VULCAN VIEW - KEY EVENTS THIS WEEK: MIGRATION Merkel seeks to reassure coalition partners over proposed migrant deal Fresh doubts have been raised over the viability of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s migrant plan after her coalition partners the Social Democratic Party (SPD) claimed that they would not support a deal that would lead to closed migrant camps. The migrant plan, which Ms. Merkel struck earlier this week with her party’s junior alliance partner, the CSU, in a bid to avert the collapse of...

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By Stéphanie De Smedt | Loyens and Loeff Short refresher: on 8 June 2016, the European legislator adopted a new Trade Secrets Directive. Members States were supposed to implement this Directive by 9 June 2018. Belgium is not there yet but recently made an important step forward: a legislative proposal has been filed on 12 June 2018. Let us have a look at its cornerstones. Key elements of the Belgian draft Trade Secrets Act At the moment, the Belgian legal provisions relating to trade...

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By Dr. Jens H. Kunz, LL.M. (UT Austin) |  T +49 69 971477218 | Noerr The regulatory framework is undoubtedly of utmost importance for fintech companies and investors as regulatory requirements often represent a significant market entry hurdle, which ultimately determines whether fintechs can offer their innovative business models. In the first issue of the Financial Technology Law Review published in June 2018, Dr Jens H. Kunz addresses some of the key regulatory issues for the fintech industry in Germany such as financial and...

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The USD made gains against the majority of currencies through most of June, but gave most of them up in a sell off in a weak final day’s trading. The USD continues to be underpinned by the expectation of higher US rates and an already attractive yield spread in the USD’s favor, but the gains during the month also appeared to be spurred against most currencies by rising concerns about trade wars. The USD weakness on the last trading...

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By Sue Lawrence | Managing Director | TMF Group  Despite the many benefits, US companies entering the UK market face complicated and disparate laws, a significantly different tax environment, and other obstacles – not to mention the potential implications of Brexit. The United Kingdom (UK), often informally referred to as Britain, is an attractive destination for US companies looking to expand into foreign markets. The two countries enjoy a ‘special relationship’, with close cooperation linked to a common language, democratic ideals, and an...

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On last May 28, the European Commission implemented Article 26.3 of the European Regulation no. 1169/2011 (“FIC Regulation”) providing the rules for indicating the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient of a food (“Implementing Regulation”). The Implementing Regulation applies when the country of origin or the place of provenance of a food is displayed, voluntarily or mandatorily, by any means such as statements, pictorial presentation, symbols or terms, and this displayed country of origin or place of...

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Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and sustainable living, announces it has acquired an equity stake in personalized nutrition company Mixfit Inc. (Mixfit) and is now Mixfit’s largest shareholder with approximately 50% of shares. Financial details will not be disclosed at this time. Mixfit is a privately-held personalized nutrition solution start-up company based in Boston (Massachusetts, USA). This investment builds on the previously announced partnership between DSM and Mixfit and combines DSM’s unparalleled expertise in essential micronutrients with...

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By: Brian S Kaplan, Daniel Turinsky and Edward Charles Rooker          Although the #MeToo movement found its roots in the entertainment industry, you would be hard pressed to name an industry that has not seen a prominent figure fall from grace in the past eight months. Most employers have long understood that they must confront the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace, but the question is how to properly do so in a manner consistent with the myriad federal, state and local...

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By Jaguar Freight The US President, Donald Trump, threw a wrench into global trade markets when he announced steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, in addition to his previous action on dishwashers and solar panels. The news affected the US Dollar and other USD-denominated assets. With volatility around the corner, there's no better time to consider the impact of tariffs on international trade. Before we talk about tariffs and its impact on international trade, let us first briefly look at the...

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Brian McElligott | +353 1 614 2199 | bmcelligottMHC.ie | Mason Hayes & Curran Background In April 2018, 24 Member States and Norway signed a declaration of cooperation on artificial intelligence. The EU Commission later proposed in its Communication on Artificial Intelligence a three-pronged approach to: Increase public and private investment in AI Prepare for socio-economic changes, and Ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework Commissioner Ansip noted: "Just as the steam engine and electricity did in the past, AI is transforming our world. It...

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