Latest trends in competition enforcement pose challenges to legal certainty in deal making
Growing concerns about the effect that some acquisitions falling below the mandatory merger notification thresholds may have on innovation and effective competition are increasingly shaping competition policy within the EU. Last week the Belgian competition authority closed an investigation opened earlier in March 2023 involving a possible abuse of dominance arising from an acquisition in […]
Bulgarian Competition Authority Publishes Annual Report
The Bulgarian competition authority published its annual 2022 report, with a significant delay. Repeatedly, the numbers confirm that the competition commission (CPC) still focuses its practice and resources in areas falling outside the traditional competition and antitrust. The CPC opened total 873 cases and issued 651 decisions, including 778 relating to public procurement (538 decisions), […]
The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation – an Overview
The European Union’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) entered into force on 12 January 2023 and establishes a new legal framework protecting against distortions of competition on the EU internal market caused by foreign subsidies. Starting from 12 October 2023, acquisitions of significant EU businesses and large EU public tenders will be subject to mandatory notification […]
AIOPSGROUP and valantic Combination – an Interview for CEE Legal Matters
The regional legal publication CEE Legal Matters interviewed our partner Pavel Hristov on the valantic/AIOPSGROUP deal. Our firm acted for the founders of AIOPSGROUP and coordinated legal advice of leading law firms in Germany and Serbia. ‘Hristov & Partners have done an amazing job! It’s not every day you find individuals or firms that go […]
Memo of Pavel Hristov on Dealmaking in the Current Economic Cycle
This is not simply a market correction. It is a downward phase of the current economic cycle and its effects on dealmaking will be lasting. There are also new opportunities for both buyers and owners. Please read our memo and let us know of your thoughts. Memorandum Hristov Partners MandA Outlook Q2Q3 2023
Hristov Partners Acted on the Business Combination of AIOPSGROUP and valantic
Our firm advised the founders and selling shareholders of AIOPSGROUP. The acquisition of a majority shareholding interest and a business combination of AIOPSGROUP and valantic GmbH will undoubtedly be among the major deals in the thriving Bulgarian IT sector. We acted as sellers’ lead counsel, organised and coordinated a roster of multi-jurisdictional legal teams in […]
Bulgaria Deal of the Year Award of CEE Legal Matters goes to Hristov Partners
Hristov & Partners won the 2022 Bulgarian Deal of the Year Award for BioIVT‘s acquisition of Fidelis Research. Our team included partners Pavel Hristov, Biliana Shagova and senior associate Dragomir Stefanov. Winners of this year’s Deal of the Year Awards were announced on April 25, in Istanbul, during the CEE Legal Matters Deals of the Year Awards Banquet. The black-tie ceremony celebrated the largest and most […]
High Rankings of Hristov Partners in Legal500 EMEA 2023
The leading international legal directory The Legal 500 EMEA just published its 2023 annual rankings. The independent research confirmed our firm’s high Tier-2 standing in both categories in which we compete: Commercial, Corporate and M&A, and EU and Competition. We are grateful for our clients’ praise of the quality of our work and reliability, and […]
M&A Due Diligence Focus on Undocumented Information
In the context of an acquisition, the legal due diligence should, but sometimes fails to, take into account information that is not recorded in the due diligence documents made available in the data room. When acting on buy-side, a very important aspect of legal due diligence that may often be neglected or overlooked, is summarising […]
Case C-449/21 (Towercast): A transaction not caught by EU or national merger control rules may still be assessed under the abuse of dominance prohibition
On 16 March 2023 the European Court of Justice rendered its awaited judgement in Case C-449/21 (Towercast) dealing with the possible application of the abuse of dominance prohibition to corporate transactions falling below the established thresholds for merger control. Facts On 13 October 2016, the largest French television transmission service operator Télédiffusion de France (TDF) […]