Automotive

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Oleksandr Voznyuk

Partner

Vadym Samoilenko

Partner

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The regulatory environment and economic conditions for automotive companies in Ukraine looked as a roller-coaster in the recent years. Due to the fact that we have worked for manufacturers and importers of major automotive brands ever since our firm's founding, we are able to help our clients successfully deal with this volatile environment.

In this practice, we deal with various issues of corporate, antitrust - in particular, clearing mergers and acquisitions; assisting in cartel investigations, analysing and designing distribution and dealership arrangements; streamlining pricing, marketing, advertising and other commercial practices, as well as advising on unfair competition matters. We also cover intellectual property - in particular, data protection, trademarks and other areas, while further assisting in regulatory, labour and tax (in particular, we help with tax-planning and litigation law).

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Representative experience:

We have advised major automotive companies, including the following:

Nissan Motor (Japan) and Nissan Motor Ukraine in connection with an unfair competition investigation (the case was closed with recommendations), the client had complained to the competition authority against marketing activities of a "grey" local importer and dealer of Nissan vehicles. We further assisted on various IP-related issues, including trademark registration, consumer claims related litigation, due diligence of potential dealers, and on other issues of corporate and contract law;
Toyota Ukraine (a major Ukrainian importer and distributor of Toyota cars) on various issues of antitrust, intellectual property, and tax law;
Peugeot in regards to obtaining approval of the Ukrainian competition authority for its acquisition of the Opel automotive business, the acquisition of joint control (with BNP Paribas) over the financing business of Opel, and helping Peugeot and BNP Paribas establish a long-term strategic partnership in automotive finance;
Deere & Company, the leading manufacturer of road construction equipment globally and in Ukraine, in connection with obtaining merger approval for Deere's 4.36 billion EUR acquisition of Wirtgen's business;
Renault Ukraine on various issues of Ukrainian corporate, contract, labour law, as well as on securities, and intellectual property law;
Mitsubishi Corporation on various aspects of Ukrainian corporate, contract, and customs law in connection with the structuring of its distribution agreements;
Fiat and Chrysler in regards to obtaining approval from the Ukrainian competition authority for the Fiat acquisition of control over the Chrysler automotive business;
PPG-Helios Ukraine, a subsidiary of the Slovenian producer and supplier of automotive paintwork materials, on various issues of corporate and commercial law in regards to the company's activities in Ukraine.

In addition to our expertise in these standard matters, we are well known for our innovative solutions of complex legal problems. We provide a full range of legal services in the automotive industry.

Publications

BPU and Asters advise ViDi Group companies on the first ever financial restructuring involving a state bank in Ukraine