31 Jul 2023

Women in Science: Breaking Barriers and Shaping the Future

Winner of the UNESCO-L’Oreal scholarship for the best young scientists in 2012, Polina Blagojević, as a chemist, has a mission to discover new bioactive substances.  The results of her research apply in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.  Polina worked at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Niš as part of Serbia’s youngest scientific research team and later at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.  She is currently part of the development team at Acuitas Therapeutics, whose lipid nanotechnology, among other things, enabled the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.  Polina joined our Women in Science: Breaking Barriers and […]

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27 Jul 2023

AI in Agriculture: Navigating Liability and Regulation

“Agriculture is man’s most healthful, useful, and noble employment.” – George Washington   The world’s population is on the rise, increasing the demand for food.  The United Nations estimates that the world population will reach 9 billion people in approximately 15 years; by 2050, it is expected to reach 10 billion people.  This means there will be an additional two billion people to feed, necessitating farming and food production to become more efficient.  Traditional farming methods may fall short of meeting these escalating needs.  Artificial intelligence (“AI“) is emerging as part of the solution and a trailblazer in the agricultural […]

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25 Jul 2023

From Collective Rights to Individual Justice: Class Action in the USA and Its Prospects in Serbia

Part I On July 4, the United States celebrated Independence Day, which reminded us of the Declaration of Independence from 1776 that marked the establishment of the United States. This prompted us to reflect on the numerous distinctive legal achievements of the United States, inspiring us to explore the phenomenon of class action. Originating from across the Atlantic, this legal institution has found its place in continental European jurisdictions, sparking discussions within the professional community about its potential incorporation into Serbia’s legal framework. This article kicks off a series of articles on class action. In the first installment, we delve […]

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20 Jul 2023

CK Telecoms Judgment: Revisiting Errors and Pursuing Clarity

As we previously announced, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) issued a ruling in the CK Telecoms case last week, annulling the CK Telecoms judgment and referring the case back to the General Court (“Court”).  This appeal was in response to the Court’s decision on May 28, 2020, invalidating the European Commission’s (“EC“) ban on the acquisition of Telefónica Europe Plc by Hutchison 3G UK Investments Ltd.  In this article, we delve deeper into the background of this important case and the reasoning behind the CJEU ruling. The roots of the case trace back to 2016, when […]

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14 Jul 2023

Advancing Sustainability and Circular Economy: New European Regulation on Batteries and Waste Batteries

On July 10, 2023, the Council of the European Union (“Council”) officially adopted the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning batteries and waste batteries (“Regulation”).  This Regulation covers the entire battery life cycle, from production to reuse and recycling, aiming explicitly at safety, sustainability, and enhancing competitiveness. The Regulation applies to various battery types, including waste portable batteries, electric vehicle batteries, industrial batteries, and starting, lighting, and ignition (“SLI“) batteries primarily found in vehicles and machinery. It also extends to batteries designed for lightweight modes of transport, such as electric bikes and e-scooters. The adaptation process […]

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12 Jul 2023

EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation Starts to Apply

The Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), one of the EU’s latest state aid instruments, entered into force on January 12, 2023.  Now, after six months, it starts to apply.  This regulation establishes rules to govern foreign subsidies that could distort the EU’s internal market.  It empowers the European Commission (“Commission”) to investigate financial contributions provided by non-EU countries to companies operating in the EU. If these contributions are found to be distortive subsidies, the Commission can enforce corrective measures to remedy these effects. Our team provided a thorough overview of the regulation and its implications this article. In short, the FSR’s […]

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11 Jul 2023

Bogdan Gecić Talks CBAM with Israeli Exporters

On Monday, our Founding Partner, Bogdan Gecić, participated in a webinar titled “All About CBAM, the new EU Carbon Border Tax”.  This event was organized by the Israel Export Institute in collaboration with the leading Israeli law firm, Shibolet.  The attendees, mainly Israeli exporters from diverse industries, had the opportunity to hear from top experts in sustainability, ESG, EU law, and international trade.  They discussed how the EU’s new regulations might affect their businesses and gave recommendations on how to best prepare. Daphna Sternfeld, Deputy Director of the Israel Export Institute, offered an introduction to the topics and moderated the […]

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07 Jul 2023

Data Protection and Dominant Market Positions: Court Ruling Explores GDPR Compliance

On July 4, 2023, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU“) pronounced a momentous judgment in Meta Platforms and Others.  For the first time, the CJEU ruled that national competition authorities may determine GDPR infringements when examining an abuse of a dominant position.  The CJEU’s decision clarifies the relationship between the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR“) and EU competition law, establishing that they can coexist and complement each other without conflict.  The case centered on Meta Platforms Ireland, which runs Facebook in the EU. The ruling has its roots in a decision issued by Germany’s antitrust regulator, the […]

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06 Jul 2023

Embracing the AI Revolution: Can AI Govern Companies?

As Artificial Intelligence (“AI“) continues to revolutionize industries worldwide, its impact on corporate governance cannot be understated.  AI-powered tools can streamline governance procedures, such as board meeting management, document review, and regulatory compliance.  Automated processes save time and resources and reduce the likelihood of human error.  This allows governance professionals to focus on high-value tasks such as stakeholder engagement, strategy development, and fostering ethical business practices. On the other hand, the potential for AI to take on leadership roles within companies is an emerging topic of discussion[1].  With AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data, make data-driven decisions, and […]

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05 Jul 2023

Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation: A Proposed Regulation to Strengthen Data Protection Enforcement under the GDPR

On July 4, the EU Commission introduced a new Procedural Regulation aimed at enhancing cooperation among data protection authorities (“DPAs“) when enforcing the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR“) in cross-border cases.  The Procedural Regulation focuses on establishing clear guidelines for DPAs handling cases involving individuals in multiple Member States without impacting any substantial elements of the GDPR, including the rights of data subjects, obligations of data controllers and processors, or the lawful grounds for processing personal data. A notable aspect of the Procedural Regulation is a provision that mandates the lead DPA to share a “summary of key issues” with […]

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