With the development of technology, in the age of digital innovation, increasing emphasis is being placed on the so-called token model, which provides a portion of employee compensation. This model involves companies paying a specific portion of an employee’s earnings in the form of utility tokens, which are digital units of value created using blockchain technology — the same technology used for cryptocurrencies. These tokens constitute a form of barter that can be exchanged for loyalty points, various benefits (training on specific topics, language courses, etc.), bonuses, and specific services or privileges at work. These tokens are stored in a virtual wallet within an app, accessible by each employee. Furthermore, these tokens can sometimes be exchanged for cash, which sometimes raises legal issues, as discussed below.
The Strategic Technologies Platform for Europe (hereinafter referred to as STEP) is a European Union initiative established to, among other things, “ensure the sovereignty and security of the Union, reduce the Union’s strategic dependencies in strategic sectors, and strengthen the Union’s competitiveness by increasing its resilience and productivity.”[1] STEP was established by Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 February 2024[2], which entered into force on 1 March 2024, and provides the legal framework for the entire platform. Its primary mission is to reduce the European Union’s dependence on external technology suppliers and strengthen European value chains in key technology areas. This is part of the implementation of the European Union’s core policy of “improving the competitiveness and resilience of the European economy through the green and digital transformation.”.
Concluding international trade agreements is becoming increasingly easier and risk-free. International trade underpins the global economy more than ever before, due to globalization and the increasing unification of legal provisions governing this matter, along with the expansion of international agreements and intergovernmental cooperation. However, international law does not always address the needs of complex relationships between entities from different countries, which leads to a lack of certainty and predictability in legal transactions. To stabilize international contractual relations, efforts are being made to standardize private law at the international level and adapt state regulations to the needs of cross-border trade. This task is becoming increasingly easier due to the rapid development of new technologies and the digitization of organizational centers. Organizations such as the Hague Conference on Private International Law are engaged in the unification of private law.
A letter of credit is a financial instrument. It constitutes a form of domestic or international settlement conducted through a bank. It is a written commitment by the bank to pay a specified amount for documents submitted within a specified timeframe, as specified in the letter of credit. It protects the interests of both parties to the contract by ensuring the exporter’s immediate transfer of the receivable, while allowing the importer to condition payment upon the supplier’s fulfillment of specific conditions. Letters of credit are offered by banks operating in the Polish market – details regarding fees can be found in the tables of fees and commissions published on the banks’ websites.
Poland has for years represented one of the most restrictive approaches in Europe. That is precisely why the recent judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Commission v Poland, delivered on 19 June 2025 in Case C-200/24, is so important. It does not only affect one domestic provisions. It forces us to revisit a broader question: where is the proper legal balance between public health protection, professional ethics, consumer information, and economic freedom in the pharmacy sector?
