It’s now been over a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Today, NATO members are supporting Ukraine at arm’s length by supplying armaments, but the day-to-day conflict is stuck in a stalemate and expected to last far longer than expected. As a result, an increased production ramp is needed to provide continued supply of weapons, munitions, and tools that will enable Ukraine to withstand continued attacks. These reinforcements are required at a time when munitions are expended at an order of...

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On Thursday (9 March) Kadri Simson, the European Commissioner for Energy, spoke to the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) at the Committee’s event on “One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine”. The subject of her speech was the energy outlook for the EU this winter & beyond. The war sent oil prices to a record, leading to unsustainable energy prices for industry and citizens across Europe, leading to the Commission’s first REPowerEU...

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On 18 February 2023, the Dutch House for Whistleblowers Act was amended into the Dutch Whistleblower Protection Act. Under the new Act, more types of employers than before must establish an internal reporting procedure for reporting a suspected wrongdoing. The Act also provides better protection for whistleblowers. In this newsletter, we explain which changes the Act contains, to whom these apply and as of when. Adjusted scope of the obligation of an internal reporting procedure The obligation under the Act to...

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The best way to meet climate goals – and boost profits – is to put women in charge How can we meet the world’s climate goals? We can start by putting more women in charge. That will give us a much better chance of not only controlling global warming but also achieving greater prosperity along the way. Emerging research underscores the business and development case for applying a gender lens to climate-related investments. It also highlights the critical role women play...

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Much is made of the growing prevalence of sustainability-linked loans (SLL) in the large-cap market. But in the active mid-market, SLL terms have developed differently with certain aspects being more or less pronounced, as part of the burgeoning growth of finance that is related to environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG). Setting sustainability performance targets SLL seek to improve the sustainability of businesses, but with no requirement that the proceeds of the debt be used to fund improved sustainable ESG performance or...

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During a recent interview with Bloomberg Law, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, announced that the U.S. Department of State will launch a pilot program later in 2023 offering visa stamping renewal options domestically for H and L visa beneficiaries and other temporary visa holders.1 The State Department has not yet announced the mechanism or process to renew visa stamps under this pilot program. Visa stamping is a crucial process that authorizes...

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On February 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) expanded the scope of trade control measures targeting Russia on the one-year anniversary of that country’s invasion of Ukraine. These measures include an expansion of export controls on common industrial and commercial items provided to Russia and Belarus, the addition of nearly 90 Russian and third-country companies to the Entity List,...

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In this week’s Roar: the supply chain’s mark on inflation, U.S. port rankings, falling air cargo demand, more reshoring, and positioning supply chains for success in 2023. In theory, since the supply chain is repairing itself, the benefits of that recovery should be felt downstream. Consumers should be catching a break from all the inflated costs that came with COVID and the snarl it made of logistics and transportation. But not so fast. Because despite an apparent turnaround for the...

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Gone are the days of having cash and other liquid investments on our balance sheets earning a fraction of a percentage point. As many of our readers are experiencing, and an observation we’re noticing with the majority of our clients, is that cash reserves in transportation & logistics businesses are at an all time high. Profitability, government aide, and strong used equipment market has had a tremendous impact on companies’ balance sheets, enabling them to build cash reserves for...

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The landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), which following months of negotiations and debate entered into force on 16 November 2022, is nearing the final phases before being fully implemented. In 2024, the flagship rules will be implemented to regulate the content and governance of digital platforms across the EU. The DSA aims to increase transparency on digital algorithms, stop the spread of illegal posts and disinformation, and protect user privacy. Platforms are subject to different degrees of regulation based...

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