The EU Update is a new monthly TerraLex newsletter from Gecić Law’s EU practice in Brussels. It offers insights into key EU legislative and policy developments affecting clients across the European Union. The second issue examines three critical areas shaping the EU regulatory landscape. It covers the global and EU crackdown on online child protection and platform accountability. Second, it addresses the growing policy push against territorial supply constraints in the EU single market. It also reviews proposed reforms to simplify digital regulation, including cookie consent and data privacy changes. The EU Update supports cross-border advisory work by combining high-level […]
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The European Union reached a provisional agreement to simplify its flagship artificial intelligence regulation. Member states and the European Parliament concluded a deal to delay key obligations for high-risk AI systems and streamline compliance requirements for businesses. “We now make the AI rules more workable in practice, remove overlaps, and pause the high-risk requirements. In order for Europe to become an AI continent, we need to promote innovation, support startups and scaleups, and make it easier to build AI in Europe.” That reads well. It also, rather quietly, sidesteps the harder question: if the requirements have not changed and nothing […]
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On April 30, 2026, the European Commission published a long-awaited draft of updated Merger Guidelines. Stakeholders have until June 26 to provide their feedback via an online survey. The Commission’s dedicated page on this initiative provides further details. The revamp of the guidelines is an attempt to reflect what the Commission has learned since the existing Horizontal Merger Guidelines (2004) and Non-Horizontal Merger Guidelines (2008) were put in place and to update merger control practice to encompass current geopolitical realities and EU strategic priorities. The underlying objective of the consultation draft is clear: to facilitate the growth of EU companies, […]
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An April 23, 2026, opinion by the Court of Justice of the European Union’s Advocate General Emiliou in Case C‑683/24 Spielerschutz Sigma is the latest pronouncement from the CJEU in the lengthy EU law skirmish surrounding Malta’s gaming industry. Just a week earlier, on April 16, 2026, the Court confirmed that Member States can prohibit certain online gambling services that are authorized in another Member State. And in January 2026, the Court found that a consumer may rely on their own country’s law when bringing a tort claim against directors of a foreign online gambling operator that does not hold […]
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Non-EEA companies that are processing data from European data subjects now for the first time have a route to demonstrate their compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). A recent opinion from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) makes clear that non-EEA data processors or controllers can demonstrate their GDPR compliance through Europrivacy certification. What is Europrivacy? Europrivacy is the official European Data Protection Seal that certifies compliance with the GDPR. Approved by the EDPB and European Accreditation, it is formally recognized within all EU and EEA jurisdictions. It has significantly evolved alongside cybersecurity challenges: the new EDPB […]
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On April 16, 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU” or the “Court”) issued its judgment in Case C-440/23, European Lotto and Betting and Deutsche Lotto und Sportwetten, addressing the compatibility of national restrictions on cross-border online gambling services with the freedom to provide services. In its ruling, the Court held that EU law does not preclude a Member State from prohibiting certain online gambling services, notwithstanding that such services are authorized in another Member State. It further confirmed that Member States may attach civil-law consequences to infringements of such prohibitions, including the nullity of contracts and […]
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The EU Update is a new monthly TerraLex newsletter from Gecić Law’s EU practice in Brussels. It provides timely insights into key EU legislative and policy developments. These developments affect clients doing business across the EU’s 27 Member States and 450 million consumers. This edition offers a concise, practical overview of emerging regulations and trends. It covers foreign direct investment reforms, new industrial policy initiatives, GDPR developments, and their global implications. I t helps member firms and their clients navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. The EU Update supports cross-border advisory work by combining high-level analysis with actionable insights. It […]
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Gecić Law celebrates a landmark result in the Legal 500 EMEA 2026 guide, earning recognition in six practice areas, adding Employment this year. The firm now holds rankings in Competition, Commercial, Corporate and M&A, Banking and Finance, Projects and Energy, Dispute Resolution, and Employment. This excellent performance highlights the firm’s continued growth, the depth of its talent, and the market’s clear recognition of its ability to handle the most sophisticated legal matters in Serbia and across the wider region and beyond. The Competition Practice For the tenth year, Gecić Law’s Competition practice remains ranked, maintaining its Tier 1 position in […]
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On March 26, 2026, the Council and the European Parliament agreed to overhaul the EU customs framework. The EU will soon have a modernized toolbox to address rising trade volumes, especially in e-commerce. The New Instruments The reform puts in place innovative instruments to facilitate global trade, collect customs duties more efficiently, and tighten controls on non-compliant, dangerous, or unsafe goods. The new EU customs system will allow more robust controls without being excessively burdensome for authorities and traders. There will be: A new EU customs authority in Lille, France; An EU customs data hub: one central platform for importers and […]
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FDI screening by EU Member States is set to become more rigorous and widespread under EU harmonization efforts. On February 10, 2026, the EU published the draft of a new Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation (“New FDI Regulation”), which will replace the existing framework under Regulation (EU) 2019/452. Dealmakers will need to be increasingly mindful that several FDI clearances might be required in individual countries around the EU before their transaction can close. The key changes to the current framework are expected to include: Mandatory screening mechanisms in all EU Member States FDI screening will no longer be optional at […]
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