Transactions involving the public and government sector, and especially larger ones, usually include some form of government support. As Serbia draws closer to full EU membership, Serbian authorities are increasingly constrained in their ability to provide commercial support and ensure cooperation with the private sector. Investors who are granted subsidies or similar incentives (e.g. tax cuts, grants, donations in real estate) often risk being forced into special commitments by the Serbian State Aid Commission or even directly DG Competition, as well as being ordered to refund the granted aid.

We advise clients in structuring transactions to minimize exposure to state aid-related risks and achieve prosperous cooperation with the public sector, while our close cooperation with eminent Brussels law firms enables us to represent clients in proceedings regarding state aid both before domestic regulatory authorities and the European Commission.

Our State Aid team focuses on:

• Rescue and restructuring aid
• Environmental aid
• Assistance in drafting restructuring plans
• Representation before both domestic and foreign regulatory bodies
• Structuring M&A transactions to minimize risks of exposure to state aid liabilities
• Executing full due diligence reports regarding exposure to state aid-related risks
• Conducting in-depth analyses of compliance with state aid legislation