Chapter News

IMF | How Artificial Intelligence Could Widen the Gap Between Rich and Poor Nations

New technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, big data, and networks are expected to revolutionize production processes, but they could also have a major impact on developing economies. The opportunities and potential sources of growth that, for example, the United States and China enjoyed during their early stages of economic development are remarkably different from what Cambodia and Tanzania are facing in today’s world. Our recent staff research finds that new technology risks widening the gap between rich and poor countries by...

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Chapter News, COVID-19 News

Coronavirus: EU Commission approves contract with Moderna to ensure access to a potential vaccine

On November 25, 2020, the European Commission approved a sixth contract under the EU Vaccines Strategy, this time with the pharmaceutical company Moderna. The contract provides for the initial purchase of 80 million doses on behalf of all EU Member States, plus an option to request up to a further 80 million doses, to be supplied once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19. The contract with Moderna will enlarge the already broad portfolio of vaccines...

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Chapter News

Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 10-11 December

Speech on 25 November, 2020 in Brussels | "Check against delivery" Grazie, Presidente, Honourable Members, I come to Parliament today to report on our plans for the next European Council on 10 and 11 December. But before I turn to that, please allow me to update you on two other topics: about Brexit and about the situation we are facing with respect to the Multiannual Financial Framework and NextGenerationEU. Honourable Members, These are decisive days for our negotiations with the United Kingdom. But I cannot...

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COVID-19 News, Member News, New York Related News

CEA Legal | Real Estate: Personal Liability-Related Challenges Faced By Commercial Landlords During the Pandemic

November 09, 2020 | Recently, Mayor de Blasio signed a new measure into law that bans landlords from attempting or threatening to enforce personal liability clauses in the existing contracts of business owners to whom they have leased their properties. Enacted in May and applied retroactively to the beginning of March, this specific law was set to expire at the end of September. However, as a result of the Mayor’s extension, the law will now apply through March of next...

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Member News

Noerr | International data transfer – European authorities’ recommendations and proposals for (new) transfer tools

European Data Protection Board publishes recommendations on measures to supplement transfer tools for international data transfer Background: the CJEU‘s “Schrems II” decision In a remarkable decision dated 16 July 2020 in the “Schrems II” case, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) invalidated the European Commission’s Implementation Decision on the “EU-US Privacy Shield” without a transitional period, thus dealing a harsh blow to transatlantic data transfer. The CJEU’s decision also focused on the EU standard data protection clauses (or “standard contractual clauses”) that have often been used as transfer...

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Member News

BBGFX | December 2020 FX Outlook

The end of the annus horribilis is at hand, and despite the hard winter ahead for the northern hemisphere, there is a sense of optimism for the new year.  The first generation of vaccines for the coronavirus appears promising. The US has elected as president a person who is within the internationalist tradition.  The UK's standstill agreement with the EU will still expire at the end of the year, but many are still hopeful a last-minute deal can still be...

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Member News

Orrick | SEP licensing in supply chains: ECJ gets opportunity for a major trend-setting decision

SEP licensing in supply chains: ECJ gets opportunity for a major trend-setting decision In a decision of November 26, 2020 in a patent infringement case of Nokia Technologies Oy against Daimler AG, the Düsseldorf Regional Court (file number 4c O 17/19) referred several questions to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding the licensing of standard essential patents (SEPs) within multi-level supply chains. The Düsseldorf Regional Court suspended the infringement action until the decision of the ECJ. These questions referred...

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Chapter News

ECB publishes final guide on climate-related and environmental risks for banks

ECB publishes final guide after considering comments from public consultation Banks to perform self-assessment on ECB expectations in early 2021 ECB to fully review banks’ practices in 2022 Next supervisory stress test in 2022 to also focus on climate-related risks Separately, new ECB report shows that banks’ climate-related and environmental risk disclosures lag behind significantly The European Central Bank (ECB) today published its final and amended guide on climate-related and environmental risks following a public consultation. The guide explains how the...

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Brexit News, Member News

Vulcan Insight | With the clock about to strike on Brexit, ever day counts

Five weeks before the UK is set to leave the Single Market and Customs Union the European Commission still cannot tell whether there will be a post-Brexit future relationship agreement. Filling in for EU Chief negotiator Michel Barnier who continues to self-isolate after a member of his team tested positive for the coronavirus last week, European Commission President von der Leyen had a clear and sobering message when updating MEPs on the state of play of negotiations with London: “Frankly,...

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Member News

Portolano Cavallo | The Italian Communications Authority issues Google Ireland the first administrative pecuniary sanction for breach of the General Ban on Gambling Advertising

This article is part of Portolano Cavallo's monthly “INFORM@ Digital & IP” Newsletter. Click here to subscribe. | On October 22, 2020 through Resolution No. 541/20/CONS, the Italian Communications Authority (“AGCOM”) issued an administrative pecuniary sanction in the amount of EUR 100,000.00 to Google Ireland Limited (“Google Ireland”) for infringing the general ban on gambling advertising prescribed under Article 9 of Law Decree No. 87/2018 (the “Ban” and the “Decreto Dignità”, respectively). The decision in question is particularly interesting from a twofold perspective. Firstly, in...

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