Chapter News, News

ECB | EBA, ECB, National Central Banks and National Supervisory Authorities Sign MoU in Support of Non-bank PSPs’ Access to Payment Systems

The European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Central Bank (ECB), national central banks and national supervisory authorities across the European Economic Area have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and information sharing in support of non-bank payment service providers’ (PSPs) access to central bank-operated payment systems. This multilateral agreement sets out clear principles for collaboration and harmonises the processes and procedures for the exchange of information between national supervisory authorities and national central banks in relation to non-bank PSPs’ participation in payment systems operated by central...

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Member News, News

Noerr | New Commission Guidelines on the GPSR – Clarifications and Scope for Action for Companies

The European General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 ("GPSR") is applicable since 13 December 2024. It applies to all types of non-food consumer products. The regulation acts as a sort of safety net for gaps in consumer protection in product-related harmonisation legislation. Economic operators must comply with numerous new requirements for handling digital product information, e-commerce, marketplace regulation and recall management. For products that are not harmonised at European level, it also comprehensively determines the requirements for product safety. The...

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Member News, News

Trepp | The CRE Rundown – The Big Picture

It's no secret that the outlook among professionals in the commercial real estate industry is brighter today than it was a year ago. Lenders are more readily lending: Banks are back in the game, CMBS bond spreads have tightened, issuance volumes are higher than they've been since the Global Financial Crisis, investor interest has increased, and the prognosis for property fundamentals has markedly improved. That's not to say that everything will be smooth sailing over the next 12 months. We're...

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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Troutman Pepper Locke | IEEPA Tariffs May Fall, but Refunds May Not: Why a New CIT Case Matters for Every Importer

A major U.S.-based importer recently filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) to preserve its ability to recover tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) that it has already paid. The suit does not just ask that the underlying IEEPA tariffs be declared unlawful; it asks the court to: (1) prevent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from “liquidating” affected entries while the litigation is unresolved; and (2) preserve the importer’s path to...

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Member News, News

Cilcare | French Biotech Tackling Hearing Loss Wins 2025 Enterprise Europe Network Award

French biotech Cilcare is the winner of the 2025 Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Awards, announced at the Network’s Annual Conference in the Danish city of Aalborg on 28 November, rewarding its success in leveraging EEN support to develop its achievements in hearing loss research. Millions of people around the world suffer from hearing loss, yet effective treatments remain limited. Cilcare, founded in 2014 by three women entrepreneurs, set out to meet this challenge by developing advanced therapies for hearing disorders,...

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Chapter News, News

European Commission | European Union and Canada Strengthen their Digital Partnership with a Focus on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Identity Wallets and Independent Media

The EU and Canada reinforced their cooperation and reaffirmed shared interests to boost competitiveness, innovation and economic resilience during the first Digital Partnership Council held today in Montreal, Canada. The Council took place back-to-back with the G7 Industry, Digital and Technology Ministerial meeting, hosted by Canada. Both the EU and Canada have launched strategies to strengthen their competitiveness and digital sovereignty and reiterated the importance of supporting companies, especially small and medium-sized (SMEs), with smart regulations. Co-chaired by Executive Vice-President of...

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Member News, News

Loyens & Loeff | Developments in Tariffs and Their Interaction with Transfer Pricing

Tariffs are by no means a new phenomenon, but recent developments have had a profound impact on global supply chains and international trade. From the US tariff waves introduced under the Trump administration to the retaliatory measures imposed by key trading partners, including the European Union, protectionist policies have re-emerged as a defining feature of the international trade landscape. As tariffs represent a cost in the supply chain, these may trigger important transfer pricing considerations for multinational enterprises. In light...

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Member News, News

Troutman Pepper Locke | Department of Energy Announces Funding Process for Domestic Rare Earth Element Supply Chains

On December 1, 2025, the Department of Energy (DOE) publicly announced its decision to allocate up to $134 million in new funding to enhance domestic supply chains for rare earth elements (REEs). REEs are 17 elements identified in the periodic table (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium). REEs are critical to national security and economic growth as they are used extensively in the production of batteries, magnets, electronics, and communications equipment. This latest...

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Member News, News

EIB | The EIB Energy Lending Policy: Independent Evaluations Insights

The evaluation insights is a streamlined accelerated assessment of the EIB’s Energy Lending Policy undertaken to inform the new EIB Group Energy Sector Orientation. The evaluation found that the Policy offered a solid, yet flexible framework aligned with EU clean energy transition goals and marked a pioneering shift away from unabated fossil fuels. The Policy’s adaptability enabled swift support for the REPowerEU Plan and a significant scale-up in EIB’s clean energy investments. EIB lending focused on mature technologies and...

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Chapter News, News

IMF | Industrial Policy Can Lift Productivity – but Comes With Risks and Trade-offs

Blog post | Governments across both advanced and emerging market economies have increasingly rolled out new support for targeted companies and industries over the past decade and a half. Industrial policy, as it’s known, is used for a range of goals, including to boost productivity growth, protect manufacturing jobs, improve self-dependence and the resilience of supply chains, and develop “infant” industries to diversify the economy. In the energy sector, for example, some countries have used industrial policy to reduce dependence...

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