Key Notes: DoD announced CMMC 2.0, which is intended to streamline and clarify information security compliance obligations. CMMC 2.0 decreases the number of compliance “Levels” and allows for self-assessments for certain contractors. DoD will not impose any CMMC 2.0 requirements until future rulemaking is complete and it will suspend the current CMMC piloting efforts. A virtual CMMC 2.0 “Town Hall” is scheduled for November 9, 2021 to address its scope and changes. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced significant changes to...

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The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) final rules on healthcare interoperability and “information blocking” present complex clinical, operational and security challenges. Hospitals, health IT vendors and other stakeholder organizations will need to strategize around how to maximize the benefit from these policies while also balancing continued investment in and commitment to technical infrastructure. Title IV of the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) was “designed, to advance interoperability; support the access, exchange, and use...

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With the COP26 climate conference up and running, world leaders have been strong in climate action rhetoric, but have so-far lacked setting out strong actions on how to achieve them. Despite the devastating report presented by the IPCC earlier this year, the pledged delivered so far would still put the world on track to reaching 2.7°C according to the UN. With its newly proposed “Fit for 55” climate and energy package, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sought to...

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On November 1, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG), along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, issued a “Report on Stablecoins” (Report) that provided background on stablecoins, identified regulatory gaps related to such digital assets, and offered recommendations for addressing those gaps. After outlining the risks and deficiencies in the current regulatory landscape as it relates to stablecoins, the Report recommended that Congress enact legislation requiring that stablecoins...

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Lugano/Washington – The American company DG Fuels and Energy Vault from Lugano in the canton of Ticino are working together. DG Fuels will use Energy Vault’s gravity energy storage solution to produce sustainable aviation fuel. DG Fuels is building a system to manufacture synthetic aviation fuels with no CO2 emissions. The American company uses water electrolysis and biomass-derived carbon replacement fuel for this. Now, according to a press release, it has also decided to use an innovative energy storage technology...

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On October 27, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a final rule that updates the Safeguards Rule of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Final Rule). This Final Rule comes after the FTC sought comment on proposed changes to the Safeguards Rule in 2019 and held a public workshop in 2020. The Safeguards Rule applies to non-banking financial institutions, including certain financial technology companies, that are engaged in financial activities. The Final Rule makes significant updates to the original Safeguards Rule promulgated in 2003,...

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There were 348 plastics industry M&A transactions through the first nine months of 2021, a 31% year-over-year (YOY) increase. Plastics M&A has rebounded significantly since the Q2 2020 trough, with Q3 2021 achieving the highest level of quarterly deal activity since early 2019. M&A activity by private equity firms (both selling and buying) has increased significantly in 2021, accounting for most of the incremental volume for the year. Positive momentum is expected to continue for the rest of the...

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Starting January 1, 2022, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) will begin requiring that certain patent applications be filed electronically in “DOCX” format to increase efficiency and accuracy during the examination process. At the same time, the USPTO will begin assessing a surcharge of up to $400 for electronically filing these patent applications in PDF format.  This surcharge is designed to encourage applicants to file using the DOCX format supported by Microsoft Word 2007 and higher, Google...

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It isn’t overly difficult to calculate the costs of sourcing, hiring, and training a new employee. These are all tangible, recordable costs that can be easily tracked. But what happens if you fail to fill that position in a timely manner? The losses to the company may appear in a variety of ways, but it can be far more difficult to ascribe a dollar value to them. These “empty desk” costs can add up to cost your organization significant...

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