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compliance & internal investigations news
Get an overview of our compliance & internal investigations news.
Read through our compliance & internal investigations team's articles, publications and news.
all (61)
blog (0)
newsletters (32)
publications (5)
media coverage (2)
events (8)
press releases (3)
roadmap (11)
newsletter
Commission proposes new directive to step up fight against corruption
While allegations of corruption continue to make headlines in Austria, the Ministry of Justice responded in January with draft legislation on the Corruption Law Amendment Act 2023.
newsletter
The German Supply Chain Act: additional compliance measures required?
The German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz; "LkSG"), which applies to companies seated in Germany or operating a German branch with 3,000 or more employees, entered into force on 1 January 2023.
newsletter
EU: The end of a dry spell – NIS 2 published
After several delays, the revision of the NIS Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 27 December 2022 in the form of Directive (EU) 2022/2555 ("NIS 2").
event
Business Event: Sanktionen gegen Russland
Wo stehen wir fast zwölf Monate und (mindestens) neun Sanktionspakete später?
publication
CZ: Schoenherr Journal Edition 13
The Schoenherr Journal, published by Schoenherr's Prague office, examines the latest important legal developments in the Czech Republic.
event
Sunset with Schoenherr and Willkie, Farr & Gallagher
How the U.S. shapes investigations in Europe
media coverage
Bulgarian Whistleblowing Woes – A CEE Legal Matters Round Table
Hosted by Penkov, Markov & Partners, nine lawyers from Bulgaria – six working in-house and three in private practice – sat down for a round table conversation to discuss the EU Whistleblowing Directive and how it will impact companies in the country.
newsletter
Russia Sanctions: 7th sanctions package
The 7th sanctions package of the EU was published in the Official Journal. Both Regulation (EU) 269/2014 (individual financial sanctions) and Regulation (EU) 833/2014 (trade restrictions, capital market restrictions, etc.) have been modified.
newsletter
03 June 2022
Russia Sanctions: 6th sanctions package
The 6th sanctions package was published. Find out more about the changes introduced.
newsletter
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, its impact on gas supplies procured by Austrian manufacturing companies and force majeure
roadmap
Must whistleblowers conduct their own investigations before reporting?
With the Whistleblowing Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1937) of 23 October 2019, the EU has created a legal framework for whistleblowers. The Directive provides rules for internal and external reporting as well as measures to protect whistleblowers.
roadmap
Plea bargaining: a new trend in European criminal proceedings
The originally Anglo-American common law concept of plea bargaining has become a phenomenon within a number of European civil law countries in recent decades.
publication
12 December 2021
N.Rosová M.Voldánová O.Fiala H.Hangler R.Bicek M.Jendželovský E.Purgerová
CZ: Schoenherr Journal Edition 11
The Schoenherr Journal, published by Schoenherr's Prague office, examines the latest important legal developments in the Czech Republic.
newsletter
Austria: What to do when the prosecutor comes knocking
House searches have been all over the news in Austria recently. In case you have been wondering what happens to your phone, laptop and tablet when the prosecutor comes knocking – read below.
event
Follow the money! How to stay compliant with anti-money laundering regulations | Webinar
Webinar organised by the Romanian publication Avocatnet together with Schoenherr Bucharest | 1 July 2021 | 11:00 am (Romania time) | Language: Romanian
newsletter
Coming up Next: UBO Register in Hungary
Hungary was one of the last EU countries to introduce a register of ultimate beneficial owners. While the provisions of the Fourth and Fifth AML Directives were already implemented in the Hungarian AML Act, the technical conditions on the actual operation of the UBO register were only adopted by Act XLIII of 2021 ("UBO Register Act") and are in force as of 22 May 2021.
newsletter
Whistleblowing: what new duties will arise for employers? | Czech Republic
The Chamber of Deputies is currently discussing at first reading a bill on the protection of whistleblowers. This act should implement the European directive on whistleblowing1, and should therefore become effective within the implementation period, i.e. no later than 17 December 2021.
newsletter
Bulgaria: Working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis - Is the risk for your trade secrets remote?
As the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly spread across Europe, more and more companies have been forced to implement remote working arrangements for their employees.
newsletter
Bulgaria: Deadline for Update of AML Internal Rules
Under Bulgarian anti-money laundering law, all obliged entities must adapt their internal rules in accordance with Article 101 of the Bulgarian Anti-Money Laundering Act ("AMLA") within six months following the publication of a national assessment of the risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing ("National Risk Assessment") on the website of the State Agency for National Security ("SANS").
newsletter
Cyber-attacks and business secrets - Protection under criminal law
Business secrets are essential assets of companies, and are often the reason for a company having a competitive lead in a market. Thus, they constantly seek to develop new technologies, algorithms or software to create such intangible assets.
publication
24 June 2019
austria bosnia & herzegovina bulgaria croatia croatia czech republic hungary north macedonia moldova montenegro poland romania serbia slovakia slovenia turkey
A basic primer to internal investigations in CEE
newsletter
Legal Alert for Approaching Deadline of UBO Registration
Bulgarian anti-money laundering law requires that companies and other entities having their seat in Bulgaria register their ultimate beneficial owner(s).
newsletter
Increased and uniform protection is coming: EU adopts new rules protecting and encouraging whistleblowing
Scandals from Danske Bank to LuxLeaks and the Panama Papers would never have come to light were it not for insiders who dared to expose major wrongdoings within companies and organisations.
newsletter
Romania: Cybersecurity - call for action for major companies in critical sectors
The first piece of EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity is expected to be transposed into Romanian law anytime now, bringing into play enhanced system security obligations for major companies in certain sectors, as well as fines of up to 5 % of non-compliant companies' turnover.
newsletter
Austria: Increased due diligence obligations for shareholder creditors?
The Austrian Insolvency Code provides for the possibility to challenge certain disadvantageous transactions carried out by the debtor after material insolvency has occurred, especially if the creditor knew or should have known of its debtor's material insolvency.
newsletter
Health and safety at work in Romania: What companies need to know to be safe
Failure to take or observe the mandatory measures for health and safety at work may entail, among other types of liability (e.g. civil, administrative), potential criminal liability for employers.
newsletter
Non-compliance in the Healthcare Sector - Iceberg ahead! - Austria
If anyone needed a wakeup call as to how critical a functioning compliance system and culture is, look no further than the recent reports in the Austrian media about allegations of fraud launched against a surgeon working at one of Vienna's most renowned public-sector hospitals.
press release
Austria/SEE: Schoenherr advises immigon and VR-Leasing on sale of VB-Leasing International
Schoenherr has advised German VR-Leasing AG ("VR-Leasing"), a leasing subsidiary of DZ Bank, and Austrian immigon portfolioabbau ag ("immigon"), the wind down company of the former Österreichische Volksbanken-Aktiengesellschaft, on the sale of VB-Leasing International to a consortium of partners consisting of APS, a leading CEE/SEE distressed debt investment advisor and manager, Nomura, the Asia-headquartered financial services group, and Balbec Capital, a global private investment firm.
newsletter
Romania: Significant changes to the payment of contravention fines
The payment methods of contravention fines have been simplified as of 24 August 2018 by Act No. 203/2018, on the measures to increase the efficiency of the payment of contravention fines, published in the Official Gazette, Part I, no. 647 of 25 July 2018 (the "Law"). The Law sets forth measures aimed at facilitating the payment of contravention fines.
newsletter
Romania: One step closer to enforcing Fourth AML Directive: changes for private companies regarding ownership transparency
Following the entry into force of the Fourth Anti-money Laundering (AML) Directive (2015/849) in 2015, Ireland, Greece, the Netherlands and Romania are still in the process of passing appropriate implementation measures into national law. As such, they have exceeded the 26 June 2017 transposition deadline by one year.
newsletter
Austria: Responsibility to investigate - an update on avoidance risks
Following the opening of insolvency proceedings, the insolvency receiver typically tries to enlarge the insolvency estate by asserting voidance claims. Legal acts that occurred within certain suspect periods prior to the opening of insolvency proceedings might be declared void. Creditors may mitigate certain avoidance risks by investigating the debtor's financial situation when conducting legal transactions.
roadmap
A "private sphere" for entrepreneurs – are you ready for the new Trade Secrets Directive?
While companies generally do not have a right of privacy (at least under Austrian law), the protection of trade secrets has a somewhat similar objective: to grant leeway for development, which others must respect.
newsletter
Romania: Authorities Start Imposing Sanctions for Lack of Fire Safety Authorisations
From 1 October 2017, the Romanian fire safety authorities may start imposing sanctions on the beneficiaries of existing construction projects in Romania who failed to obtain (or at least apply for) the mandatory fire safety authorisation.
press release
Austria: Schoenherr named "Austrian Law Firm of the Year" and awarded for "European Restructuring Deal: HETA" by IFLR
Schoenherr was named "Austrian Law Firm of the Year" by renowned legal publisher International Financial Law Review ("IFLR") at the IFLR European Awards Ceremony held in London on 20 April.
newsletter
Protecting your trade secrets in the EU
A new EU Directive aimed at protecting know-how and business information can strengthen the position of your start-up if you take the necessary precautionary measures.
roadmap
Czech Republic: New Developments in Corporate Criminal Liability
The Czech Act No. 418⁄2011 Coll. on the Criminal Liability of Corporations and Proceedings against Them (the “Act”) has been criticised for containing only the minimum requirements arising from the Czech Republic’s international commitments so far. The new amendment to the Act, effective from 1 December 2016 (the “Amendment”), will extend the range of criminal acts for which corporate entities may be criminally prosecuted, and also the possibilities to exclude their liability.
roadmap
I'm a Legal Alien, I'm a Legal Alien: Extraditing Foreign Citizens from Austria
How do EU citizens living in Austria quickly become “foreigners” when it comes to extradition requests from third countries; for example, in relation to US corruption or antitrust charges?
event
Whistleblowers' Protection Blowing the whistle on company wrongdoings, made easy
Say one of your employees obtains (or believes he/she has obtained) information on illegal or harmful activities in a work-related context (such as data protection breaches, money laundering, or tax fraud).
