AUSTRIA
The Network and Information Systems Security Act 2026
Following a protracted legislative process, the Austrian legislator finally transposed the European Union's NIS 2 Directive into national law at the end of last year – more than a year behind schedule – by enacting the Network and Information Systems Security Act 2026 (NISG 2026). The NISG 2026 will enter into force on 1 October 2026, but it is already making its presence felt due to the extensive list of obligations it introduces and the significant time and effort required to implement it.
BULGARIA
Bulgaria advances MiCA implementation with new crypto-asset regulatory framework
Following on from our previous newsletter (available here) on Bulgaria’s implementation of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA Regulation), this edition focuses on the ordinance on the conditions and procedures for the authorisation and operation of issuers of asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) and crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) (the Ordinance), as adopted by the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) on 12 March 2026. The Ordinance further specifies the national MiCA framework by introducing detailed rules on the authorisation, organisational requirements, and supervision of issuers of ARTs and CASPs.
ROMANIA
Romanian M&A transactions under the revised FDI screening framework
Romania’s foreign direct investment (FDI) regime plays an increasingly important role in the planning, structuring and execution of M&A transactions, requiring careful regulatory assessment at an early stage of the transaction process.
SLOVENIA
Slovenia plans to introduce a cap on social security contributions under the Intervention Development Act
On 11 May 2026, the Slovenian National Assembly adopted the Act on Intervention Measures for the Development of Slovenia (Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za razvoj Slovenije; ZIURS), an omnibus legislative instrument amending ten existing statutes. Among its reform measures, ZIURS will introduce a maximum contribution base for the payment of social security contributions, referred to as the “development cap” (razvojna kapica). The cap is set at a gross monthly salary of EUR 7,500 − approximately three times the average gross salary − and is scheduled to apply from 1 July 2026.