The Commission for Protection of Competition (the “Commission”) opened an ex officio procedure against Philip Morris Services (PM), British American Tobacco South East Europe (BAT), JT International, Imperial Tobacco SCG, TDR1, and Monus, as announced on 1 December 2015.2 This followed two dawn raids against PM and BAT. As indicated in the decision3, the Commission suspects that undertakings involved concerted in order to align their pricing policies for factory manufactured cigarettes, thereby violating Article 10 of the Competition Act (a provision prohibiting restrictive agreements, and mirroring, to considerable extent, Article 101(1) of Treaty on Functioning of the EU – TFEU). This is the first […]
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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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On December 7, 2015 the European Commission (EC) adopted a new Aviation Strategy for Europe that “will enable European aviation to flourish globally.” The EC framed an all-inclusive policy encompassing the entire EU aviation ecosystem. The new Aviation Strategy contains a list of priorities geared towards making the EU a leading stakeholder in international aviation by tackling restrictions on growth both in the air and on the ground, promoting EU safety and environmental standards globally, and by advancing carbon neutral growth through innovation, digital technologies, and investments. The claimed added value of the Aviation Strategy is that it provides […]
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We are pleased to announce that our partner Bogdan Gecić together with Dr. Tatjana Jovanić, an associate professor at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, co-authored the Serbian chapter for Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Europe – Second Edition. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of most important legal aspects for both domestic and foreign investors and businesses in Serbia. The chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the following topics: Enterprises: Establishment, Acquisition & Bankruptcy Customs Regulation Investment Incentives and Currency Regulation Competition and Market Regulation Intellectual Property Employment Banking The edition is published by Juris Publishing, Inc., a full-service […]
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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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This Short Guide provides guidance on how to ensure an effective response to an unannounced inspection (known as a “dawn raid”) of the Commission for Protection of Competition of the Republic of Serbia (further Competition Commission). Topics covered include: What to do at the beginning of a dawn raid Managing an ongoing dawn raid What to do at the end of a dawn raid Do’s and Don’ts at each stage This Short Guide will consider the key practical points and legal issues to bear in mind when facing a dawn raid. It should be used to assist your company in providing […]
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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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