Serbia
Clients trust their advice fully – clients feel like they are real partners in business. Top specialists in their fields who are very helpful and dedicated to resolving problems even when they seem complex. (Legal 500, 2023)
The office in Belgrade was founded in 1995, and has since grown into a regional full-service legal practice. Karanovic & Partners is consistently ranked as a top tier legal practice by leading legal directories.
Contact: serbia@karanovicpartners.com
Serbia Market Overview
The Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the Republic of Serbia and the EU entered into force in 2013, making the conditions for investment and business more recognizable and predictable. The country’s comparative advantage in labour costs, tax rates, and utilities costs are some of the primary reasons for foreign investors, mostly arriving from the EU, CEFTA countries and Russia, to invest in Serbia. Free trade agreements in the region provide customs-free market access to over 1 billion people, with its domestic market representing 7.5 million people – making it the second largest market in the SEE.
Croatia
The team stands out for its knowledge of the industry, great teamwork and communication. (Chambers & Partners, 2023) Croatia Market Overview
Croatia is dynamic and complex market that plays an important role on the economic stage in Southeast Europe. A member of NATO and the European Union, the country has been one of the fastest growing economies in the region. The Croatian Government continues to prioritise attracting foreign investors and all investors, both foreign and domestic, are guaranteed equal treatment by law. Apart from tourism, sectors that attract the most interest are major infrastructure projects in railways, roads, power, water, oil, gas, telecommunications, shipbuilding, health care, medical equipment, consumer goods, and construction materials.
Ilej & Partners is a full-service business law firm operating in Croatia cooperating with Karanovic & Partners legal practice.
Contact: office@ilej-partners.com
Slovenia
The team always tries to find solutions, using different approaches if necessary. Its practitioners have deep knowledge of the industry and of the banking and finance space. (Chambers & Partners, 2023)
In this central and strategic market, Slovenian lawyers are offering leading legal advice to national and international clients since 2015. The team in Ljubljana provides a wide spectrum of legal services covering everything from corporate mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance matters, public-private-partnerships (PPP) as well as real estate and infrastructure projects, to general aspects of business law in Slovenia concerning day-to-day operations from clients.
Ketler & Partners l.f. LLC is a full-service law firm operating in Slovenia, and a member of Karanovic Swiss Verein.
Contact: slovenia@karanovicpartners.com
Slovenia Market Overview
Slovenia was the first former Yugoslav republic to join the EU in May 2004. With a strong corporate culture of transparency and accountability, as well as access to a 500 million consumer market, Slovenia boasts a favourable personal income tax of 16%, while the corporate income and VAT tax stand at 19% and 22%; foreign investors are subject to the same tax regime as residents.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The team is highly efficient and very responsive. (Chambers & Partners, 2023)
Cooperating local lawyers in both entities of Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska are currently offering full corporate and commercial legal services to clients, with a particular focus on banking and finance, merger and acquisitions, as well as large-scale energy and infrastructure transactions.
Contact: bosnia@karanovicpartners.com
Bosnia and Herzegovina Market Overview
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. Experts agree that economic strengthening and EU accession are key to the country’s development. In September 2016, the EU accepted Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership application. Apart from EU and WTO candidacy, the country has several regional and bilateral Free Trade Agreements in place, as well as a well-developed banking system with a stable currency, directly linked to the euro and a low corporate income tax.
Montenegro
Provide quick help. Clients trust them all, and the advice is always clear and understandable. (Legal 500, 2023)
Karanović & Partners is present on the Montenegrin market since 2006, when cooperation with local qualified lawyers is established, and are ideally placed to provide a wide range of corporate and commercial legal services to domestic and international clients. The Montenegrin based lawyers are specialised in providing investors, particularly those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, with legal support in the areas of real estate, banking and finance and infrastructure finance.
Contact: montenegro@karanovicpartners.com
Montenegro Market Overview
Because of its business-focused economic system, Montenegro’s great geo-strategic position was recognised by many trade partners. Besides, its EU candidacy and NATO membership, the country has free trade agreements with CEFTA, EFTA, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine – access via land, sea, and sky to a market of more than 650M people. The country focused its economic development on becoming an elite tourist destination and has one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world.
North Macedonia
The team is comprised of young professionals who strive with confidence and determination, possess knowledge of domestic laws and regulations, and provide excellent support to their clients. (Legal 500, 2023)
Responding to a strong demand for legal services in this dynamic emerging market, the cooperation with local lawyers in North Macedonia was established in 2009, providing legal support to domestic and international clients in both existing operations in the country and assisting investors in entering this market.
Contact: northmacedonia@karanovicpartners.com
North Macedonia Market Overview
With a population of 2 million, this small, land-locked country in Southeast Europe has made great strides in reforming its economy over the past two decades. Ranked 10 in 2017 on the Doing Business List, published annually by the World Bank Group, North Macedonia boasts a very favourable business climate. The country’s recent economic growth proved to be resilient, benefiting from foreign investments, improving the labour market conditions, and accommodative polices. North Macedonia introduced one of the most attractive tax packages in Europe and is a signatory of five Trade Agreements – EFTA, CEFTA, SAA (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) with EU member-states, Turkey and Ukraine.
Albania
We find a cooperative team, which works in harmony and is willing to provide legal services promptly, independently from the workload of the office and other factors. (Legal 500, 2023)
Cooperating in this way, Karanovic & Partners and CR Partners will jointly provide services to the clients seeking top quality expertise in the region.
Contact: albania@karanovicpartners.com
Albania Market Overview
Albania received EU candidate status in 2014. The Government of Albania has embarked on a broad-based reform program focused on macroeconomic and fiscal sustainability, financial sector stabilization, energy concerns, pensions, and territorial administration. Albania offers good prospects for exports across all sectors, particularly in energy, oil and gas, tourism, healthcare, mining, infrastructure, construction, and information and communication technology. The country is the member of WTO and NATO and a signatory of the CEFTA and EFTA. The Law on Foreign Investment outlines specific protections for foreign investors and allows 100% foreign ownership of companies except of domestic and international air passenger transport and television broadcasting.
