We set out below the most important decisions adopted in 2019 by the Commission for Protection of Competition.

Our Associate Mr Christos Stroppos contributed to the Commercial Law Review as a co-author of a brief overview on the legal framework regulating the provision of electronic money services in the Republic of Cyprus.

Harris Kyriakides LLC supported, amongst others, the inaugural event of the Procedural Law Unit at University of Nicosia School of Law, which took place on 18 December 2019.

The current challenges journalists are facing while conducting police or a judicial reporting, the criminological terminology used, the profile of the "criminal" at the recording of the crime, and how the mentality of journalism will change to address prisoners and ex-prisoners, were discussed in the context of an online event organised by the Association of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Rights Protection (the Association).

On 05/06/2020, the Parliament adopted the amendment of the Finance Leasing Law of 2016 (72(I)/2016) (the "Law") with 29 votes in favor, 14 against and 2 abstentions. 

Pursuant to a new Procedural Regulation (no. 2/2020) issued by the Supreme Court on May 13, 2020 and having effect as of June 5, 2020, all procedural timeframes in relation to filings of pleadings or applications or for the performance or processing of any procedural step, are reinstated and the suspension adopted due to the pandemic of Covid-19 is abolished.

In our Compensations booklet for 2019, you may find a summary of all rulings issued by the Cypriot courts in 2019, in which compensations were awarded for damages resulting from any form of accident. The purpose of this report is to give an indication of the amount of compensation given for various accident cases.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Cyprus government activated the provisions of an outdated law, providing the Minister of Health with the power to issue decrees determining, inter alia, the ways and reasons Cypriot citizens may commute.

Advertising self-regulation is an extremely important practice that incentivizes advertising bodies to hold themselves responsible and remain compliant with the requirements set forth by national legislation.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and its related public health concerns, Cyprus companies will need to consider whether to hold Board meetings or general meetings remotely. 

Our Senior Associate Mrs Eleni Neoptolemou writes on the use of technology and artificial intelligence in the legal world in InBusinessNews.com.

We examine the permissibility of cooperation between competitors amid the COVID-19 crisis, in view of the Temporary Framework issued by the European Commission.

In an effort to mitigate the economic impacts of Covid-19, the European Commission (the Commission) has published guidelines to ensure EU passenger rights- whether they travel by air, bus, rail, ship, or coach, are known to passengers and are applied in a coherent manner across the European Union (the EU).

Following the decision taken by the Council of Ministers on the operation of the public sector to prevent the spread of virus amid COVID-19 dated 15 March 2020, the Civil Registrar and Migration Department (CRMD) has made an announcement informing that the department shall be operated with a limited number of security personnel to handle emergency cases only.

On 24 July 2019 the European Commission issued new guidelines geared towards access of third party nationals and corporations in the EU public procurement area, as part of a package of initiatives aiming to ensure fair competition, high quality and a level playing field in public procurement markets, regardless of origin of bidders.

The Republic of Cyprus has published draft legislation to transpose Directive 2018/822/EU on mandatory automatic exchange of information in the field of taxation in relation to reportable cross-border arrangements (DAC6).

Under the Value Added Tax (Amending) Law of 2020 (L.24(I)/2020), the right of suspension of the obligation of payment of the VAT is conferred to the persons registered in the VAT Registry, whose specified taxation periods end on the 29th of February 2020, the 31st of March 2020 and the 30th of April 2020.

Governments, public and private organisations throughout Europe are taking measures to try to contain and mitigate COVID-19 and its consequences including processing sensitive personal data. However, they should still keep GDPR and its obligations in mind in the time of COVID-19.

In the course of the measures taken by the Cyprus Government to support the companies/businesses that are affected by the restricting measures imposed to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, the Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver (DRCOR) is announcing the following:

The European Data Protection Board (the EDPB) has been actively cooperating with the National Supervisory Authorities in an effort to implement a more harmonized approach regarding standard contractual clauses (SCCs) for contracts between controllers and processors used internationally.

The Treasury of the Republic and Ministry of Finance issued a joint statement on the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on public procurements.

In the light of the measures announced by the Cyprus government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the governmental departments of the Republic of Cyprus have issued the following statement.

The outbreak and rapid spread of the COVID-19 has roiled markets and disrupted business, threatening the global and local economies. In an attempt to support local businesses to overcome the crisis related to the effect of COVID-19, Cyprus Government have announced a number of TAX measures, which are yet to be finalized and submitted for the Parliament’s approval within this week.

The Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver has announced further measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In view of the worldwide spread of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation has classified as a pandemic, the Cyprus Government has issued a number of migration measures for travellers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to evolve, we believe that it is important to reassure  our valued clients that we are prepared for any contingency. 

Our Data Protection and Cyber Law team discusses a number of legal risks arising from communications at the workplace which do not adhere to proper data and communication policies.

Harris Kyriakides LLC contributes the Cyprus chapter in the International Comparative Legal Guide to: Litigation & Dispute Resolution 2020.

Harris Kyriakides LLC contributes the Cyprus chapter in the International Comparative Legal Guide to: Environment & Climate Change Law 2020. The guide provides a practical cross border insight into Environment and Climate Change Law.

Harris Kyriakides LLC contributes the Cyprus chapter in LexisNexis® Company and Foreign Investment Law Guide’s 2020. The guide showcases a detailed review and analysis on Company & Foreign Investment practices around the world.  

On 20 February, the Legal 500 inaugural GC Summit will take place in Cyprus and Harris Kyriakides LLC is delighted to partcipate in the event. The event will see around 80 leading legal minds and cover a diverse range of topics, including corporate restructuring, alternative dispute resolution and the future of the bar association in Cyprus.

Our senior associate, Andrea Newton, attended the Walder Wyss Transaction Summit which took place in Zurich and Engelberg from 23 – 25 of January 2020.

Last week, the partner of our firm Dr Nicolas Kyriakides, participated in a panel discussion at the event organised by the @LarnacaandFamagustaBarAssociation and the @larnacabarassociation on the occasion of the publication of the book Despina Hadjidimitri-Kara with title “Lectures on Civil Procedure”.

What every business needs to know about the EU's General Data Protection regulation.

We were delighted to advise pro bono the Larnaca Tourism Board in the Elpida Project. On the 7th of December, Elpida MV and LEF1, after acquisition and licensing from the Cyprus Environment Authority, were sunk in an exuberant ceremony to create Larnaca’s new artificial reefs and enrich marine life and diving options in the Larnaca region. 

The party who is affected by an administrative act can seek temporary protection from the Administrative Court through an application for provisional injunction to stay the enforcement of that administrative act until the Administrative Court decides the lawfulness of the said administrative act.

We are pleased to announce that in the 2020 edition of the Benchmark Litigation Europe, Harris Kyriakides LLC has been recommended amongst the top firms in Dispute Resolution.

Harris Kyriakides LLC is the official legal advisor of the biggest sporting event in Larnaca and professionally supports the Radisson Blu International Larnaca Marathon.

On 30th July 2019 the Greek Data Protection Authority has published an important decision on consent declarations concerning the processing of employees’ data. Our GDPR discusses the guidance issued by the Greek Data Protection Authority and its possible ramifications for Cyprus businesses.

On 12 February 2019, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted its first opinion (the Opinion) on an administrative arrangement, which provides a new mechanism for the transfer of personal data between European Union (EU) financial supervisory authorities and securities agencies and their non-EU counterparts.

The EU Succession Regulation (EU Regulation 650/2012, also known as the Brussels IV) governs cross-border issues of succession within the European Union. 

Institutions are occasionally prohibited from suing sovereign governments without their consent on the basis of the soverign immunity doctrine. Harris Kyriakides LLC summarises the Cyprus position on the matter in the 2019 Sovereign Immunity edition of #Lexology. You can read the Cyprus chapter here.

Andrea Newton from our Real Estate Practice is interviewed by Lawyers in Cyprus and provides an insight on Real estate developments and trends 2019.

The United Kingdom is currently in the process of exiting the European Union through an unprecedented, extensive and uncertain procedure. We touch upon the key areas of Cyprus law which may be affected from the UK withdrawal from the European Union.

In the Compensations booklet below, you may find a summary of all rulings issued by the Cypriot courts in 2018, in which compensations were awarded for damages resulting from any form of accident. The purpose of this report is to give an indication of the amount of compensation given for various accident cases.

The European Data Protection Board published an opinion on the interplay between the EU Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications and the General Data Protection Regulation to generally clarify whether the processing of personal data triggers the material scope of both the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

The European Commission has published a guidance to help to clarify the interaction between two sets of rules for free flow of personal and non-personal data as well as mixed data sets.

Following an audit carried out in the insurance sector, the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection (the Commissioner) published her findings about the improvements to be made and accomplished before the end of June.

Recent European legislation is giving reputable bankrupt entrepreneurs a second chance and makes it easier for viable enterprises in financial difficulties to access preventive restructuring frameworks at an early stage to prevent insolvency.

The proposal, as submitted by the Commission, seeks to amend the Motor Insurance Directive (2009/103/EC) in five specific areas: (i) insolvency of the insurer; (ii) claims history; (iii) risks due to uninsured driving; (iv) minimum amounts of cover; and (v) scope of the Directive.

Companies are increasingly using marketing to promote their products and services not only to their existing customers but also to potential ones. This is the purpose of the electronic marketing, to target individuals using digital methods, such as text messages or emails. 

On 14 November 2018, the Supreme Court of Cyprus issued its decision in Metaquotes software ltd v xxxxx Dababou Civil Appeal No. E234/2016.

We are proud for being recommended by The Legal 500 in Dispute Resolution, EU and competition and Real estate and Construction.

Every organised society is governed by a set of rules of law, that its members are bound to follow. At the same time, given that our legal system follows the rules of common law.

Article 30 of the 4th European Directive (EU) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system.

On the 27th of November 2018, our GDPR team presented GDPR awareness seminars to the members of staff of Larnaca Municipality.

Cobalt has become the latest European budget airline to stop trading, following Danish carrier Primera Air

We were delighted to participate and address the Interlegal General Meeting in Luxembourg from the 26th-30th October 2018

We are delighted to announce that, Harris Kyriakides LLC is the first company in Larnaca that has acquired a long-distance

OXygono is a newly established, non-profit, non-governmental, Cyprus based organisation.

A  great event was organised by MaRITeC-X aiming to showcase their vision regarding the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute

We are delighted that Harris Kyriakides LLC has been identified by “Who’s Who Legal” 2017

Michalis Kyriakides, a partner at Harris Kyriakides LLC, has been identified by “Who’s Who Legal” 2017

Harris Kyriakides LLC has been selected on the basis of its expertise in Environmental law within the Cyprus jurisdiction as the national contributor of the Cyprus chapter

The highly regarded Who's Who Legal has identified Michalis Kyriakides, partner in Harris Kyriakides LLC,

 

Harris Kyriakides LLC has been engaged by Famagusta District Transport Organisation (OSEA) for advising on the pending dispute