for Slovenia, Croatia, and the Region
Slovenia and Croatia adopted the Minimum Tax Act (MTA). The MTA implements Directive (EU) 2022/2523 to ensure a global minimum level of taxation for multinational enterprise groups and large-scale domestic groups in the EU. The latter is a consequence of the OECD’s global fight against tax base erosion within the scope of Pillar II. The OECD’s Pillar II project […]
Read more Hermès Under Legal Spotlight
Does the Birkin Handbag Represent a Market of Its Own?
The luxury design company Hermès is facing allegations of engaging in unlawful practices by “tying” the purchase of its popular Birkin bags to the purchase of other luxury clothing and accessory items, as claimed in a class-action lawsuit filed in the US. According to the lawsuit, two California shoppers stated that they were compelled to […]
Read more SET 2024
Exploring Regional Renewable Energy Landscape: Insights from Trebinje Energy Summit 2024
From 20 to 22 March, the latest International Energy Summit “SET TREBINJE 2024” took place in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, drawing attention to discussions on the future of renewable energy. The summit became a platform for regional industry leaders and experts to delve into critical topics shaping the energy sector. On the opening day of […]
Read more k/andidates: New Generation Invitation
Spring Call for k/andidates Now Open
The spring edition of our k/andidates program is open and ready to accept the next generation of legal trainees to join our practice. The k/andidates program offers a unique training experience, propelling ambitious law graduates towards success. It’s crafted to provide access to comprehensive training led by both internal and external experts. Transitioning from theoretical […]
Read more Belgrade Arbitration Gathering
XIV Belgrade Arbitration Conference Sets Stage for XVI Belgrade Open Pre-Moot
On Friday 15 March, the XIV Belgrade Arbitration Conference took place at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade. The event, this year held in memory of Prof. Gašo Knežević, is a traditional precursor to the XVI Belgrade Open Pre-Moot. The conference provided a platform for insightful discussions and exchange of ideas among experts in […]
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Empowering Legal Talents: Recap of the Belgrade Open Pre-Moot
As the anticipation grows for the 31st Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Belgrade recently played host to a number of activities aimed at young legal talents. The XVI Belgrade Open Pre-Moot unfolded successfully over the weekend. Hosted traditionally by the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, this Pre-Moot served as a platform for […]
Read more Chamber of Commerce Event
Advancing Female Entrepreneurship: Tackling Tax Challenges Together
On 12 March, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Section, organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, held a workshop focused on tax challenges and opportunities, hosted by Karanovic & Partners. Milan Čukić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, highlighted the importance of supporting female entrepreneurs in his opening speech, setting a tone of […]
Read more Europe’s Latest Competition News
Apple Faces a Staggering Fine of Over EUR 1,8 Billion for Dominance Abuse
The European Commission (“Commission”) has imposed a hefty fine of over EUR 1.8 billion on Apple for violating EU antitrust rules. The Commission found that Apple abused its dominant position in the market for distribution of music streaming apps to iPhone and iPad users via its App Store. The abuse primarily stems from Apple’s imposition […]
Read more Chambers and Partners Europe Rankings Update
Karanovic & Partners Ranked Among Top-Tier Law Firms in the Chambers Europe Guide for 2024
We are proud to announce that Karanovic & Partners is once again listed as a top-ranked legal practice in the Chambers Europe Guide ranking for 2024. Karanovic & Partners legal practices and its cooperating lawyers from Serbia and North Macedonia have been ranked as Band 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have been ranked as […]
Read more Competition News in Serbia
The Biggest Coffee Producers in Serbia Face EUR 2 Million in Antitrust Fines and Are Granted Conditional Approval for their Merger
Last week, the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition (“Commission”) released two decisions involving the two biggest producers and wholesalers of ground coffee in Serbia – Atlantic Group (“Atlantic”) and Strauss Adriatic (“Strauss”). One decision marked the end of the Commission’s antitrust investigation imposing penalties on Atlantic and Strauss, issued on December 29, 2023 (“Antitrust […]
Read more SeeNext Regional Report
Renewable Energy in Southeast Europe: 2024 Edition Report
The report is available for downloading here. SeeNext, a business intelligence and news provider, has recently released the 2024 edition of the report titled “Renewable Energy Industry in Southeast Europe: The Next Challenge.” This comprehensive report delves into the advancements made by Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia in terms of integrating energy […]
Read more Montenegro Update
Montenegro’s Gambling Task Force: Safeguarding Public Interests and Enhancing Oversight
Following recent amendments to the Law on Gambling, the Government of Montenegro took another significant step on 22 February 2024, by creating the Coordination Task Force for Protecting and Enhancing Public Interest in Organizing Gambling Activities (“Gambling Task Force”). Spearheaded by Mr. Momo Koprivica, the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro and President of the Gambling […]
Read more Tax News: Serbia
Annual Average Salary for 2023 is Published
The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has released the 2023 annual average salary per employee, which amounts to RSD 1,423,188 (approx. EUR 12,160). Individuals earning more than three times the average annual salary, i.e., RSD 4,269,564 (approx. EUR 36,480) are subject to the annual personal income tax (Annual Tax). The Annual Tax rate […]
Read more AI Models and Copyright Lawsuit
The New York Times sues OpenAI and Microsoft for Copyright Infringement in AI Models Development
Artificial intelligence (“AI”) has been present in our lives for a while now, but it became a buzzword when OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the public. Therefore, the lawsuit against OpenAI and the datasets used by ChatGPT deserve more attention than other similar cases. The New York Times Company (“The Times”) has initiated legal proceedings against […]
Read more Legislation Update: Albania
New Draft Law on Competition: Exploring Key Amendments
Competition law reform in Albania is underway, marked by several important changes to Law no. 9121, dated 28.07.2003, “On Protection of Competition” (“Competition Law”). Within the context of harmonizing with the EU acquis, last November, the Albanian Competition Authority (“ACA”) launched a public consultation phase for the proposed amendments to the Competition Law (“Draft Law”). […]
Read more Banking & Finance Update
GGF Provides a New EUR 50 Million Loan to UniCredit Bank Serbia for Supporting Renewable Energy Projects
We are pleased to announce that Karanovic & Partners supported the Green for Growth Fund (GGF) in the new strategic loan to UniCredit Bank Serbia. The EUR 50 million facility will be used to finance utility-scale renewable energy projects in Serbia with a focus on solar and wind. GGF stated that this initiative marks a […]
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