Electricity prices are going through the roof and the continuing conflict in Ukraine does not bode well for imminent price decreases. Commercial property owners, aligning with the changing regulatory environment and listening to their tenants’ needs, are quicker to consider installing solar panels atop their commercial buildings. Certain regulatory issues should be considered before deciding … Continue Reading
In the wake of Russia recently setting new rules for foreign creditors’ debt repayment, dividing foreign creditors in terms of whether or not they are based in a country that’s sanctioned Russia (the “Decree”), creditors having exposure to Russian entities have started reviewing their repayment options. Some of them may feel fortunate holding export credit … Continue Reading
On 9 February 2022, the lower house of the Polish parliament amended the Commercial Companies Code, introducing a parent company’s liability for any damage caused to a holding subsidiary. The amendment has also introduced a binding instruction as to the parent’s handling of the subsidiary’s affairs if the holding’s interest so dictates. The parent must … Continue Reading
The Polish government announced that on 4 May 2020, shopping centres, hotels, and DIY and furniture stores will be opened to the public subject to certain conditions and restrictions. Below, we highlight the guidelines published by the Polish Ministry of Regional Development for retail and hotel facilities.… Continue Reading
Here are the most frequently asked questions regarding personal data processing in the context of employment which have not been explicitly addressed in the supervisory authority’s statement on data processing in light of the coronavirus pandemic (mentioned in our previous post). Our answers draw on core data protection rules, binding labour law provisions, Chief Labour … Continue Reading
Polish Supervisory Authority’s Guidance On March 12, the Polish supervisory authority (the President of the UODO) issued a statement on data processing in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This statement (available in Polish here) is short on certain details and it is, therefore, of little guidance. It is silent on particular questions which have plagued … Continue Reading
As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, businesses in the Czech Republic face practical and legal employment challenges as they take measures to further the immediate goal of preventing the spread of physical infection to and within their workforces. This insight includes questions and answers on how to handle the most frequent issues faced by … Continue Reading
The Czech National Bank has increased the two-week repo rate from 2% to 2.25% with effect as of 7th February 2020. For commercial relationships governed by Czech law it means an increase in the statutory default interest rate from 10% to 10.25% per annum in relation to debts which will become overdue on or after … Continue Reading
The Changing Renewables Support Landscape Over the last couple of years, a combination of subsidy erosion or removal, lower auction prices, reduction in embedded benefits and power market volatility has led to an absence of long-term revenue certainty and forced generators and developers to explore new models for their projects. Simultaneously, corporates are increasingly targeting … Continue Reading
In October 2019, the Council of the European Union formally adopted a new Directive for the Protection of Whistleblowers, requiring both private and public organisations to create safe channels for reporting across a wide range of areas, including public procurement, financial services or money laundering. Member States will have two years to transpose the Directive … Continue Reading
On December 19 and 20, 2019, the President of the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) announced the results of the renewable energy purchase auctions held between November 25 and December 13, 2019. The auctions included both existing and new renewable energy sources (RES) installations. Obviously, onshore wind farms and photovoltaics (PVs) garnered the most interest. The … Continue Reading
The framework of digital identity is about to be revolutionized in the Czech Republic. A group of deputies is proposing a bill that will allow banks to participate in the state digital identity scheme. Bank ID is intended to be used to access eGovernment services but also some services in the private sector.… Continue Reading
As of 1 January 2014, the Czech Republic has enacted new legal rules regarding the corporate law presented in the act no. 90/2012 Coll., Business Corporations Act (the “BCA”). Meanwhile the new regulation was settling in, the practice has discovered a number of gaps and shortcomings of the new law and thus the lawmakers has … Continue Reading
On August 2, the Senate – the upper house of the Polish Parliament – passed the law amending the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Act and certain other laws, which is now pending the President’s signature. We addressed this issue in our posts published on June 7, 2019 and June 11, 2019. Compared to the drafts … Continue Reading
Recently the Polish regulator (UODO) published the updated list of processing operations which require a data protection impact assessment – the consequence of the EDPB’s objection to the original “black list” published by UODO back in 2018. Additionally, UODO prepared detailed guidelines on the duties of controllers in connection with data breaches under the GDPR, … Continue Reading
Poland and the US signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic civil nuclear cooperation on June 12. The MoU emphasizes the desire to establish a deeper bilateral strategic relationship aiming at energy security and meeting Poland’s clean energy needs. These aims are to be achieved by: Collaboration for developing Polish infrastructure for the responsible … Continue Reading
Things are gaining momentum. In our post of June 7, 2019, we wrote about the major changes to the draft Renewable Energy Sources Act (RES) posted on the government website on June 5. Not long thereafter, a new supplemented version 6 appeared. We believe one new development is worth our attention. By Way of Introduction, … Continue Reading
Recently, legislators in the Czech Republic made an important step towards strengthening the rights of natural and legal persons as “clients of public authorities” to the provision of services by public authorities in the form of digital services. The draft Act on the Right to Digital Services (“ARDS”), also called “Digital Constitution”, presents a revolutionary … Continue Reading
Under Pressure On 5 June, the draft amendments to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (RES Act) were posted on the Governmental Legislation Center website. It is no secret that Poland will not meet the RES energy production level targets imposed by EU Directives, regardless of the means undertaken. Despite this, one positive is that the … Continue Reading
Poland’s voters head to the polls on 26 May in the elections for the European Parliament, with 51 seats at stake. Although the campaign is in full swing, an understanding of the rules for determining the winners is lacking. Whereas the rules in a simple “first past the post” election are quite easy to explain … Continue Reading
On Friday 29 March 2019, the Economic University in Bratislava hosted the recurring session of the Center for Financial Innovations established by the Slovak Ministry of Finance. We participate in these sessions, along with other representatives of academics, banks and fintech companies. The focus of the event was a discussion related to the EU’s action … Continue Reading
On March 26, 2019, the Polish Data Protection regulator (Urząd Ochrony Danych Osobowych – UODO) announced the first administrative fine imposed on a Warsaw-based company for failure to meet the informational obligation toward the data subjects whose data it processed, in violation of article 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The fined company … Continue Reading
On 24 January 2019, the Personal Data Protection Office (UODO) published a sectoral inspection schedule for 2019. According to the schedule, as approved by UODO’s President, the inspections will aim at verifying the legitimacy of personal data processing in the following private sectors: telemarketing, data brokers (as regards legal grounds for personal data processing) and … Continue Reading
On November 23 this year, the Ministry of Energy published its draft Polish Energy Policy until 2040 (PEP2040). This long-awaited document is significant for both the energy sector and the entire economy; however, it is subject to social consultations until January 15, 2019, and its assumptions may (but do not have to) evolve. A Generational Structural … Continue Reading
