The purchase will generate approximately €350 million in sales for the French chemical company Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, in collaboration with the Dutch firm Loyens & Loeff N.V, advised the chemical company Arkema on purchasing the Dutch industrial adhesives manufacturer Den Braven for €485 million. This purchase will add approximately €350 million in sales to the balance sheet of the French multinational. In addition, the company will be able to continue strengthening a business segment to which it firmly committed in 2015...

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The decline in valuations in Series C and later transactions from the peaks reached in the middle of 2015 has been well publicized. Valuations for Series B rounds have also fallen from their highs in 2015. In each case, the decline has been substantial. In Q2 2016, median valuations for Series B and Series C and later financings were below their medians for the past five years. On a more positive note, the percentage of up-round financings has remained...

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Earlier this week, the Government Accounting Office issued a report entitled “Antidumping and Countervailing Duties: CBP Action Needed to Reduce Duty Processing Errors and Mitigate Nonpayment Risk." In the first paragraph, the GAO observes as follows: “GAO estimates that about $2.3 billion in antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duties owed to the U.S. government were uncollected as of mid-May 2015, based on its analysis of AD/CV duty bills for goods entering the United States in fiscal years 2001–2014. U.S. Customs and...

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Essilor has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MyOptique Group Ltd., a leading European online prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses business. The transaction is fully consistent with Essilor's mission to "improve lives by improving sight". Essilor's online business helps to raise awareness among an ever-growing community of consumers about the importance of protecting and correcting their eyesight. It also facilitates access to high-quality optical products that improve visual health, thus benefiting all industry players. In addition, MyOptique Group is...

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On12.07.2016, the Commission officially approved the final version of the “EU-US Privacy Shield” as an “adequacy decision” under Art. 25 ss. 6 of the EU Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC). Since 01.08.2016, US companies can certify themselves with the U.S. Department of Commerce under the new Privacy Shield. Self-certification must be repeated annually. As expected, the Privacy Shield List maintained online by the U.S. Department of Commerce is now growing steadily. The list provides information on contact partners for questions and...

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According to August remittance data, the workout strategy for the $150.9 million UBS Center- Stamford note has been changed to "note sale." As of last month, the strategy was "TBD." The loan makes up almost 75% of the remaining collateral behind LBUBS 2004-C1. The underlying property is a 682,327 square-foot office building located at 677 Washington Boulevard in Stamford, Connecticut. UBS is currently the property's sole tenant with a lease that expires in December 2017. The note was transferred to special...

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The exchange tie-up is still subject to several closing conditions, including clearance by the European Commission in Brussels. The final tally, announced Wednesday, Aug. 17, comes a little more than two months after the Deutsche Boerse published its voluntary public offer, which has meanwhile been approved by both sets of shareholders. Shareholders had until last Friday to tender their shares. The companies have given themselves until the end of June 2017 to complete the deal by way of scheme of arrangement, and...

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Pursuant to the newly-enacted Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (the “Act”), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) is expected to publish regulations later this month detailing new procedures for CBP investigations into allegations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion. The anticipated regulations have the potential to significantly alter the CBP enforcement landscape.  The regulations will not only be enforced by a newly-created Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Division but also will allow for private entities to force CBP’s hand in...

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Brexit is now bringing into sharper focus the way in which nations and economic blocs seek to negotiate international trade agreements. Ireland's role in those negotiations is defined by reference to and subject to its obligations of membership of the EU. The future of the UK's post-Brexit trading relationship in particular with the EU (but also with many other countries) remains uncertain. Depending on what that future arrangement finally looks like, the UK's post-Brexit trading relationship with the EU might...

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The issue of diversity has expanded from the workplace to the corporate boardroom, with initiatives spearheaded by investors and other stakeholders to address the lack of diversity on corporate boards. These initiatives are likely to lead to pressure on companies to enhance their disclosures about their board members and take steps to diversify their boards. This article describes some of these board diversity initiatives and the steps employers can take now to address possible concerns. Investors In March 2015, a group...

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