Liberalization of energy markets proceeds to second reading
The Council sets forth three options for unbundling that vary in the degree of separation within the redrafted texts of the directives. The energy ministers prefer, and are trying to pass, the most moderate option and also emphasize the need for transparency in the legislation to be adopted and elimination of any discrimination whatsoever. However, the European Parliament insisted on complete ownership unbundling in the first reading.
The so-called Gazprom clause constitutes yet another controversial issue regarding the approach to be adopted towards non-EU countries seeking to enter the European energy market. The ministers agreed on a certification system that will fall within the powers of individual EU Member States and their regulating authorities. The Commission originally proposed entrusting these major powers to the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) or, as the case may, in retaining them, and the Parliament agreed to this scenario.
The proposal to establish the ACER as a supranational regulator is subject to controversies mostly in terms of the scope of the powers thereof and the method of distributing voting rights among the Member States. The Council’s joint position is based on equal distribution in which each EU Member State has one vote regardless of its size.
The liberalisation of the energy sector is scheduled to be on the agenda of the May session of the European Parliament, but considering the ongoing controversies the current version of the energy package can hardly be expected to pass in the second reading.
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KŠB assisted Seyfor with the extension of its financing provided by Raiffeisenbank, Tatra banka and, newly, Slovenská sporiteľňa.
The KŠB team provided legal advice to its long-standing client Seyfor in connection with the continuation and expansion of its syndicated financing. The existing lending banks, Raiffeisenbank Czech Republic and Tatra banka, decided to continue supporting Seyfor’s growth, with Slovenská sporiteľňa joining the financing as a new lender.
Evidence skutečných majitelů: Co přinese znepřístupnění od 17. prosince 2025?
Letošní rozhodnutí Nejvyššího soudu a Nejvyššího správního soudu navázala na rozsudky Soudního dvora Evropské unie, a, s platností i pro Českou republiku, konstatovala, že zveřejňování údajů v rámci evidence skutečných majitelů představuje nepřiměřený zásah do základních práv majitelů na soukromí a ochranu osobních údajů. Důležitým aspektem těchto rozhodnutí byl závěr, že sankce, které postihují povinné subjekty jako reakce na nesplnění jejich povinnosti zápisu do evidence skutečných majitelů, není možné vymáhat, dokud je evidence veřejná. Tato situace se změní 17. prosince 2025, kdy ministerstvo znepřístupní evidenci skutečných majitelů; povinným subjektům tak budou opět hrozit závažné sankce.
30th Advent Concert for the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havlová Foundation
This year again, during the pre-Christmas season, the Advent Concert of Good Will took place. Since 1995, it has been organised by the law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík in support of the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havlová Foundation. This was already the 30th anniversary edition, made exceptional by the fact that we organised it for the first time together with our partner, Smetanova Litomyšl, as part of a broader mutual cooperation. As always, the concert was held in the concert hall of the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude in Prague’s Old Town.
