The Toy Association testified on June 24, 2019 at the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Committee hearing regarding proposed tariffs on approximately $300 billion in Chinese products, including toys. Delivered by Rebecca Mond, the Association’s vice president of federal government affairs, the testimony outlined the significant harm and devastating impact that tariffs would have on the U.S. toy industry, their workers, and consumers, and formally requested the removal of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code 9503.00.000 (the tariff line under...

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By Jose Luis Villareal | Holland & Knight Higlights: The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed by the participating countries on Nov. 30, 2018, and has been ratified by the Mexican Senate, but there is no full certainty as to when the agreement will take effect or whether it will be ratified by all its parties, including both the U.S. Congress and Canadian Parliament. The USMCA reflects the concern of properly protecting intellectual property (IP) rights in all jurisdictions. Although...

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Ireland’s prosperous economy, highly skilled workforce and position as a gateway to the European Union has made it a hub for the operations of thousands of multinational businesses. It’s also home to some of the biggest names in tech, financial services and the pharmaceutical industries. Ireland now boasts one of Europe’s strongest-performing economies. HSBC has been operating in Ireland since 1979 and is now one of the country’s leading international banks. Over the last 40 years, we have continued to provide...

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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 Pennsylvania: Trial opens in one of Philly’s largest-ever assessment appeal cases, with $63 million at stake Assessors “deliberately chose to single out” some of the city’s most-prominent...

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By  David Bassuk & Joel Bines | AlixPartners US core retail sales grew 0.5% in May after an upwardly revised 0.3% rise in April1. Building materials and garden equipment sales were up 0.1%, while online and mail-order purchases lifted 1.4%. Sales at clothing stores were unchanged and those at furniture stores edged up 0.1%. Sales at electronics and appliance stores rose 1.1% 2. Continuing growth in retail sales is a good indicator that trade worries have not yet made a full...

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By Charlotte Cruickshank, Executive Director | OCORIAN With research suggesting that even in 2019, many companies have unprotected data and operate poor cybersecurity practices, Executive Director Charlotte Cruickshank examines the trends emphasising the importance of choosing a financial services provider that budgets, safeguards and educates staff against the latest threats. As tech continues to evolve, so does the sophistication of cybercrime. In recent years, the actions of cybercriminals have intensified and the scale of their operations has been thrust into...

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Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe (BEV-E), a new EUR 100 million investment fund was established by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and Breakthrough Energy Ventures during the Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial meeting in Vancouver, Canada.   The fund will help develop innovative European companies and bring radically new clean energy technologies to the market. It will support Europe’s best clean energy entrepreneurs whose solutions can deliver significant and lasting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The first of its kind, it caters to...

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As the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Committee held its first day of hearings on Monday regarding proposed tariffs on approximately $300 billion worth of Chinese products, The Toy Association continued its aggressive advocacy campaign against tariffs on toys. Though The Toy Association is not scheduled to testify until June 24, Rebecca Mond, vice president of federal government affairs, was at USTR’s offices on Monday to raise awareness about the negative impact tariffs would have on the toy industry. Representing the...

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