Corporate/M&A Law Firm in Serbia

The CMS Corporate/M&A Group is pleased to launch the 16th edition of the European M&A Study

A. Share Deal I. Obligations of the purchaser 1. Check whether: a representative trade union exists at the target company. 2. Prepare the following in draft form: information to be issued to the employees...

Published on 31 January 2024CMS legal teams in Belgrade, Podgorica and Sarajevo have advised Actis on all Serbian, Montenegrin and Bosnian aspects of the acquisition of a carved-out tower portfolio from Telekom Srbija, one of the leading tele­com­mu­nic­a­tions operators in the CEE region.   The carved-out portfolio comprises approximately 1,800 macro towers, of which approximately 1,000 are located in Serbia, approximately 700 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and approximately 100 in Montenegro. CMS has provided legal advice on the buy-side due diligence, structuring of the carve-outs, negotiation of the transaction documents, transfer of the towers, regulatory matters (merger clearance, telecoms and energy supply regulations), tax matters and financing of the transaction. This landmark transaction marks Actis’ entry into the Western Balkans and reinforces Actis' commitment to the CEE region following previous investments in the energy sector in Romania and Bulgaria in 2022. The CMS team which advised on the transaction was led by partner Marija Tešić (Serbia, Montenegro) and included partners Radivoje Petrikić, Ivan Gazdić and Milica Popović, counsels Marija Marošan and Srđan Janković, senior associates Sandra Miljanić, Ksenija Boreta, Jovana Bingulac, Ksenija Ivetić Marlović, Tamara Zejak and Tamara Samardžija, associates Mila Drljević, Milica Tomić,  Jelena Đorđević, Teodora Vujošević and Jovan Bećirić (all Serbia, Montenegro), partners Indir Osmić and Andrea Zubović-De­vedžić, counsel Sanja Voloder, senior associate Ana Terzić and Zlatan Balta, associates Zlatko Mašović, Stefan Ćosović and Zerina Spahić (all Bosnia and Herzegovina).  

Despite geopolitical tensions, fears of recession and strong inflationary pressures across the EU, as well as the fiscal tightening needed to contain them, M&A in the CEE region has remained reasonably buoyant. Findings from the CMS Emer­ging Europe M&A 2023/24 report, published in cooperation with EMIS, demonstrate the resilience of the Emerging Europe deals market as activity holds firm against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and strong inflationary pressures. Welcome to the 2023/24 edition of the Emerging Europe report.

Published on CEE Legal Matters | 12 December 2023

Serbia’s regulatory framework has been continuously changing in an attempt to provide attractive incentives for foreign investors tailored to meet their investment needs. Discover how these incentives align with your foreign direct investment (FDI) goals to unlock opportunities in Serbia.

As the world economy increasingly embraces the push towards decarbonisation, Europe has actively sought to place itself at the vanguard of the discussion on energy trans­ition. Op­por­tun­it­ies to deploy capital abound as power sources switch further towards offshore and onshore wind, solar, heat, hydrogen, battery storage, new networks, carbon capture, and industrial decarbonisation. The latter brings an interface with other sectors such as technology companies (with power hungry data centres a particular focus), real estate, low carbon transport and decarbonisation of industrial processes such as cement, glass and steel production. As much as it is difficult, complex and highly political, the energy transition is also a huge business opportunity. To reach net zero by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global investment in clean energy alone will need to increase from the USD390bn in the first half of 2023, to USD 1.3tn in 2030. Many commentators worried that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would put back the transition and shift Europe back towards fossil fuels. While it appears to have resulted in a renewed political focus on energy security it has also laid bare the financial and political consequences of relying on oil & gas imports, giving further impetus to renewables as a secure form of energy. Europe has also sought to be a leading light on the concept of “reaching net zero”, with the European Union (EU) having set out its ambition, back in 2019, to become the world’s first major economic bloc to be climate-neutral by 2050. This has added momentum to energy investment and M&A over recent years – 2021 and 2022 saw the second and third highest annual aggregate values of Western European M&A in the sector on record, at USD 59.8bn and USD 53.7bn, respectively, bested only by the anomalously high total of USD 89.4bn logged in 2018. Energy M&A in the region has been more subdued in 2023, but our survey demonstrates that energy executives are gearing up for a more active dealmaking period, with most expecting more opportunities and anticipating increased levels of investment in the year ahead. Capital looks set to continue to flow primarily to renewable energy projects and related assets, with solar and batteries topping the list of attractive subsectors among our respondents. Consistent with this, South West Europe takes pole position as the most promising region for investment opportunities. But there are thorns among the roses. Our respondents are cognizant of the challenges in the energy market, with supply-chain volatility and commodity price increases emerging as a prominent concern. This is unsurprising after a period of dislocation following the pandemic and amid a time of rising global demand for renewable products and commodities. Persistent inflation and elevated interest rates, combined with an uncertain macroeconomic outlook, are raising investors’ concerns, with financing risk (including the increased cost of financing) also coming to the fore for respondents. Overall, while some sense a recent softening of the market due to these fundamentals, our survey paints a picture of steadily improving investor sentiment in Europe’s energy sector, laying the foundations for a busier period ahead for M&A activity.

Published on 2 October 2023

Published on 14 September 2023CMS Belgrade has been assisting Palfinger AG, a global leader in innovative crane and lifting solutions, in opening a new component plant in Niš, Serbia. Palfinger operates with over 12,500 employees and 30 manufacturing sites, and has a sales and service network of around 5,000 locations in more than 130 countries on all continents. Palfinger is investing EUR 35.5 million in the new plant in Serbia, which is expected to start production in 2024. This state-of-the-art facility will adhere to industry-leading standards, incorporating advanced energy-saving and en­ergy-gen­er­at­ing technologies, such as photovoltaic systems on the roof of the future plant, as well as the latest cooling and heating technology inside the factory. Our team of expert lawyers, led by Radivoje Petrikić, Partner CMS Vienna and Managing Partner CMS Belgrade, and Maja Stepanović, Corporate/M&A Law Partner, with valuable contributions from Tamara Zejak, Ksenija Ivetić Marlović and Teodora Vujošević, has provided comprehensive legal support in the initial phases of the project, advising on a wide range of corporate, state aid, real estate, financial and employment related matters. Congratulations to Palfinger on breaking ground for their new factory in Serbia!

We are pleased to share with you the 2024 edition of the European M&A Outlook, published by CMS in association with Mergermarket.

Published on 18 July 2023

Our engaging podcast and video series, "At CEEntre Stage," is a valuable resource for professionals and legal advisors seeking in-depth insights into various Corporate and M&A topics. Our series caters to diverse businesses in Central and Eastern Europe, providing comprehensive coverage of the ongoing challenges they face. Half-hour moderated discussions with legal experts and industry leaders allow us to gain valuable insights into their vision for the future, the challenges they face, and ways to improve their businesses. We also provide guidance on navigating legal complexities and avoiding potential traps, ensuring our listeners receive contextualized insights into the region's distinctive business landscape and regulatory environment. Our comprehensive coverage of various industries and their ongoing challenges makes "At CEEntre Stage" an essential resource for staying ahead of the curve in today's fast-paced economy. The podcast covers relevant Corporate and M&A topics from W&I insurances, FDI to ESOP, joint ventures, financing and ESG. Tune in to "At CEEntre Stage" today and stay informed on the latest insights and trends in the world of corporate law and M&A.