The world of corporate financing has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. While traditional bank lending remains a dominant external source of funding for businesses, alternative, capital market-based financing channels are playing an increasingly important role. This trend is further reinforced by the introduction of a new market participant from April 2026: the loan originating investment fund, which provides access to funding for companies that would not be able to obtain financing in the traditional banking market.

In recent weeks, the Hungarian Competition Authority has launched two investigations in the market for over-the-counter medicines. The proceedings aim to determine whether the conduct of market participants qualifies as anti-competitive and whether this has – among other factors - contributed to the rapid price increases of non-prescription medicines.

It is well known that inheritance between direct relatives is tax-free in Hungary, meaning that no public charges have to be paid when inheriting from one’s parents. However, the situation becomes more complicated when there is an international element to the inheritance: either the children live abroad or part of the estate is located abroad. In such cases, careful planning is required to ensure that a death does not result in unpleasant tax consequences in addition to its emotional strain.

At the end of September, the European Commission carried out a dawn raid at Sanofi, which is also active in the vaccine market. The inspection was accompanied by representatives of national competition authorities. The raid fits into the increasingly hard-line enforcement policy pursued by European competition authorities in the pharmaceutical sector in recent years — a trend that may also be followed by the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH).

In criminal cases involving a company, it has already been possible to prosecute not only the company’s executives but the company itself. In practice, however, this rarely happened. From 2026, the rules governing criminal proceedings against companies will change fundamentally, and companies are expected to be held accountable more frequently.

When travelling from Hungary to Austria, one quickly notices the rows of wind turbines lining the roads. The contrast is striking and inevitably raises the question: what explains the markedly different presence of wind energy in two geographically close countries? Do differences in return-on-investment calculations or wind conditions account for this, or are political and cultural factors more decisive? Or does information asymmetry play such a significant role?

In a recently adopted uniformity decision, the Supreme Court of Hungary ruled on how long a claimant initiating an administrative lawsuit may amend their statement of claim. According to the decision, amendments are possible beyond the 30-day time limit for filing the claim only in a very limited set of circumstances. This interpretation significantly narrows the claimant’s opportunities in administrative litigation.

A new era is set to begin in European pharmaceutical law: after more than twenty years, the European Union is comprehensively revamping its pharmaceutical regulations, which could fundamentally transform the way the pharmaceutical industry operates. The Pharmaceutical Package aims to enable faster access to affordable medicines, encourage innovation, strengthen the competitiveness of the industry, while also paying attention to the significance of sustainability. Our article summarizes the main elements of the planned changes and their expected impact on manufacturers.