At the International Conference on Climate Action – ICCA 2019 – in Heidelberg, Germany, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and the European Investment Bank have announced the 20 shortlisted cities of the Global Climate City Challenge. Launched at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco in September 2018, the Global Climate Cities Challenge aims to strengthen technical assistance and financing for climate action projects especially in cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America as well...

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On May 20, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court resolved a circuit split on the treatment of trademark licenses in bankruptcy. In an 8-1 decision, the Court held that a licensor's rejection of a trademark license in bankruptcy does not rescind the rights conveyed to the licensee. Rather, the licensee may continue to use the trademark if it wishes to do so, so long as it continues to comply with its own obligations under the license (such as payment of...

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By Steve Pasierb | President & CEO | The Toy Association As a community that brings joy and developmental benefits to kids through toys and play, your Association and fellow toymakers are banding together to let President Trump know that his administration’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on all finished toys from our partner factories in China would destroy many successful American businesses – not to mention ruin Christmas, birthdays, and other special occasions for kids. With the fourth list of proposed...

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Overview: The U.S. Dollar has managed to maintain its gains of an overall average of 0.5% thus far this May, according to the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index.Fluctuations in the FX market have not been totally unfavorable to the greenback, which has found its way back as a result of growing uncertainty over trade with developments that affected main communications company Huawei. The trade war targeting the company adds on to fear about the global supply chain being affected along with...

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The EACC, in partnership with the International Property Tax Institute (IPTI), wants to keep its members up to date with the latest developments in property taxes in the USA and Europe. IPTI has put together a selection of brief reports from articles contained in IPTI Xtracts which can be found on its website (www.ipti.org).   USA California: Protect Prop 13 protections for property owners In November 2020, California voters and taxpayers will have the opportunity to weigh in on one of the most...

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On May 13, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) issued a proposed List 4 which threatens to impose additional tariffs of up to 25% on “essentially all” Chinese products imported into the U.S. that were not covered by previous section 301 pronouncements. Pharmaceuticals, certain chemicals made into prescription pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals and critical minerals are excluded from this latest action. The remaining product categories cover 3,805 full and partial tariff subheadings. The list includes toys, apparel, shoes, food and...

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Key Events This Week Polls predict decimation of Tories in European elections Latest polling puts Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party ahead of the pack in the race for the European elections. Polls suggest that the Brexit Party commands between 30% and 34% of the prospective vote for the upcoming European elections, taking place on 23 May. Polls show the Labour party holding 21% of the prospective vote and the Conservatives languishing on just 12%. This would mean the Conservatives would fall to their...

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On February 25, 2019, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published its final Guidelines on outsourcing (Guidelines) to ensure that sound risk management measures are adopted by banking, financial, and payment institutions (Institutions). These Guidelines will become effective September 30, 2019 and specifically highlight FinTech and data protection issues. This not only reveals some potential regulatory challenges that EU players will have to face going forward, but also relates to the broader interest in IT outsourcing also echoed by US regulators. Outsourcing...

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The Toy Association – the not-for-profit trade association representing the toy, game, and youth entertainment product businesses that drive the annual $28 billion American toy market and are leaders around the world – announced today that the Trump administration’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese imports, including children’s toys, would irreparably harm American families, jobs, and businesses. "The return of a dark tariff cloud threatening the toy and retail communities would sharply increase the cost of toys...

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