News & Publications  

Kocián Šolc Balaštík was founded 20 years ago on 1 July 1990. The originally small traditional law firm rapidly grew over several years into a dynamic modern law firm which, with a team of seventy lawyers, five tax advisers and over sixty employees, now belongs among the leaders on the Czech market. KSB celebrated its 20th anniversary with clients, business partners and friends in the historical premises of Martinický Palace on Hradčanské náměstí in Prague.

On 30 June 2010, the law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík was present at the ceremonial opening of the first of five halls of the “Green Meadow Logistic Center” in the Pardubice-Semtín industrial zone built by D+D Park Pardubice a.s.

Amendment to Value Added Tax Act in comments stage; Amendment of Excise Tax Act in comments stage

Communication on photovoltaic power plants relating to real estate tax; information on the termination of validity of the Instruction D-336

which occur due to the decision of the Ministry of Finance or the tax office. Entities, which are exempt from tax or tax interest and charges by the state, are in principle recipients of public funds according to the Supreme Administrative Court, and the duty of confidentiality does not apply on information on exemptions within the framework of the tax proceedings.

On 17 June 2010, Petra Mirovská presented a lecture on behalf of the law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík on the topic of sending unsolicited commercial communications at a seminar organized by OFFICE HOUSE CZ s.r.o. in Prague. The aim of the presentation was to provide basic practical information on the practice connected with distribution of unsolicited commercial communications.

Amendment to the Act on Local Financial Authorities: Changes to Respective Roles of Authorities and a Specialized Financial Office

The ruling will affect assessment of the issue as to whether the commencement of a tax audit, without notification of any doubt or suspicion as to compliance with tax duties interrupts the statutory time period within which tax assessments may be made.

The implemented legislative changes apply to unfair competition.

This major amendment was approved by the House of Representatives on 18 May 2010 subject to the Senate’s proposals for changes. It has been signed by the President of the Czech Republic and is waiting for publication. The amendment contains a set of changes which should increase the transparency of awarding contracts, simplify the current procedures and impose clearer rules on an overall basis for dealing with public funds.

Amendment to VAT Act – changes in the extent of affiliated persons; Amendment to Income Tax Act, Act on Territorial Financial Authorities and VAT Act

In the event that the date for delivery of a tax administrator’s letter is determined by a legal fiction, i.e. for example ten days after the recipient fails to collect the relevant document and has been appropriately notified in advance that the document was deposited, the date of a statutory holiday or Saturday or Sunday shall may also be considered as the date of delivery.

The Supreme Administrative Court cancelled the challenged judgment and returned the matter to the Regional Court for further proceedings.

Law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík advised the Monetica consortium in the acquisition of Česká mincovna, a.s., a traditional manufacturer of coins and medals in circulation and commemorative coins and medals.

This special issue of Tax News is to inform you of the latest judgement by the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic (the “SAC”) No. 5 Afs 25/2009 – 98 dated 25 March 2010. We believe the ruling to be a substantial breakthrough for further review of, and dealing with, costs in terms of determining the tax base. The judgment is available at the SAC’s website: http://www.nssoud.cz/main.aspx?cls=anonymZneni&id=22401&mark=

Petra Mirovská and Drahomír Tomašuk contributed on behalf of the Czech Republic to the first issue of the new professional publication International Privacy Guide, printed quarterly by the publishing house West, a Thomson Reuters business. The topic of the first issue of the publication is international transfers of personal data and it includes a basic summary of the legal regulations of 26 countries regarding the transfer of personal data to foreign countries.

The chapter concerning Czech legal regulations can be downloaded here.

KSB assisted New World Resources N.V. in the sale of energy assets concentrated in NWR Energy and its subsidiaries to Dalkia ČR.

Christian Blatchford has contributed an article to the winter 2009 edition of the PPP Bulletin, the quarterly publication of the Public Private Partnership Association in the Czech Republic. The article compares PPP projects with other projects from the area of project finance in an attempt to throw light on an area in which for many in the Czech Republic remains unfamiliar.

• The article can be downloaded here

Martin Krejčí, a KSB lawyer of many years standing, became a partner effective 1 January 2010. The firm now has nine partners and almost seventy legal and tax specialists.

IFLR 1000 – The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms, an international annual publication ranking leading law firms in corporate and financial law, announced its rankings for 2010. Law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík has been recommended in all categories ranked by IFLR 1000.