Chapter News

FTC | Franchise Fundamentals: Debunking five myths about buying a franchise

For many people, buying a franchise has proven to be a good choice, but like any other financial decision, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question “Is a franchise right for me?” Buying a franchise involves a major financial outlay and owning one often requires an “all in” lifestyle commitment. If you’re thinking about whether your future could be in a franchise, follow the FTC Business Blog for a series we’re calling Franchise Fundamentals. We’ll explore some of...

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Member News

Global Taxes | U.S. Government Concedes in Case of Large Foreign Gift

The U.S. Department of Justice has conceded in Wrzesinski v US that an American citizen and a native of Poland does not owe penalties for failing to file IRS Form 3520, “Annual Return To Report Transactions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts,” after receiving $830,000 from his mother in Poland. Krzysztof Wrzesinski immigrated to America in 2005 at age 19 and for the past nine years he has been a Philadelphia police officer. In 2010, his mother, Barbara...

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Member News

Bennett Jones | Canada’s M&A Landscape Q1 2023: Keep Calm and Carry On

The general sentiment for prospective deal making in Canada at the end of Q1 2023 might best be described as restrained optimism, especially in comparison to 2021 and early 2022. Despite continued headwinds from various macroeconomic factors, Q1 ended on an encouraging note with a modest upswing in total Canadian deal activity (by deal count) from the last quarter. This quarterly review provides a snapshot of Canada's M&A landscape for Q1 2023. In addition, we will also take a look...

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Member News

Steptoe | GDPR: Designation and Position of Data Protection Officer (DPO) under European Regulators’ Scrutiny

On March 15, 2023, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) announced the launch of a coordinated enforcement action regarding the designation and position of DPO across the European Economic Area (EEA). In practice, EEA Data Protection Authorities will send questionnaires to organizations in order to assess their compliance with GDPR requirements, open formal investigations, and/or follow-up on ongoing formal investigations. As a reminder, non-compliance with GDPR requirements for the designation and position of the DPO could be subject to a...

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Chapter News, Trade & TTIP Related

OECD | Supply of critical raw materials risks jeopardising the green transition

A significant scaling up of both production and international trade of critical raw materials is needed to meet projected demand for the green transition and achieve global net zero CO2 emissions targets. A new policy paper on Raw Materials for the Green Transition: Production, International Trade and Export Restrictions, shows the price of many materials  – including aluminum and copper – have reached record highs, driven by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, trade tensions and the continuing consequences of...

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Member News

Vulcan Insight | Provisional Political Agreement reached on EU Chips Act

Two months ahead of schedule, EU lawmakers have come to an agreement on the EU Chips Act, a deal expected to double the EU’s global market share in semiconductors from 10% to at least 20% by 2030. Negotiators from the European Parliament, Council of the EU and Commission announced this week, on Tuesday, 18 April, that they had reached a provisional political agreement on the EU’s proposed regulation to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor industry. Commissioner Thierry Breton, the European Commission’s front...

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Member News

Littler | Update on California’s Efforts to Regulate the Use of AI in Employment Decision-Making

California’s Civil Rights Council has revised proposed regulations governing the use of automated-decision systems. A proposed bill, AB 331, would impose obligations on employers to evaluate the impact of an automated decision tool (ADT), prohibit use of an ADT that would contribute to algorithmic discrimination, add a new notice requirement, and create a governance program. A separate bill, SB 721, would create a temporary Working Group to deliver a report to the legislature regarding artificial intelligence. California continues to...

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Member News

Jaguar Freight | Weekly Roar: When the Numbers Look Good

In this week’s Roar: a closer look at import data, simmering labor trouble at U.S. ports, AI in the supply chain, a new trade partnership in the UK, and ocean carriers taking to the air. The story data tells will often change based on perspective. That’s what’s happening with the data on U.S. imports. The numbers from March show an import rebound—up 6.9% from February and 4.2% from March 2019, before the impact of COVID. And that’s a positive sign,...

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Chapter News

Cyber: towards stronger EU capabilities for effective operational cooperation, solidarity and resilience

The Commission propose regulation to tackle cyber threats and incidents. On the 18 April 2023, the Commission has adopted a proposal for the EU Cyber Solidarity Act to strengthen cybersecurity capacities in the EU. It will support detection and awareness of cybersecurity threats and incidents, bolster preparedness of critical entities, as well as reinforce solidarity, concerted crisis management and response capabilities across Member States. The Cyber Solidarity Act establishes EU capabilities to make Europe more resilient and reactive in front of...

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Chapter News

EU Commission calls for massive boost in enabling digital education and providing digital skills

Today, the Commission adopted two proposals for a Council Recommendation in the context of the European Year of Skills, with the aim to support Member States and the education and training sector in providing high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education and training to develop the digital skills of European citizens. The proposals address the two main common challenges jointly identified by the Commission and EU Member States: 1) the lack of a whole-of-government approach to digital education and training, and...

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