We are delighted to announce that Gecić Law has been recognized as one of the top firms in dispute resolution in the 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation Europe. This year’s rankings follow a hiatus since 2022, and we are honored to once again be acknowledged for our outstanding contributions to the field of dispute resolution. Our Founding Partner, Bogdan Gecić, was also ranked as a Litigation Star in the 2025 edition of the guide. This recognition is a testament to his exceptional legal expertise and strategic insight. It also reflects his commitment to delivering results in some of the most […]
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Gecić Law and 2017 Belgrade Reunion Featured in Commemorative Publication In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Harvard Law School Association of Europe (HLSAE) gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania, from May 29 to June 1, 2025. The reunion brought together over 200 alumni—past, present, and future—spanning the continent and beyond, celebrating six decades of legal scholarship, professional camaraderie, and cross-border collaboration. Founded in Paris in 1965, HLSAE has grown into one of Harvard Law School’s most significant regional alumni associations, uniting more than 2,000 members across Europe. A highlight of the event was the General Meeting, in which Salomé Cisnal de Ugarte (LL.M. ’94) […]
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In 2025, Gecić Law is proud to continue highlighting the achievements of Vuk Leković. This year he was named a Future Leader – Competition in the Lexology Index (the successor to Who’s Who Legal), reflecting his reputation as one of the region’s rising competition law experts. In June 2025, Vuk was promoted to Counsel, recognizing his outstanding contributions in Competition Law, EU law and the firm’s fast-growing sports and AI practices. These honors underscore Vuk’s leadership and the firm’s commitment to excellence in dynamic fields. Expertise in Competition Law Vuk’s deep competition law expertise continues to drive client success. Building […]
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In July, the United States enacted the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (the GENIUS Act). From now on, only institutions that qualify as Permitted Payment Stablecoin Issuers may offer dollar-pegged stablecoins to the public. To qualify, an entity must be domiciled in the United States and either receive a federal charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, operate under an approved state regime if its circulation stays below ten billion US dollars, or issue through a separately capitalized insured depository institution. Each coin must be backed one-for-one with cash or short-term US Treasury […]
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Gecić Law proudly announces the soft launch of its new office in Brussels, establishing a historic foothold in the capital of the European Union. With this step, the firm becomes the first independent law firm from Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans to open a permanent office in Brussels – marking a significant milestone in our growth and our region’s deeper integration with EU legal and regulatory frameworks. Located at Avenue des Arts 56, the Brussels office will serve as a strategic bridge between Southeast Europe and the EU, enhancing our capacity to support clients in competition law, regulatory […]
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Our Partners, Bogdan Gecić and Anne MacGregor, participated in an insightful webinar titled “Regulatory updates: CBAM and Other EU Sustainability Regulations.” Organized by the Israel Export Institute in collaboration with leading Israeli law firm Shibolet, the event drew significant attention from Israeli exporters and suppliers looking to understand evolving EU regulations. Key Speakers Lior Gaon, Head of ClimateTech at the Israel Export Institute, opened the event by highlighting the importance of staying ahead of sustainability and regulatory trends. Galit Ofer, Partner and Head of the Environment and Sustainability Department at Shibolet & Co., further provided a detailed status update on current […]
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Powered by Gecić Law, in cooperation with the Responsible Business Hub of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, GIZ Serbia, and the Institute for Global Solidarity, the first Regional Conference on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was held in Belgrade. The event brought together key stakeholders from government institutions, the business community, international organizations, and experts to examine the implications of the EU CBAM regulation for the countries of the Western Balkans. The conference focused on the latest EU initiative to simplify the CBAM framework, the challenges and opportunities the mechanism presents for export-oriented economies in the […]
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The European Council has formally adopted its negotiating position on the European Commission’s proposal to amend Regulation (EU) 2023/956, better known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This marks a significant step in the EU’s legislative process as the Council prepares to enter interinstitutional negotiations with the European Parliament. The aim is to simplify the CBAM framework, alleviate burdens on importers—especially SMEs—without compromising its climate integrity. The move follows a strong political mandate expressed in key EU strategic documents, such as the Letta and Draghi reports and the Budapest Declaration, calling for a “simplification revolution” across EU legislation. The […]
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Yesterday in Skopje, member countries of the Open Balkan initiative took an important step towards enhancing regional economic cooperation. Representatives of Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania signed two protocols aimed at establishing a free labor market between the member countries of the Open Balkan initiative. These include the Protocol on the Implementation of the Agreement on Conditions for Free Access to the Labor Market in the Western Balkans and the Protocol on Connecting the Electronic Identification Schemes of the Western Balkans Citizens. Representing Serbia, Gojko Stanivuković, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, signed the documents. This demonstrates the […]
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Gecić Law is proud to announce its partnership with Women on Boards Adria (WOBA), as it becomes the newest Corporate Founding Partner of the organization. This partnership comes from our fruitful professional cooperation in EU law developments and issues of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG). These are clearly areas where Gecić Law is at the forefront of the region’s legal profession. The latest development certainly strengthens the existing collaboration and underscores our dedication to promoting gender diversity in leadership roles. Gecić Law believes this partnership aligns perfectly with our core values and operational ethos. We have always prioritized diversity and […]
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5G is the fifth-generation mobile network, which promises to lead to a revolution, particularly in transportation. This article focuses on connected and automated mobility (CAM), an offspring of 5G. CAM lets vehicles communicate with each other and with the surrounding infrastructure. Such communication can, in fact, enhance road safety, ease traffic jams, and cut CO2 emissions. With this in mind, countries worldwide are diligently working on developing 5G cross-border corridors. 5G cross-border corridors are networks that connect transportation routes. These routes, whether along roads, railways, or waterways, maintain 5G connectivity across international borders. This connectivity is vital for CAM’s full-scale […]
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Due to climate change, and the state of the world, companies are under considerable pressure from investors and customers to improve their ESG performance. While companies and governments work hard to develop and implement ESG principles, there is still much work in this field and many pieces that need to be added to build reliable ESG mechanisms. One of the most significant challenges global businesses face today is setting ESG goals and effectively monitoring and progressing toward them. The complexity and fragmentation of incoming data sources often result in incomplete analyses, inconsistent reporting, and unmet commitments. This is precisely why […]
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Our Founding Partner, Bogdan Gecić, spoke on Friday at the Third Digital Day online conference organized by Universita Degli Studi Firenze for the third consecutive year on March 10-11, titled “At the Roots of Digitalization: A New or Renewed World.” Bogdan was honored to speak at the opening session of the first day dedicated to regulation in the digital field, moderated by Professor Alessandro Luciano of the Universita Degli Studi Firenze. Carmelo Barbagallo of the Autorita di Supervisione e Informazione Finanziaria, ASIF of the Vatican City delivered the introductory remarks to the session. Insightful presentations were delivered by illustrious speakers […]
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The fifth edition of the “Talents together” conference was held yesterday in the Palace of Serbia, organized by the Returning Point program. The one-day conference, titled “Back to the future,” is held annually to establish and nurture connections between talents who study and work abroad and those who live and work in Serbia, as well as support the return members of the diaspora to Serbia. The conference was attended by more than 300 students, scientists, businesspeople, talented individuals from the diaspora, and representatives of diaspora engagement programs and organizations. The meeting was opened by the President of the Government of […]
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Continuing our series on opportunities for investment in Serbia, we discuss the real estate sector. Historically, countries have been reluctant to allow foreigners to acquire real estate. In the past, real estate (primarily lands) symbolized its owners’ power, and today apartments, buildings, houses, properties, mines, and fields have significant worth. Nevertheless, globalization has increased the dynamics of “international” real estate trade. Real estate has thus become an important segment in international investment, both as a secondary part of the project (leasing or even buying space for the investors’ regular business operations) and as the very purpose of the investment (real […]
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Europe is now fit for the digital age as the long-awaited Digital Markets Act (DMA) was published in the Official Journal on October 12. Adopted by the European Parliament in September, the DMA will enter into force on November 1 and start to apply in May next year. The act provides a framework to prevent the most prominent digital companies, the so-called “gatekeepers,” from abusing their market power, ensuring greater competition in digital markets, and sparking more innovation in the industry. The DMA will primarily target the world’s most powerful corporations in the IT industry, commonly referred to as the “Big Five” […]
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We come across platform work daily, but do we know how it works? Platform work is a new way to hire paid work on online platforms. Online users can access platform workers who offer a wide range of paid services. These platforms include Uber, Wolt, Deliveroo, Glovo, to name a few. Both consumers and labor can gain significantly from the platform economy, part of the broader phenomenon known as the gig economy. Digital platforms make it simpler for anyone to become self-employed and earn regardless of socioeconomic standing by having low entry requirements and flexible working hours. In the same way, […]
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As part of our Legal 500 Series, we are delighted to present our partner Ognjen Colić. Ognjen’s knowledge, experience and market-leading work in the region have been continuously recognized by The Legal 500 ever since 2019 when he was named Next Generation Lawyer. In this research cycle, for the third consecutive year, Ognjen was honored as a Leading Individual in Commercial, Corporate and M&A. The renewed accolade comes after a year of tremendous success in Ognjen’s practice and his appointment as a partner in the firm. Ognjen has headed the firm’s Corporate/M&A practice since its early stages after he joined […]
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Gecić Law is pleased to announce that we have opened the application process for the Taboroši Scholarship for the fifth consecutive year. About the Scholarship The Taboroši Scholarship was established in memory of Professor Svetislav Taboroši, by family members and former students who have been inspired by the professor’s work and dedication to academic research and innovative problem-solving in the practice of business law. A brilliant teacher and scholar, Professor Taboroši strived to educate his students on the most recent trends in legal academic thinking and the importance of critical thinking in academic and professional analysis of international law & […]
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The National Bank of Serbia is making inroads into harmonizing local legislation with European Union (“EU”) legislation, especially into amending regulations governing the operation of banks and other financial institutions. The European Commission (“EC”) adopted a decision of importance for the Republic of Serbia, which was published on 18 December 2019 in the Official Journal of the EU. Serbia’s push to amend the regulatory and supervisory framework concerning banks’ operations and in particular to amend anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulation has borne fruit and is a step in the right direction for building a stable financial system. This decision […]
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Singapore – the Ceremony At the beginning of August, the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the “Convention”) was signed in Singapore. The Convention signed by 46 states shall enter into force 6 months after ratification in at least three signatory parties. The primary concern addressed by the Convention is how to motivate companies involved in cross-border projects and transactions to rely on the mediation process as a means of alternative dispute resolution, bearing in mind that it cut costs both in terms of time and material resources. Application and Benefits of the Convention The scope […]
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On July 22, 2019, the European Commission (“Commission”) reported that it has adopted a new Notice on the Recovery of Unlawful and Incompatible State Aid (the “New Notice”), in order to take stock of the Commission’s decisional-practice and case law of the Union courts. The New Notice came about as a result of a public consultation targeting main stakeholders such as public authorities, citizens, companies and organizations. Member States and the EFTA Surveillance Authority also contributed to the document. Compared to the previous 2007 Recovery Notice, the New Notice explains in greater detail how the Commission may assist Member States when implementing recovery […]
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Every country in the world strives to attract as much foreign investment as possible. And when it comes to foreign investment, greenfield foreign direct investments are where it’s at. “Ah, yes, greenfield investments…yup, they’re great…nice…and green…like dollars…alright, I’ve no idea, enlighten me! someone may say. Greenfield investments (GI) refer to a type of foreign direct investment (FDI) where a parent company establishes a subsidiary in a foreign country, building its operations and facilities from the ground up, which includes the building of new distribution hubs, offices and living quarters. This kind of investment is riskier and calls for a heavy […]
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July 3, 2019 is the day that triggered change in Serbia. “What change?”, one may ask. A big one! Let us take you back to our article “Amendments to the Serbian Criminal Code: Restrictive Agreements” from 2017, where we discussed Serbia’s decision to add a new criminal offence to the Criminal Code regarding restrictive agreements, which entered into force on March 1, 2018. This should have stamped out cartels and levelled the playing field, right? Well… no such luck. It’s been a year since restrictive agreements were criminalized and not one charge has been brought on these grounds. Until now […]
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Had a missed call on WhatsApp recently? Only days after the story broke of Russia allegedly spying on Norway with the help of a charming white beluga whale, we are again witnessing a similar threat, albeit this time much more serious. The Financial Times (“FT”) reported recently that a vulnerability was discovered in the WhatsApp messaging app, which enabled attackers to transmit a malicious code named Pegasus to a target’s device by calling him/her. The scary part? One did not even have to receive or click on the phone call – the code transmitted itself without any action on behalf […]
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Last year, Gecić Law was shortlisted with only six other firms for the “Law firm of the year: Eastern Europe and the Balkans” by London’s The Lawyer, one of the leading global publishers in the legal industry. We are delighted and proud to announce that this year, not only have we again been selected as one of only seven firms in all of Eastern Europe and the Balkans to be shortlisted but, more importantly, we have also been nominated for the coveted “European competition and antitrust deal of the year”. This places Gecić Law as the only Balkans law firm […]
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Gecić Law is delighted to have contributed to the Serbian chapter of the TerraLex Cross-Border Copyright Guide 2019! Copyright rules are becoming increasingly important to businesses and decision-makers across the globe, especially as global economies are increasingly becoming digitalized and creative and software industries are expanding continuously. This guide offers a great insight on copyright legislation across national boundaries. The comprehensive guide covers 24 global jurisdictions, which TerraLex has found to play a significant role to global businesses, including the Republic of Serbia! If you would like to read on how to protect your ideas and innovations in different countries, […]
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The German Competition Authority (“Bundeskartellamt”) issued a decision which will have significant impact on both Facebook’s data policy and competition issues in relation to social networks. The decision came after an almost three-year investigation into the practices of this social network. Internal divestiture of Facebook’s data The Bundeskartellamt has imposed far-reaching restrictions on Facebook, concerning its data processing practices. So far, Facebook users have only been able to use the platform if they agreed to the terms and conditions which provide that user data can be collected outside the platform, including from websites and apps owned by Facebook, as well […]
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Dear colleagues, partners and friends, This is the most wonderful time of the year, and we wish you a marvelous holiday season! May the year 2019 be full of success and happiness! Happy Holidays!
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A year ago, we wrote that the use of corporate stamps during payment services was abolished. Now, this process has come to an end. Although the Corporate Act of Serbia from 2012 explicitly states that companies are not obliged to use their corporate stamps when conducting their day-to-day business operations, the practical application of this rule had not yet been enforced. Difficulties occurred primarily in dealing with the banking sector, as commercial banks continued to demand from their clients the use of corporate stamps in order to verify payment orders and other relevant documents. Such practice terminated exactly one year ago, on […]
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Recently the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications („Ministry“) declared a decision („Decision “) which forbids requiring within the agreements of telecommunication services the clauses under which the customers have to pay the Operator ( “Operator”) all compensations until the end of the validity of the agreement. This obligation took place even when the consumer or the Operator terminated the agreement, if the reasons that caused termination can be attributed to the customer. The Decision According to their media release, in this way the Ministry declared that it “stopped further unjust treatment” of the customers by the Operators, and inappropriate […]
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Gecić Law was honored to represent the regional legal services industry at the Business Forum within the 7th Meeting of Heads of Government of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and China which took place on 7 July 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Business Forum and the Meeting were held at the monumental National Palace of Culture with H.E. Mr. Lee Keqiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and H.E. Mr. Boyko Borissov, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, delivering the keynote address. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation with China and […]
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On May 23, 2018, the Bar Association of Vojvodina (“AKV”) held a panel in Novi Sad on the topic “Overview of Proceedings before the Serbian National Competition Authority in Light of the Existing Practice and Implications of the New Administrative Procedure Act”. The speakers on this ever-evolving, complex yet news-worthy topic were Milica Subotić, attorney specializing in competition law matters, Isidora Nikolić Savin, attorney and specialist for civil and EU business law, and Bogdan Gecić, partner at Gecić Law, specialized in competition/State aid and European law. Moderated by Isidora Nikolić Savin, the panel elaborated on variety of topics such as: overview of proceedings before the […]
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GECIĆ LAW RECOGNIZED AGAIN AS TOP TIER LAW FIRM BY LEGAL 500 We are proud to announce that Legal 500, the prestigious UK-based guide to the world’s best law firms, has ranked Gecić Law for the second consecutive year as a Top Tier firm in Serbia in its EMEA guide for 2018. The firm’s practice in the field of Competition Law has been ranked as Tier 1, while the Commercial, Corporate and M&A practice maintained an enviable Tier 2 amongst fierce competition of traditional market incumbents. Furthermore, for the first time this year, our dynamic Banking & Finance practice was […]
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The rule according to which business entities will have to register invoices1 issued to entities in the public sector is set to enter into force on March 1, 2018. Business entities will be obliged to register the invoices with the Central Registry of Invoices whose management has been entrusted to the Treasury of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia, and if they fail to carry out the registration they will not be able to settle their claims and may even be charged with a misdemeanor. This obligation is envisaged in the Amendments to the Late Payments in […]
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Gecić Law is looking for competent Associates and Senior Associates to join our young, talented and dynamic team. Gecić Law is one of the foremost innovative law firms in Serbia. We have achieved this by building long-term relationships with clients based on reciprocity, trust and the highest standards of professional ethics. By adopting new models for the delivery of legal services, we have redefined the role that a law firm plays in an emerging regional market, which has produced truly exceptional results. Our team shares a joint vision to create a true corporate meritocracy dedicated to excellence in the practice of […]
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On January 24, the European Commission imposed a EUR 997 million fine on the world’s largest supplier of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) baseband chipsets, Qualcomm, and once again unequivocally confirmed that abusive market practices by dominant players were the eyesore of the EU competition law. By levying one of the highest fines in history, the Commission reproached the renowned US chipmaker for making financial concessions to Apple, its biggest customer, on the condition that it would buy LTE baseband chipsets exclusively from Qualcomm. This penalty came as one piece of puzzle currently surrounding the American tech giant – Qualcomm lost a […]
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Following a landmark year that saw Gecić Law truly challenge the role that a law firm plays in an emerging regional market through our innovative approach and high-end service, we are honored to announce that these efforts were rewarded as the Firm was shortlisted for the Lawyer European Awards 2018 in the category Law Firm of the Year: Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Awarded by the renowned UK-based industry publisher The Lawyer, these awards recognize extraordinary representatives of the legal industry, groundbreaking deals and leading individuals through its 24 distinct categories. The decision, made by the panel of 21 distinguished […]
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At the end of last year, the Act on Ratification of the Treaty Establishing the Transport Community (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia – International Agreements“, No. 011/2017) (the “Act”), concluded by and between the European Union (the “EU”) and the South East European Parties—i.e. the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Albania and Kosovo [1] (the “South East European Parties”)—came into force, which effectively implies that Serbia has already joined the EU, at least with respect to rail, road, inland waterway and maritime transport sectors. The aim of […]
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Following almost 12 months of meticulous research, grueling screening processes, and a series of elaborate meetings and interviews, Gecić Law is excited to announce it has become the exclusive Serbian partner of TerraLex, the world’s leading international legal network and member of The Elite (Band 1) in the Chambers & Partners leading law firm networks global-wide rankings. We are incredibly grateful that TerraLex recognized our quality, reputation, international experience, and dedication to excellence in law practice. This extensive network spans over 100 countries worldwide and provides full-service assistance to clients through its 17 practice groups. As part of the TerraLex global […]
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Photo courtesy of Poje Marlo Members of our firm had the great honor and pleasure to visit Zagreb on December 1, 2017 on the occasion of the first anniversary of one of Croatia’s most promising law firm, Marohnić, Tomek & Gjoić (MTG). Similar to Gecić Law, MTG was founded through a merger of a number of prominent law firm spin-offs, joined by other leading lawyers and professionals, all brought together by a shared vision. On behalf of everyone at Gecić Law, we extend our heartiest congratulations to MTG on their first year of success. You can be very proud of the growth […]
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It is our great privilege and pleasure to announce that Ms. Vesna Živković, a senior at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law business law concentration, has been selected as the winner of the second Taboroši Scholarship for the academic year 2017/2018. We would like to use this opportunity to sincerely congratulate Vesna as well as to thank all candidates for their participation and submissions of enviable quality. We are truly pleased with the number of submissions and are certain that Taboroši Scholarship will, in the years to come, motivate an increasing number of students of the business law module […]
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On October 17, 2017, National Parliament of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Act on Electronic Document, Electronic Identification and Trust Services in Electronic Business (the “Act”), which comes into force today, and thereby replacing the current regulations on electronic business, i.e. Electronic Signature Act and Electronic Document Act. The Act represents another step forward with planned and ongoing process of digitization and modernization of public administration in general, providing citizens and business entities with a simpler approach to services of public authorities, i.e. a faster, cheaper and more efficient business performance. A change of current practice, with high number of […]
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About the Scholarship The Taboroši Scholarship is established in memory of Professor Svetislav Taboroši, by family and former students who have been inspired by the Professor’s work and dedication to academic research and innovative problem solving in the practice of business law. A brilliant teacher and scholar, Professor Taboroši strived to educate his students on the most recent trends in legal academic thought and the importance of critical thinking in academic and professional analysis of international law & economics. The Scholarship is awarded annually to a student of the senior year at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law who, […]
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(Update: 02.25.2022.) CJEU Reaches Final Decision in Landmark Anti-Dumping Case The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) reached a final decision in a landmark anti-dumping case, with far-reaching implications for HBIS Serbia and the Serbian economy. The CJEU sided with the General Court’s ruling which confirmed the European Commission’s (EC) decision not to impose anti-dumping measures on steel producers from Serbia in 2017, simultaneously imposing these measures on products originating from Brazil, Iran, Russia and Ukraine, following months of investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices (link). Gecić Law was legal counsel to the Government of Serbia and the Smederevo […]
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The preeminent competition blog in Europe, Chillin’Competition put out a piece on the most recent developments in Serbia and the Balkans together with an exclusive publication of our constitutional challenge in English (available for download). This is one of the rare if not the only time for this region to come under the spotlight of this esteemed competition blog. Created in 2009, Chillin’Competition, under its mantra “Relaxing whilst doing Competition Law is not an Oxymoron” developed a cult following among competition practitioners, economists and aspiring law graduates across Europe and beyond thanks to its peculiar brand of legal humor, in-depth analysis […]
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On September 11, 2017, the Bar Association of Serbia (AKS), the country’s national bar, submitted a constitutional challenge to the Constitutional Court against the Competition Act and all secondary legislation, as announced on its website. This landmark development was supported by a unanimous vote of the national Bar’s Board, including representatives of all regional and city bars. Together with the challenge, the Bar Association submitted a motion for stay of proceedings under way against the Association before the Serbian Competition Commission. With around 10,000 lawyers, the Serbian Bar Association is the largest assembly of legal professionals in the West Balkans. […]
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The new EU data protection framework, set to come into force on May 24, 2018 in the form of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is directly binding in all Member States, however its scope goes beyond the boundaries of the EU – affecting foreign companies that deal with personal data of EU citizens. National Data Protection authorities of EU member states already have certain powers over foreign enterprises, as seen in the landmark Costeja case (C‑131/12) where Google Inc., an American company, was forced to protect a Spanish national’s right to the respect of his private life. The GDPR […]
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During the first quarter of 2017, the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition of the Republic of Serbia handed down a number of decisions in different areas of competition protection and recognized the necessity of conducting analyses of vital sectors such as telecoms, oil products and oil-derivatives: Restrictive agreements. The Commission decided to investigate a close collaboration between two large players on the oil products market in Serbia. On March 13, 2017, the Commission fined two direct competitors – Victoriaoil and Vital – for entering into a mutual cooperation agreement under which Vital agreed to outsource production and packaging of […]
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Over 160 Esteemed Guests Gathered in Belgrade to Mingle, Sightsee and Discuss Food Law Gecić Law is proud to announce the completion of one of the most prestigious gatherings of legal professionals in Belgrade in recent history, bringing together high-profile individuals and young leaders in politics, business and innovation. Coordinated with the Harvard Law School Association of Europe (HLSAE), the 2017 reunion in Belgrade coincided with the Bicentennial Celebration of Harvard Law School (HLS) and took place over four days, from May 25 through May 28, 2017. The event included the myriad of activities showcasing Belgrade as one of Europe’s best-kept […]
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On 11 May 2017, Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Mr. Maciej Szpunar, issued a landmark opinion on legal qualification of Uber, the US ride hailing app, claiming that, from the perspective of the EU law, Uber should be characterized and treated as a transport company rather than as a mere information technology provider. The question that was posed to the EU highest court and that, according to Advocate General, needs to be assessed on a rather technical level, deals with Uber’s standing within the EU regulatory framework. Although non-binding, the opinion given by the […]
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Gecić Law is proud to sponsor this year’s annual job fair organized by Belgrade’s group of the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law. This year’s event “Lawyers at Work” with the theme “Choose Your Career” will be held from May 9th until May 11th, 2017. Please feel free to visit our booth from 11:00-15:00 each day and bring your questions and CVs. Additionally, Bogdan Gecić, partner at Gecić Law will be discussing his professional experience at the closing session along with other panelists. This session focusing on law profession and career will be […]
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Businesses beware – imposing fines of up to 10% of the company’s Serbia-originated annual income in respect to enforcing Data Protection compliance will be one of the measures available to the Commissioner1 as of June 1, 2017, when the new Administrative Procedure Act is set to come into force. The changes to the Administrative Enforcement Procedure are going to allow this Data Protection Authority to enforce its decisions by fining companies in an amount considerably higher than the maximum enforcement-related fine of RSD 200,000.00 (approx. EUR 1,600.00) allowed by the current statute. This means that all companies will, if ordered […]
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Gecić Law is pleased to announce today that Jovan Rajković joined our Belgrade office where he will head the newly established Media & IP practice. Jovan focuses on complex intellectual property disputes, with particular expertise in media. He handled a plethora of matters arising out of client’s need for compliance with increasingly complex regulation, infringement, dispute resolution in the field of intellectual property and media law, as well as contracts in the area of intellectual property and media, both as publishing contracts, licenses and other contracts which include different issues related to intellectual property and cooperation in the field of media services. […]
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On January 30, 2017, the German competition authority (Ger. Bundeskartellamt) has decided to give final clearance to the implementation of the plan previously announced by two carriers, Lufthansa and airberlin, directed at the wet-lease of 38 aircrafts for the period of six years. Under the current state of affairs, there are no firm grounds for the subject agreement to be prohibited, since, as it was emphasized by Bundeskartellamt, it was not proven that it would in fact result in an actual distortion of competition. In this context, apart from reaffirming the need for a presumption of competition violation to be […]
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Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition (the “Commission“) has fined EPS Distribution, a sole electric power distribution system operator, for the abuse of dominant position in the amount of 330 million RSD (cca EUR 2.7 million). This is the highest antitrust fine imposed by the Serbian regulator. Having established the EPS Distribution indeed held dominant position, the Commission found several abuses of dominant position and in particular: As a result of non-transparent business policy, the company EPS Supply was placed in an advantageous position compared to competitors. Subject behavior was reflected in (i) the fact that unlike other suppliers, only EPS […]
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On November 8 2016, the French Competition Authority (Competition Authority) imposed a fine in the dizzying amount of €80 million on Altice Luxembourg, a telecom-investment company, and its French subsidiary SFR on the basis of their ‘gun-jumping’ activities during the 2014 acquisition of SFR and Virgin Mobile. After an unannounced probe, the regulator decided to institute said fine upon two companies in order to punish them for implementing their mergers prematurely, and to effectuate a deterrent for this type of antitrust activities among other companies. The unprecedented fine imposed on SFR and Altice is the first of its kind to […]
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For the second year in a row, the Chillin’Competition conference drew practitioners, scholars and regulators from across Europe with a promise of an unparalleled array of distinguished speakers focusing on the topic of the neutrality principle and its role in competition law. And it certainly delivered! Alfonso Lamadrid, one of the founders of the Chillin’Competition blog (seen giving the opening remarks above), started the conference by stressing the importance of discussing the concept of substantive neutrality, its meaning and the scope of application in different fields of competition law. Keynote Address – Margrethe Vestager Keynote speaker Margrethe Vestager, EC Commissioner […]
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Results of one of the latest surveys recently carried out by British Regus, global work-space provider, have revealed that commuting is being experienced as a time waste for nearly one third of UK professionals, given that it does not fall within their working hours. Said survey led to the actualization of a pivotal judgment rendered by the Court of Justice of the European Union (hereinafter: ECJ) in 2015, according to which such daily journeys undertaken by workers without a fixed or habitual place of work between their homes and the premises of their customers constitute working time. After processing obtained […]
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It is our great privilege and pleasure to announce that Ms. Katarina Tomić, a senior at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law business law concentration, has been selected as the winner of the Taboroši Scholarship for the academic year 2016/2017. We would like to use this opportunity to sincerely congratulate Katarina as well as to thank all candidates for their participation and submissions of enviable quality. We are truly pleased with the number of submissions and are certain that Taboroši Scholarship will, in the years to come, motivate an increasing number of students of the business law module to […]
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McDonald’s might be the next company facing the obligation to pay back taxes, only this time to Luxembourg, in the amount of approximately $500 million, according to Financial Times estimates. In December 2015, the European Commission has opened a formal investigation of Luxembourg’s tax treatment in case of McDonald’s. It held a preliminary view that “a tax ruling granted by Luxembourg may have granted McDonald’s an advantageous tax treatment in breach of EU State aid rules.”1 The Commission is yet to render a decision that would conclude said formal investigation against American fast food giant and contain its final judgment […]
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About the Scholarship The Taboroši Scholarship is established in memory of Professor Svetislav Taboroši, by family and former students who have been inspired by the Professor’s work and dedication to academic research and innovative problem solving in the practice of business law. A brilliant teacher and scholar, Professor Taboroši strived to educate his students on the most recent trends in legal academic thought and the importance of critical thinking in academic and professional analysis of international law & economics. The Scholarship is awarded annually to a student of the senior year at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law who, […]
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“The European Commission has concluded that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13 billion to Apple [the biggest tax bill ever imposed outside the US]. This is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses. Ireland must now recover the illegal aid [indirect subsidies].“1 Following an in-depth state aid investigation of the “sweetheart fiscal deal” between Ireland and Apple, the European Commission has concluded that Apple received illegal tax benefits from Ireland through a favorable tax arrangement selectively provided to this company for a number of consecutive years. […]
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CEE Legal Matters magazine reports that Gecić Law, together with DLA Piper, a London-based law firm, successfully represented Air Serbia during the European Commission’s investigation concerning Etihad Airways’ investment in the Serbian airline. Following completion of the investigation, in July 2016, the European Commission concluded that the investment was permissible under EU rules. This decision was of crucial importance for Air Serbia, while it also attested to the quality of the work done by the legal teams. Air Serbia – a Strategic Partnership and a New Beginning In August 2013, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Jat Airways […]
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Gecic Law recently advised the Science and Technology Park Belgrade, which was founded in partnership by the Government of Serbia, the City of Belgrade and the University of Belgrade to facilitate an association between economic, scientific and educational organizations. The project, which is meant to support the transfer of knowledge, the development of new technologies and to stimulate growth of the knowledge economy, will support growing technological development companies and small start-ups. Gecic Law has assisted the park with various legal matters in the process of taking over the management of the science park. Nikola Aksić, lead legal counsel on […]
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Gecić Law is looking for a competent Office Manager / Business Development Assistant to manage daily administrative tasks. Gecić Law is one of the foremost innovative law firms in Serbia. We have achieved this by building long-term relationships with clients based on reciprocity, trust and the highest standards of professional ethics. By adopting new models for the delivery of legal services, we have redefined the role that a law firm plays in an emerging regional market, which has produced truly exceptional results. Our team shares a joint vision to create a true corporate meritocracy dedicated to excellence in the practice […]
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CEE Legal Matters, a leading source of news and analysis on Europe’s emerging legal markets, recently organized a round table to discuss the legal services market in Serbia. The event hosted an elite gathering of senior and managing partners from local and regional law firms and the in-house counsel of Henkel. Gecić Law Partner, Bogdan Gecić participated in the discussion, which elaborated on the overall status of the market, including growth trends, the breakdown of the industry, fee structures, new upcoming legislation and expectations for 2016 / 2017 and the challenges facing the industry in the future. In particular Gecić […]
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At a recently held conference in Singapore the Director of the Cartels Directorate of DG Competition of the European Commission (the “Commission”) addressed the issue of investigative powers of the Commission and collection of evidence during dawn raids. In particular, they emphasized that the Commission has to “keep up with the technology” in order to effectively combat illegal price fixing and market sharing. According to him, that could be achieved by finding ways to collect data from online social networks so to determine whether individuals are involved in infringement of competition rules. In that respect, it was emphasized that the […]
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Gecić | Law is pleased to partner with Mona Hotel Management in support of the Harvard Club of Serbia’s scholarship initiative. The 2016 scholarship of Harvard Club of Serbia in the field of social sciences and humanities “Čedomilj Mijatović”, named after one of the most prolific Serbian intellectuals in the fields of economics, diplomacy, linguistics, history and theology, was awarded to Jelena Todić, a student of the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, while the scholarship in the field of natural sciences “Draga Ljočić“, named after the first Serbian female doctor, a great philanthropist and feminist, was awarded to Mihajlo Novaković, […]
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On 29 February 2016, the Serbian Parliament adopted the new Act on General Administrative Procedure (the Act), which came into effect on 9 March 2016 and will be enforced as of 1 June 2017, save for certain provisions which will come into effect on 7 June 2016. This is a completely new piece of legislation which will bring significant changes in the field of domestic administrative law. Therefore, a short summary of the most significant provisions of the Act is provided hereafter. The scope of the Act has been significantly extended so as to govern the actions of authorities as […]
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In a world where a website is the face of a business, we are proud that our continuous efforts to communicate with our clients and the wider public in an innovative, comprehensive and clear manner have been widely recognized. We are pleased to announce that www.geciclaw.com recently received international recognition as one of the most innovative websites for a professional service provider. In February 2016, www.geciclaw.com was nominated for the best website in 2016 by AWWWARDS.com, a leading international portal for web-design. Awwwards recognizes the talent and effort of the best web designers, developers and agencies in the world. The nomination and evaluation process is conducted […]
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ACUNS is a global professional association of educational and research institutions, individual scholars, and practitioners active in the work and study of the United Nations, multilateral relations, global governance, and international cooperation. The organization promotes learning on those topics, as well as dialogue and mutual understanding across and between academics, practitioners, civil society and students. The ACUNS Annual Meeting is a global conference that provides participants with a unique opportunity to discuss UN and global governance related research and policy. Marija Momić, associate at Gecić Law, together with her colleague Darjana Macanović, co-authored a research paper on the topic “Evaluation of Political Financing […]
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On 29 December 2015 Serbian Parliament amendments to the Agricultural Land Act (the “Act”) and with the changes effective as of 7 January 2016. The amendments primarily focus on introducing new ways in which to manage and dispose of state-owned agricultural land. The key changes are: revision of the conditions for exercising the right of first refusal, establishment of the right of priority lease of agricultural land, modifications regarding lease and use rights, use without reimbursement, and disposal of state-owned agricultural land. 1. The right of first refusal can be exercised as part of the specific procedure, which local self […]
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On 12 December 2015, the Serbian Parliament enacted the amendments to the Act on Incentives in Agriculture and Rural Development. The law was promulgated on 22 December and will be enforced as of 1 January 2016. Before we review the changes the Act on Incentives in Agriculture and Rural Development introduces, we will address the burning issue that all beneficiaries of agricultural subsidies might feel threatened by – whether these subsidies are currently caught by state aid rules (the “State Aid Act”) leaving beneficiaries open to potential recovery claims from the State Aid Authority? Тhe purpose of the Act on Incentives in […]
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The new Enforcement and Security Act was adopted on 18 December 2015, and will be effective as of 1 July 2016. The most prominent changes under the new act are: the introduction of certain legal institutes which were, in an effort to promote expediency and efficacy, omitted in the current version of the act; a redefinition of the competence of the courts and public enforcers; the status/role of public enforcers, and their increased disciplinary accountability. Most importantly, the new Act introduces the possibility to lodge an appeal against both the decisions of the court and of the enforcer, except in cases […]
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In a trilogue meeting held on 15 December 2015 the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council reached a political agreement to reform EU Data Protection policy. The new policy has been in the works since 2011, but only now have the European Council and the European Parliament managed to reach an agreement on key issues. The final text is expected to be formally adopted in early 2016, and its rules applicable two years thereafter. During this period, 28 member states will be required to amend their existing data protection legislation, or to pass new legislation, whereas the […]
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In line with the action plan included in the non-performing loan resolution strategy (“NPL Strategy”), the Serbian Parliament passed amendments to the Voluntary Financial Restructuring Act (“the Act”) on 23 October 2015. The law entered into force on 4 November 2015 and will be enforced as of 2 February 2016. Pending financial restructurings will continue in line with the provisions of the Act. The changes the Act introduces may not be monumental, but legislators expect they will contribute to developing a more favorable economic environment in the country. It remains to be seen how the Act is going to be […]
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As of July 28, 2015, a relatively new piece of real estate legislation, regulating conversion of right of use into ownership right on construction land, came into force (the “Conversion Act”). The Conversion Act creates possibility for certain, strictly itemized entities (e.g. privatized entities, holders of right of use on the land previously acquired for specific development, sport organizations, public enterprises, entities subject to bilateral succession treaties) to convert right of use into ownership right in exchange for compensation fee payment. Such fee equals the market value of the land, providing that holders are registered with the Real Estate Cadaster […]
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The purpose of this brief is to highlight the consequences of the unilateral decision by the state of Croatia, as a member of the European Union, to close its borders for transport coming from Serbia between 17 and 25 September 2015 and to emphasize potential breaches of legal principles the EU has been founded on. We take into consideration the multitude of acts, treaties and agreements which constitute legal sources of the European Union, as well as precedents set by the highest court of the EU, and explore potential avenues for legal redress for those whose interests were harmed by […]
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Dear Clients, Partners & Friends, The team at Gecić Law is pleased to announce the launch of our revolutionary new website. To create something truly unique, we built on global best practices and most innovative solutions. A website tailored for the greatest web experience that aims to set the bar high in the CEE legal industry and beyond, and show what can be done by a very resolute local firm empowered by innovation and the perseverance to turn its vision into a reality. We applied creative thinking in law and communication to provide a window into our culture and deliver powerful […]
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On October 1, 2015, the new Payment Services Act came into force. This new piece of legislation introduced numerous and rather important changes to the Serbian payment operations system. These changes are also a part of Serbia’s harmonization with European Union laws and business practices, which presumes liberalization of payment services provision and widening of authorized service providers in this field, other than the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) and licensed banks, will have a significant positive impact on the market efficiency. One of the most significant changes in this sense introduced in the Payment Services Act relates to the formation of a […]
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On 4 September 2015, the Competition Commission, Serbian competition watchdog, closed an investigation against Agriser, a subsidiary of Ferrero Trading Lux S.A. and a member of Ferrero Group, owner of brands with global recognition including Nuttela, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, etc. This case may, as well, indicate an increasing interest of the Serbian antitrust authority in tackling concentrations in the form of asset deals subject to the privatization procedures. In April this year Agriser purchased entire assets of Aleksa Šantić, a Serbian company active in the production of primary agriculture produces, within the framework of a public bid procedure governed by Privatization Agency of the […]
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On July 7, 2015, the long awaited amendments to Serbia’s 2005 Mortgage Act have been adopted. The amendments brought several important changes, primarily aimed at increasing the efficacy of the foreclosure proceedings, but also at eliminating some provisions shown to be obsolete. The following is a brief overview of the aforementioned key amendments. In terms of mortgage creation, one rather simple improvement is that the person having the direct possession of the real estate is no longer required to give its written statement agreeing with establishing the mortgage over the respective real estate. This should make the procedure of creating […]
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According to the data provided by the Serbian Privatization Agency (as of September 21, 2015), there are currently 357 companies involved in the process of privatization. On the other hand, the Privatization Act requires for the privatization process to be completed before December 31, 2015. Save for 188 companies, for which the Government already adopted an action plan for the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings (due to no productivity, no interests from potential investors and unsustainable financial performance), it remains to be seen how many companies will actually find a genuine buyer, and thus, avoid bankruptcy proceedings before the December deadline. Hence, while awaiting […]
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