On Wednesday, the European Commission formally adopted the proposed regulation on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data, otherwise known as the Data Act. The Data Act forms a key cornerstone of the European strategy for data, and is expected to make a crucial contribution to the digital transformation objective of the “Digital Decade”. Through the Act, the European Union aims to kick-start innovation across all member states by pushing companies across all sectors of Europe’s economy to...

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On February 4, 2022, the United States Department of the Treasury (the Treasury) issued a report titled, "Study of the Facilitation of Money Laundering and Terror Finance Through the Trade in Works of Art." The report discusses how the high-value art market, including certain non-fungible tokens (NFTs), is vulnerable to financial crime and susceptible to abuse by illicit actors. The report concludes with recommendations that would require certain art market participants to implement and maintain anti-money laundering / countering...

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With Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, the “Theatre of Operations” has already included the Cyber Domain, with cyber-attacks launched in recent days against Ukrainian government websites, banks, corporations, and other organizations. Given the interconnected and open nature of the Internet, it is therefore prudent to consider the possibility that either direct or collateral cyber-damages could affect businesses around the world, among them those in Europe and the United States.  In light of recent events, therefore, we recommend reviewing the following...

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The following is a summary of updates regarding travel restrictions as of February 22, 2022 and applicable health regulations for Canada and the United States. End of negative PCR testing for COVID-19 upon arrival in Canada Effective February 28, 2022, properly vaccinated travellers entering Canada by air or land will be exempt from presenting a negative PCR test to Canadian Customs. They will only need to present a negative antigen test within 24 hours of their scheduled flight or arrival at...

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Businesses will have a key part to play in driving forwards the UK government's sustainability agenda In the aftermath of COP26, attention has turned to how employers can help meet the UK's ambitious environmental net zero commitments from a workforce perspective, through the transition to "green jobs" and "green HR". But what is green HR and how can it help drive the green job transition? In the aftermath of COP26, attention has turned to how employers can help meet the UK's...

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Patent owners and trademark registrants soon will be able to protect their intellectual property more quickly and efficiently thanks to proposed changes to the way the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) operates. On Dec. 10, 2021, the USPTO announced that it intends to transition away from mailing paper certificates of issued patents and trademark registrations. Under the proposed change, the USPTO would no longer physically deliver a patent by mailing it to the correspondence address. Instead, it would...

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Contrary to what many people imagine, “the cloud” in technology is something of a misnomer. Unlike clouds in the sky, “the cloud” is a network connected by actual computer hardware: typically one or more computer resources dispersed locally, regionally or globally that allows individuals to store, process, or transmit data. As data is moved in and out of these areas and across state and national borders, confusion can arise regarding which laws apply and which safeguards are required and...

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The emotional aspects of selling a business you nurtured and built over the course of your life can often cloud some of the economic realities that a sale will bring, not just immediately after the deal closes but far into the future. One factor entrepreneurs must consider when selling their businesses is how they will eventually structure the transaction – either as an asset sale or a stock sale. Understanding the difference between the two is critical. Asset Sales As the...

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Smart buildings have increased in prominence in the past decade due to a culmination of changing work behaviours and an increase of information technology available within buildings. It might distress many designers, planners, and architects to hear this but since the first purpose built office building was constructed for the Lords of the Admiralty in London in 1726, most office workers would probably agree that, in essence, we haven’t seen fundamental changes in offices and how they are used. We’ve experienced cubicles,...

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With the help of our members, we are creating a Thought-Leadership series on important factors to take into consideration when ‘Moving to the United States’. Today, we present Lisa Patti M.S., CCC-SLP, Founder & CEO of C3SPEECH; and Floor Bergshoeff, Business Developer at TABS INC. who will address: “Cultural Aspects of Working as a European in the United States”. | We are communicating globally more and more yet how often do we get in the mindset of our colleagues from abroad....

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