By Ignacio E. Sanchez | Christine Daya Congress has released the final version of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA) – a bill to modernize and strengthen the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to more effectively guard against the risk to US national security posed by certain types of foreign investments. FIRRMA is incorporated into the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act for FY19, which Congress expects to pass this week. The House and Senate passed...

Read more

Currently studying? Want to learn more about a future career in corporate finance? We’re looking for women to help us build a better working world. The EY Corporate Finance Woman of the Year competition recognizes talented young women with the potential to have a fulfilling career in EY Transaction Advisory Services (TAS). EY TAS helps companies drive inclusive growth by focusing on their capital and transaction strategy through to execution. In an environment of unprecedented disruption we support the flow of capital across...

Read more

By Elco van Groningen | Neil Pattie | Jordi Manrique People on the Canary Islands will get an even better view of the stars thanks to new astronomy-friendly street lighting from Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting. In Puerto de la Cruz, a city on the north coast of Tenerife, the company is installing smart LED street lights that can be dimmed remotely and which use special optics to reduce light spillage that could interfere with nearby observatories. "The project is an example...

Read more

Last May 2018, the European Commission proposed to amend Regulation (EC) no. 469/2009 on complementary protection certificates (CPC). If adopted, such amendment will affect European patent rights in the pharmaceutical sector. More specifically, the Commission proposed the introduction of Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) to boost investment in the development and manufacture of biosimilars and generics (“the Proposal”). Medicinal products can be marketed in Europe after obtaining an authorization from the competent administrative authority (in Italy, AIFA). Since such authorization generally...

Read more

By Melissa Manna | Ogletree Deakins Effective September 11, 2018, adjudicators for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will have the authority to deny any application or petition that is incomplete or lacks sufficient evidence without first issuing a request for evidence (RFE) or notice of intent to deny (NOID). The new guidelines are a reversal of the current policy, which requires that an RFE be issued unless there is “no possibility” that the deficiency can be remedied. Depending on the vigor with which it...

Read more

By Steve Pasierb | President & CEO | The Toy Association Member concerns about IP infringement and resulting potential risks to toy safety via online platforms are real and mounting. We’ve been working alongside our IP Protection Committee with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Senate Finance Committee staff, and representatives from leading e-commerce platforms, like Alibaba and Amazon, to raise member concerns and explore solutions, with the goal of ensuring that only safe, compliant...

Read more

By Dr. Thomas Griebe |Matthias Pallentin Whistleblowers: some consider them traitors; others see them as modern heroes. By issuing a recent proposal, the EU Commission has at least taken a position on improving (minimum) protections for whistleblowers and, above all, ensuring these protections are uniform throughout Europe. Originally developed by the Council of Europe, the principles should protect not only whistleblowers acting with good intentions but also those who suffer harm as a result of false or malicious reports. As such, they will...

Read more

By Sam Natapoff,  President of Empire Global Ventures LLC (EGV) The coming red state ruination is no accident; our partners are making a point, economic aggression affects us all. For President Trump, all questions have simple answers: U.S. “immigration laws are the weakest and worst anywhere in the world”, the Mueller investigation is a “rigged witch hunt”, and “trade wars are good, and easy to win”. While many of Trump’s presidential actions will have negative consequences over time, for his burgeoning...

Read more

Overall, 86,786 international students participated in an intensive English program (IEP) in the United States in 2017, according to recently released IIE data. IEP programs in United States are offered by higher education institutions and independent providers, and are one way for international students to initiate their education in the United States. In 2017, 51 percent of IEP students intended to further their study in the United States following the completion of their program.  The latest figures represent a 20 percent decline...

Read more