H&P Magazine I/2023

Changes in retail and e-commerce

What does the amendment to the Consumer Protection Law change?

An extensive amendment to the Consumer Protection law introduced considerable changes for e-shops and brick-and-mortar retailers from the beginning of 2023. As of 6 January, websites, and legal documents, especially terms and conditions and complaints procedures, must be adapted to the new rules. Which are the most significant changes?

Ivan Rámeš a Lukáš Jakoubek · 9 January 2023

To marry or not to marry a foreigner?

Love knows no borders and thanks to travelling, studying, and working abroad, relationships with partners from countries other than the Czech Republic are now quite common. Couples in love, however, do not always realise that cultural differences can also mean big legal differences.

Veronika Bočanová a Renáta Šínová · 9 January 2023

All you ever wanted to know about IPOs (but were afraid to ask)

An initial public offering (IPO) is a way to raise capital for further business development. A company listed on the stock exchange is automatically more credible and has prestige in the eyes of the public, investors, customers and suppliers. This is true in the local market and especially abroad.

Jiří Kunášek · 9 January 2023

Foreword I/2023

With the beginning of the year, we usually start to look back at our personal and professional lives and think about our plans for the future. What is in store for us? What challenges will we face in the New Year? We, too, reflect on these questions in the new issue of H&P Magazine.

Jaroslav Havel · 9 January 2023

Pro bono I/2023

A mosaic of the firm’s pro bono and charitable activities in 2022 — the Children’s Advocacy Centre, the TERIBEAR charity run, the Christmas charity breakfast and the Forbes Top Covers auction.

Internet of Vehicles

The interconnected future of passenger transport

Requirements for increased safety, faster transport, accident reduction, entertainment and autonomy of vehicles are just some of the expectations placed on passenger cars by the market, customers and regulations. But there are also many legal challenges associated with this future of transport – protection from hackers, liability for autonomous vehicles, data privacy, and more.

Štěpán Štarha a Róbert Gašparovič · 9 January 2023

Transaction overview

Overview of selected transactions with the involvement of HAVEL & PARTNERS I/2023

Over the past 16 years, we have been involved in completing over 800 transactions, not only in mergers, acquisitions, divestments, and restructurings. Their total value exceeds EUR 32 billion. Here is an overview of the major ones in the recent period.

Interview

From wealth to effective asset management

Successful entrepreneurs have so far increased their wealth enormously, mainly by building and developing their firms. Now comes the time when efficient and professional property management will be crucial for their further development, but also for the mere maintenance of their value, says Jaroslav Havel, the managing partner of the largest Czech and Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS.

Tax novelties in 2023

New limits for VAT and lump-sum tax, windfall tax

With the start of the New Year, there have been significant changes in the area of taxes that affect many entrepreneurs and companies. An increase in the income threshold for VAT liability or the income limit for the application of lump-sum tax, the introduction of a new windfall tax, and changes in taxes for individuals will all come into effect. Get familiar with the new tax rules.

David Krch a Josef Žaloudek · 9 January 2023

We see women grow

Substantial wealth in Czechia and Slovakia is bound to change hands in favour of women

The female element in business is increasingly important. Controlling one-third of the world’s wealth, women have been raising the value of their assets at a much faster rate in recent years than ever before. According to an analysis by NextŽeny, up to 70 percent of the richest Czech families’ wealth might pass into the hands of women in the future.

When financial problems arise, the management must act

The looming effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the energy crisis, a significant rise in inflation and other circumstances are having a major impact on the business of companies. What if a company runs into financial difficulties and is facing the risk of insolvency? At such times, its managers have a legal duty to act.

Marek Vojáček · 9 January 2023

Investing in start-ups as an effective path to innovation

Any company that wants to be successful in the long term must keep up with the times and invest in development and innovation. More and more companies are therefore betting on start-ups and directly investing in them. But such an investment is not an acquisition like any other.

Jaroslav Baier a Dalibor Kovář · 9 January 2023

Data, digitisation and sustainability are driving the real estate market

The real estate market has been coping with significant changes in recent months, dictated mainly by high interest rates and the energy crisis. The big topics for developers are therefore financing, sustainability, and digitisation.

What’s new I/2023

An overview of the firm’s news — victory in the Law Firm of the Year competition, the Who’s Who Legal and Czech Business Superbrands awards, new promotions and the ESG activities of HAVEL & PARTNERS.