Recent amendments to the Civil Code

A new act introducing a large number of amendments to the provisions of the General Part of the Civil Code was adopted on April 14, 2003 and will come into force on September 24, 2003. It covers, without limitation, issues that were previously included in the Commercial Code of 1934, such as corporate name and registered proxy that may be now used not only by commercial companies but also by any entrepreneur subject to registration in the Register of Entrepreneurs. The amendments were also made so as to fall in line with the Commercial Companies Code of 2000 and the acts regulating e-commerce and Polish private law. Therefore, it regulates, inter alia, the confidentiality requirements applicable to the negotiation of an agreement and liability for their breach as well as the requirements applicable to an offer made in electronic form. Also, it waives the requirement to indicate in the preliminary agreements the time of execution of the final agreement. And last but not least, it should be mentioned that the new act amends the provisions regarding constructions agreements, in particular in connection with a relation between a contractor and a subcontractor. Owing to the significance of the amendments, entrepreneurs should carefully consider the impact of the new act on their own business. For further information please contact Lejb Fogelman or Jarosław Grzesiak at Dewey Ballantine Grzesiak Limited Partnership. ul. Książęca 4, 00-498 Warsaw. Tel +48 22 690 6100; fax +48 22 690 6222; www.deweyballantine.com