Member News

Tax Reform Update: Cost Segregation and New Interest Limitation Rules

Cost segregation has long benefited taxpayers with increased cash flow and long-term net present value benefits by reclassifying building or improvement costs to property with shorter tax lives, such as personal property or land improvement property. We discussed cost segregation benefits in light of tax reform in a prior issue of For the Record (see Cost Segregation Benefits from the Recent Tax Reform Act). In this tax reform update, we discuss how cost segregation continues to add value in light of recent changes...

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Member News

500 Spanish entrepreneurs will get loans to focus on inclusion, poverty and the environment

The European Investment Fund (EIF) and MicroBank have signed a social entrepreneurship guarantee agreement in Spain supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the core of the Investment Plan for Europe. This financing agreement was also made under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). This guarantee agreement allows MicroBank to launch a new product, targeting 500 start-up and developing social enterprises across Spain over the next 2 and a half years. Under this EU backed program, Spanish...

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Chapter News, News

European Parliament approves new copyright rules for the internet

●Internet platforms are liable for content that users upload ●Some uploaded material, such as memes or GIFs, now specifically excluded from directive ●Hyperlinks to news articles, accompanied by “individual words or very short extracts”, can be shared freely ●Journalists must get a share of any copyright-related revenue obtained by their news publisher ●Start-up platforms subject to lighter obligations Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to new copyright rules which also contain safeguards on freedom of expression. MEPs adopted...

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Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

European Commission appoints Mr. David O’Sullivan as Special Adviser to the President on EU-US relations

The European Commission has today decided to appoint David O'Sullivan, former EU Ambassador to the United States of America, as Special Adviser to President Jean-Claude Juncker on EU-U.S. relations. In this capacity, he will advise the President on strategy and priorities in relations with the U.S. Mr O'Sullivan was the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States from 2014 to 2019. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS), in charge of its establishment at the...

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Member News

Structuring Cross-Border Venture Investments Under The CFIUS Pilot Program

By Daniel R. Sieck & Gregory C. Dorris | Pepper Hamilton| March, 3rd, 2019 U.S. technology companies raising funds from foreign investors should carefully consider whether the proposed financing transaction can be structured to avoid falling within the purview of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which now has jurisdiction to review certain financing transactions pursuant to interim rules under the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA). In particular, FIRRMA expanded the jurisdiction of CFIUS through...

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Chapter News, News

Antitrust: Commission fines Nike €12.5 million for restricting cross-border sales of merchandising products

The European Commission has fined Nike €12.5 million for banning traders from selling licensed merchandise to other countries within the EEA. This restriction concerned merchandising products of some of Europe's best-known football clubs and federations, for which Nike held the licence. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Football fans often cherish branded products from their favourite teams, such as jerseys or scarves. Nike prevented many of its licensees from selling these branded products in a different country...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

Brexit preparedness: EU completes preparations for possible “no-deal” scenario on 12 April

As it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal on 12 April, the European Commission has today completed its “no-deal” preparations. At the same time, it continues supporting administrations in their own preparations and urges all EU citizens and businesses to continue informing themselves about the consequences of a possible “no-deal” scenario and to complete their no-deal preparedness. This follows the European Council (Article 50) conclusions last week calling for work to...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

Brexit is Stress Testing the UK’s Unwritten Constitution

by John Bruton The underlying organising principle of the UK constitutional system has been that Parliament, not the monarch, and not people by referendum, is sovereign. This principle may not be contained in a written constitution, but it is longstanding. It was established in the seventeenth century by the outcome of the Civil War 1646/9, where Parliament defeated the monarch (Charles I) and his ministers, and by the Revolution of 1688 whereby Parliament deposed the legitimate monarch (James II). In contrast, in Ireland,...

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Brexit News, Member News

Vulcan View – Analysis of the latest EU Developments 18 – 22 March 2019

Key Events This Week: Brexit woes continue but progress made As another extraordinary week in the Brexit saga comes to a close, we can finally say that some progress has been made, but whether for better or for worse is anyone’s guess. The EU 27 agreed on a response to Prime Minister May’s request to delay Brexit and avoid a chaotic split on March 29. They gave her two options. First, a short delay until May 22 for the UK to get...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

Remarks by President Donald Tusk after the European Council meeting (Art. 50)

As you know, we devoted today's European Council meeting to Brexit. Prime Minister May repeated her requests, to extend the Article 50 period until the 30th of June, and to approve the so-called Strasbourg agreement. During the discussion among the EU27, the leaders approached these requests in a positive spirit. The European Council decided to approve the Strasbourg agreement. As regards the extension, our decisions envisage two scenarios: In the first scenario, that is, if the Withdrawal Agreement is passed by...

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