The Legal 500

Nun hat die Fracking-Welle also auch Österreich im Griff. Während bisher die nationale Erdgasförderung kaum von der Öffentlichkeit wahrgenommen wurde und vielmehr die großen internationalen Pipeline-Projekte und die damit verbundene Versorgungssicherheit respektive die Unabhängigkeit von Russland bzw. von den Transit-Staaten im Vordergrund stand, rüsten sich aufgrund großer Funde im Weinviertel nunmehr Energieunternehmen auf der einen und Umweltorganisationen sowie Anrainer auf der anderen Seite zum Schlagabtausch in Österreich. Der Gesetzgeber reagierte darauf mit einer Novellierung des Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfungsgesetzes durch Implementierung eines neuen Tatbestandes.

At the beginning of 2013 the Competition Authority, which has been under new leadership since 2012, presented plans for future reform to the public. It presented a paper entitled "The Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic - Its Mission and Policy - Orientation for the Next Period", summarising the authority's strategy for the near future.(1) It also presented for public discussion a draft amendment of the Competition Act.

This guide provides corporate counsel and international practitioners with a comprehensive worldwide legal analysis of the laws and regulations of mergers and acquisitions. This article appeared in the 2013 edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Mergers & Acquisitions; published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London. www.iclg.co.uk.

This guide provides the international practitioner and in-house counsel with a comprehensive worldwide legal analysis of the laws and regulations of real estate. This article appeared in the 2013 edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Real Estate; published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London. www.iclg.co.uk )

A new amendment to the Slovak Commercial Code (Act No. 9/2013 Coll.) has been passed by the Slovak legislator (the "CC Amendment"), mainly as a result of implementation of the EU directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions. Effective 1 February 2013, the CC Amendment brings forward the following key changes:

A substantial amendment of the Slovak Labour Code, Act No. 311/2001 Coll., (the "Amendment"), the second in less than two years, will come into force on 1 January 2013. The Amendment, which generally strengthens the position of employees in employment relations, was adopted despite heavy criticism from employers, who warned that it might that it might cause massive layoffs on the Slovak job market.

The new amendment to Slovakia's VAT Act inter alia complicates the transfers of shares in limited liability companies.

The new amendment to Slovakia’s VAT Act inter alia complicates the transfers of shares in limited liability companies.

As a part of its anti-corruption agenda, the Slovak government introduced a contracts publication duty as from 1 January 2011. Various practical difficulties have emerged since then.

The new Slovak energy legislation will come into force in the autumn 2012, changing rules for the energy sector and implementing relevant European Union directives, above all the Third Energy Package.

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