Category: News

bpv Huegel advises RWA on the sale of its share in AUSTRIA JUICE to AGRANA

Vienna, 03 June 2025. bpv Huegel successfully advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft (RWA) on the sale of its share in AUSTRIA JUICE GmbH to AGRANA Beteiligungs-Aktiengesellschaft.

AGRANA already holds a share in AUSTRIA JUICE and will hold 100% in the company following the acquisition of RWA’s share in AUSTRIA JUICE. AUSTRIA JUICE is a major manufacturer of fruit juice concentrates with headquarters in Kroellendorf (Lower Austria) and 13 production sites in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and China. The company employs around 1,000 people in total. Its turnover amounts to around EUR 330 million.

bpv Huegel already advised RWA on the establishment of the joint venture with AGRANA in 2012.

“We are proud to have been at RWA’s side from the founding of the AUSTRIA JUICE joint venture until its exit more than 13 years later,” said Thomas Lettau, partner and co-head of the Corporate/M&A practice group at bpv Huegel.

The bpv Huegel team was led by Thomas Lettau and also included Christoph Nauer, Nicolas Wolski, Anna Zirkler, Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber and Gerhard Fussenegger.

AGRANA was advised by Schoenherr.

The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant competition and investment control authorities.

Press release

bpv Huegel advises RWA eGEN on acquisition financing for the purchase of shares in RWA AG

RWA eGen completes the purchase of shares in RWA AG from BayWa AG. The acquisition financing was structured and provided by Raiffeisen Bank International AG.

16 May 2025. bpv Huegel advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermögensverwaltung eGen (RWA eGen) and its acquisition holding on the completion of the approximately 47.53% share purchase in RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft (RWA AG) and the acquisition financing from Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI). The share purchase with BayWa Aktiengesellschaft (BayWa AG) was completed on 2 May 2025. The purchase price amounts to EUR 176 million. The share purchase agreement was concluded at the end of last year.

The acquisition financing was structured and provided by Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI). With the completion of the purchase, the control over RWA AG is now fully held by RWA eGen in Austria.

“We are proud that we were able to successfully support RWA in this strategically important acquisition and financing and would like to thank all the teams involved in the transaction for their excellent cooperation,” says Christoph Nauer, the partner who led the transaction.

RWA AG is a producer, service provider and trader in the business areas of agriculture, technology, energy, building materials and home & garden. As the umbrella organisation of the Lagerhaus cooperatives in Austria, RWA AG provides them with a comprehensive range of services in the aforementioned areas. In addition, RWA AG holds a large number of participations and subsidiaries in Austria and in selected Eastern European countries. RWA eGen also holds the majority of shares in Raiffeisen Agrar Invest AG, which is the second-largest shareholder in BayWa AG with a stake of around 28.3%.

The bpv Huegel team led by partners Christoph Nauer (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets) and Ingo Braun (Financing & Regulatory), included Barbara Valente (Financing & Regulatory, Corporate/M&A), Daniel Maurer (Financing & Regulatory, Corporate/M&A), Patrick Nutz-Fallheier (Corporate/M&A), Roland Juill (Corporate/M&A) and Johannes Mitterecker (Corporate/M&A). The merger control and investment control proceedings in seven countries were handled by a team led by partner Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber (Merger Control/FDI) with Stefan Holzweber and Philipp Stengg (both Merger Control).

RWA eGen was advised on German law by FPS Rechtsanwälte, Frankfurt (Daniel Herper). BayWa AG was represented by a team from Jones Day, Munich (Maximilian P. Krause, Alexander Ballmann, Jürgen Beninca and Sebastian Schwab).

RBI, as the structuring and financing bank, was advised by a team from Schoenherr comprising Martin Ebner, Christian Cacic, Gabriel Ebner, Viktoria Carranza-Berg and Kristina Petz.

Press release

bpv Huegel: Johannes Mitterecker becomes partner

bpv Huegel is delighted to appoint Johannes Mitterecker as a partner. He works in the Corporate Law/M&A practice group and specialises in M&A transactions, restructuring and sports law.

15 May 2025. bpv Huegel appoints DDr. Johannes Mitterecker, LL.M., as a new partner with effect from May 2025. Johannes Mitterecker is an experienced transaction lawyer who joined bpv Huegel in 2021, specialising in corporate law, private equity and venture capital funds. He also provides corporate and regulatory advice to alternative investment funds, investment and venture capital funds, family offices and investment firms.

Furthermore, he is establishing an interdisciplinary sports law practice group at bpv Huegel.

Johannes Mitterecker is the editor and author of numerous publications on corporate, capital market and sports law, including groundbreaking publications such as the comprehensive commentary on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Act (AIFMG) and practical handbooks on sports law and shareholder disputes.

Johannes Mitterecker holds doctoral degrees from the University of Vienna and the Vienna University of Economics and Business, as well as an LL.M. from Columbia University in New York. He is also admitted to the New York State Bar.

Christoph Nauer, Co-Managing Partner of bpv Huegel, congratulates the new partner: “We are delighted to welcome Johannes to our partnership and look forward to continuing the growth of the firm with him, delivering top-quality services in high-end transaction advisory.”

Press release

bpv LEGAL Academy in Bratislava again

Last week we had our bpv LEGAL Academy M&A training in its 18th year, as always in beautiful Bratislava.
With lively sessions led by Arthur Braun (CZ), Stefan Gaug (AT), Nicolas Wolski (AT) and Christian F. Schneider (AT), the younger colleagues from Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary had the opportunity to obtain deeper understanding of the latest trends and challenges in M&A and Due Diligence, as well as practical insights and strategies to enhance their professional expertise.
Thanks to our Bratislava office we enjoyed the perfect alliance reunion, with delicious culinary tours at Bocca Buona and Zylinder, and unforgettable views and cocktails from SKY Bar where we had time for sharing our stories and making new friends within the bpv community.
Thanks to all our lecturers and attendees for making the event so memorable!
We look forward to future bpv LEGAL events.

rpt

 

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS honoured by CEE Legal Matters with the Deal of the Year award

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS has been awarded the Deal of the Year 2024 in Slovakia by CEE Legal Matters. The award was handed over for probably the largest Slovakian energy transaction in 2024: Acquisition of a 100% stake in the energy group GGE from the investment group Infracapital. The award ceremony took place on the evening of April 1, 2025, in Prague, bringing together leading lawyers and law firms from across Central and Eastern Europe.

David Vosol, partner of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS commented: “This is a great success for us at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS and for our entire team – big thanks to Igor Augustinič, Ondrej Poništiak, Pavel Vintr, Ivana Horáková, David Plevka, Juraj Gazda, Zuzana Dzilská and Monika Kardošová. We are proud that our hard work has been recognised – it’s a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and precision and the icing on the cake for the celebration of 15 years of our Bratislava office – without them this transaction would not have taken place.. Thanks to Rob Irving of Dentons, on the sell side, thanks to him, it was for me also the most professional and gentlemanlike transaction of the last years.” Congratulation to all winners.

More information can be found here.

About CEE Legal Matters:
CEE Legal Matters is the authoritative print and online publication for and about the lawyers and legal markets of Central and Eastern Europe. It featured news, interviews, analysis, opinion, and more. CEELM mission always has and always be, simply, to be the go-to source of information about the legal industry in Central and Eastern Europe.

Cynthia Sturmfels strengthens German law team at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS Prague with now five lawyers

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS is pleased to announce that Cynthia Sturmfels, LL.M. has joined the firm as a Senior Associate, further strengthening the German desk and its international law and antitrust law practice. With extensive experience gained in leading European institutions and law firms, Cynthia will be a valuable asset to the firm’s growing international team.

Cynthia gained her professional experience at the European Commission Directorate in Brussels, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, and leading international law firms, including Gleiss Lutz and GÖRG. Throughout her career, she has worked on complex legal issues at the intersection of European and national regulations, providing strategic legal counsel to multinational clients.

“We are delighted to welcome Cynthia to our team,” said Arthur Braun, managing partner of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS and head of German desk. “Her broad experience in international and antitrust law, coupled with her background at the European Commission and other institutions, will further enhance our firm’s capabilities and strengthen our position as a trusted legal advisor for clients operating in multiple jurisdictions.”

She enjoys practicing yoga, rock climbing, and experimenting in the kitchen—especially with Middle Eastern cuisine. In her free time, she also likes bullet journaling and aquarelle painting.

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS once again proves its quality in the Chambers Europe 2025 rankings

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, a renowned law firm providing its legal services throughout the Central and Eastern European region, has once again been ranked in Chambers 2025, a prestigious legal directory that evaluates law firms and lawyers around the world.

The firm is recognised for its expertise in the areas of corporate/M&A, real estate, projects and energy and employment law. In the real estate category, bpv BRAUN PARTNERS was recognised for its “open and friendly communication with an understanding of our needs and our level of legal knowledge “, while in the projects and energy category it was highlighted for its “strong expertise in renewable energy”. The firm’s employment team was valued for ” their flexibility, knowledge and experience “.

The directory also highlighted the firm’s partners, Arthur Braun, Jiří Bárta and Lucie Kalašová. Arthur Braun, the firm’s managing partner, was praised for his expertise in corporate law and M&A, with one client appreciating, “very good knowledge of the market.” Jiří Bárta has been praised for his business acumen and legal erudition. Lucie Kalašová was recognised in the employment law category and is valued by one of the clients for “really profound knowledge of employment law “.

The ranking in Chambers Europe 2025 confirming bpv BRAUN PARTNERS its reputation for delivering high-quality legal services. This recognition reflects the firm’s unwavering commitment to building long-term client relationships and staying at the forefront of legal developments and trends. With a strong presence in the CEE region, bpv BRAUN PARTNERS continues to be a trusted partner for companies navigating complex legal challenges. The ranking underscores the firm’s dedication to excellence, deep industry expertise, and client-focused approach.

In response to the news, Arthur Braun said, “We are delighted to once again be recognized by Chambers Europe 2025. This acknowledgment reaffirms the quality of our work and the dedication we bring to delivering exceptional legal services to our clients. It is both an honour and a motivation for our entire team. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our client relationships and building on our success in the years ahead.”

Chambers Europe 2025: 1st place ranking for the tax practice of bpv Huegel

This makes bpv Huegel’s tax practice top-ranked in Chambers Europe. This confirms the leading position of bpv Huegel in tax law advice.

20 March 2025. bpv Huegel is ranked in Band 1 for tax law in the Chambers Europe Ranking 2025.

In addition, partner and head of tax Nicolas Wolski and tax partner Kornelia Wittmann have also been individually recognised as leading practitioners.

The tax practice now is holding top positions in Band 1 in three major international tax rankings (Chambers, Legal 500, ITR World Tax). As recently as September 2024, the tax team was named “Tax Litigation Law Firm of the Year – Austria” and “Transfer Pricing Law Firm of the Year – Austria” by ITR.

“We are proud that, in addition to the ITR and Legal 500 rankings, we are now also ranked in the top category by Chambers. A big thank you to all team members who have worked together to achieve this success over the last few years,” says Nicolas Wolski, head of the tax practice.

The team led by Nicolas Wolski, who is dual-qualified as both a lawyer and tax advisor in both Austria and Germany, advises leading Austrian and international companies, particularly in the areas of M&A tax, tax disputes and general corporate tax.

Press release

Lex RES III passed with individual self-assessment of adequacy

On 29 January 2025, we informed you about further developments in the legislative process of adopting the amendment to the Energy Act, which is commonly known as “Lex RES III“. One of the main objectives of the amendment in question is to respond to current European trends in the energy sector, which include, for example, the introduction of legislation related to energy storage, flexibility aggregation, energy sharing and further increase in support for renewable energy production.

Lex RES III was a target of several amendments, one of which introduced an individual internal rate of return threshold and a reporting obligation for PV plants built in 2009-2010 with a capacity of more than 30 kWp.

However, this proposal did not pass the Senate and was deleted from the “Lex RES III”. In this form, the Lex RES III was returned to the Chamber of Deputies for a second vote, which occurred on 4 March 2025. However, during the vote, the Senate’s proposal to delete the obligation of individual self-assessment of adequacy for PV plants with the above-mentioned parameters was outvoted.

Currently, the obligation of (individual) yield reporting will become part of the Energy Act after the draft amendment to the Energy Act Lex RES III is signed by the President of the Czech Republic. However, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Lukáš Vlček, announced during a debate in the Chamber of Deputies that he wants to increase the threshold for individual self-evaluation of adequacy from the current 30 kWp to 145 kWp in the next amendment to the Energy Act known as “Lex Gas”.

We will keep you informed about whether this change in „Lex Gas” will take place, as well as about the further progress of the adoption of “Lex Gas”.

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This material is for general information on current topics only, it is not advice. It does not take into account any special circumstances, financial situations or special requirements of the addressees. Recipients should therefore always seek appropriate professional services for the information provided. Notwithstanding the careful compilation of this material, bpv Braun Partners s.r.o. advokáti, its partners, associates or co-operating solicitors and tax advisers cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein and accepts no responsibility for acting or refraining from acting on the basis of the information contained in this material.

Ranked in Legal 500 again

We’re delighted that bpv BRAUN PARTNERS has once again been ranked in 7 categories in this year’s prestigious Legal 500!
This recognition reflects the dedication, expertise, and teamwork of our colleagues in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
We are also deeply grateful to our clients for their trust and valuable feedback, which played a key role in this achievement. A heartfelt thank you to everyone at our firm for their outstanding work and commitment.
Congratulations to Arthur Braun, Jiří Bárta, Pavel Vincík, David Vosol, Pavel Vintr, Ondrej Poništiak, JUDr. Robert Matas and Martin Cír.
Big congrats particular to Lucie Kalašová who has been recognized as „next generation partner“!
Let’s keep raising the bar and continue to deliver top-quality legal services together.