Chapter News

Twitter to pay $150 million penalty for allegedly breaking its privacy promises – again

It’s FTC 101. Companies can’t tell consumers they will use their personal information for one purpose and then use it for another. But according to the FTC, that’s the kind of digital bait-and-switch Twitter pulled on unsuspecting consumers. Twitter asked users for personal information for the express purpose of securing their accounts, but then also used it to serve targeted ads for Twitter’s financial benefit. It wasn’t Twitter’s first alleged violation of the FTC Act, but this one will...

Read more

Member News

Cozen O’Connor | USCIS to Implement Premium Processing for Certain Previously Filed EB-1 and EB-2 Form I-140 Petitions

On May 24, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it is implementing premium processing for certain petitioners who have a pending Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications. This expansion of premium processing only applies to certain previously-filed I-140 petitions under the E13 multinational executive and manager classification or E21 classification as a member of professions with an advanced degree or exceptional ability seeking a national interest waiver (NIW). Any petitioner who wishes to request a...

Read more

Chapter News

State of Schengen: EU Commission sets new priorities and new governance model

Today, the Commission is presenting the State of Schengen Report 2022. This is the first time the Commission is presenting such report, following last year's Schengen Strategy. This report  is part of the Commission's initiative to reinforce the Schengen governance through a yearly reporting exercise presenting the state of Schengen, identifying priorities for the year ahead and monitoring progress made at the end of a given year. The State of Schengen report will serve as basis for discussions of...

Read more

Chapter News

IMF | Globalization & Resilience

Economists miscalculated the disruptions of the global financial crisis and the pandemic—and need to build better models Does globalization enhance resilience? Or does it have no effect? Or the opposite effect? For the two major economic disruptions so far this century—the global financial crisis starting in 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020—economists’ answers to those questions were largely wrong. As for the financial crisis, most of them underestimated the risks of financial globalization, and when it came to the...

Read more

Member News

IWTA | Frozen: How the Revocation of the U.S. – Russia Tax Treaty Puts Global Trade on Thin Ice

We continue to monitor the U.S.-Russia tax treaty withdrawal along with economic and  trade sanctions. It’s a constantly developing situation that profoundly affects global business and cross-border tax collection. Following is an update to IWTA founder Jack Brister’s  article published in JD Supra on March 18, 2022. New Developments The Biden administration is poised to fully block Russia’s ability to pay U.S. bondholders. A temporary exemption deadline that gave Moscow leeway to pay coupons in dollars expires on May 25, 2022....

Read more

Member News

American Academy in Berlin | Announcing the 2022-23 Berlin Prize Fellows

The American Academy in Berlin is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022-23 Berlin Prize, awarded annually to US-based scholars, writers, composers, and artists who represent the highest standards of excellence in their fields, from the humanities and social sciences to journalism, public policy, fiction, and the arts. Chosen by an independent selection committee, Berlin Prize Fellows work throughout the semester on their projects and meet with peers and institutions in the Academy’s well-established network. They also engage with...

Read more

Chapter News

Joint Statement between the European Commission and the United States on European Energy Security

Russia has demonstrated that it is an unreliable supplier of energy to Europe through unjustified and unacceptable actions such as cutting off electricity and natural gas to Finland, halting natural gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria, and threatening similar actions against other European nations. The European Commission and the United States condemn Russia's use of energy blackmail and reaffirm our commitment to strengthening Europe's energy security. Across Europe, from the Nordics to the Balkans, efforts are underway to diversify supplies...

Read more

Member News

Houthoff | Enel – The Curious Case of Non-Replicable Conduct by Former State Monopolies

On 12 May 2022, the European Court of Justice ("ECJ") answered questions from the Consiglio di Stato (the highest Italian administrative court) in a preliminary reference procedure concerning abuse of dominance by the Italian energy supplier Enel. The preliminary reference is part of the appeal procedure against the Italian Competition Authority ("ICA") imposed fine of EUR 93 million in 2018. After a partially successful appeal which reduced the fine to EUR 27.5 million, Enel brought the case before the Consiglio...

Read more

Chapter News

Cyber posture: EU Council approves conclusions

On 23 May, 2022, the Council approved conclusions on developing the Union’s cyber posture. The posture aims to demonstrate the EU’s determination to provide immediate and long-term responses to threat actors seeking to deny the EU a secure and open access to cyberspace and affect its strategic interests, including the security of its partners. Cybersecurity initiatives In the conclusions Council highlights the five functions of the EU in the cyber domain: strengthen resilience and capacities to protect; enhance solidarity and comprehensive...

Read more

Member News

EIB | Decarbonization, a strategic imperative

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made decarbonization a strategic imperative for the European Union, say EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank By Josep Borrell and Werner Hoyer | BRUSSELS – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced the European Union to accelerate the pace of our energy and climate policy. Since the Kremlin has increasingly used energy as a tool for political influence, we must deprive it of...

Read more