Member News

Germany: Waiver of Priority Checks for the Immigration of Skilled Workers

The German government seeks to promote the prospering of the German economy as finding skilled employees from the German labour market becomes more difficult for many employers, especially in the industries of nursing care (the care provided in hospitals and for elderly people), IT, and in the craft sector. While stressing the importance of acquiring domestic employees, the government’s proposed solution for these labour market difficulties is an easier immigration process for skilled workers from non-European Economic Area (EEA)...

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Chapter News

Impact of the UK’s Withdrawal from the EU – EUTMs and RCDs: Updated Information

Ahead of 1 February 2020, the day on which the UK will leave the EU in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement  concluded between the EU and the UK (read the latest news here), the EUIPO has updated the Brexit section on its website. The Withdrawal Agreement stipulates that during a transition period that will last until 31 December 2020, EU law remains applicable to and in the UK. This extends to the EUTM and RCD Regulations and their implementing instruments. This continued application of the EUTM...

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Member News

Why the EIB Scaled up Its Commitment to the Climate

Change is difficult – but 2019 taught us that it’s possible. Here’s how to change big organisations to cope with a new reality. At a well-attended event organised this April in Berlin by the Institute for European Policy to boost young voter turnout, I commented to the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, “Look, this proves that young people can be mobilized for a good cause!” To which the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier responded: “Yes, that is true. But much more importantly,...

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Member News

Vulcan Insight Analysis of the Latest EU Developments

EU chiefs sign off on Brexit deal, but what's next? The House of Commons passed legislation implementing the withdrawal deal on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Johnson saying that the UK had ‘crossed the Brexit finish line’. The House of Commons rejected all five amendments to the Withdrawal Bill proposed by the House of Lords, with the government winning by large majorities. In one of its first significant acts of business since returning earlier this month, Northern Ireland’s Assembly voted overwhelmingly...

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Member News

Key Tech Trends in 2020

Keeping up to date with evolving trends in the technology space helps organisations stay competitive. While many are focussing on areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and cyber-security, we look at some of the other evolving trends that organisations should be aware of in 2020. 5G Mobile Networks We expect the fifth generation of mobile network technology (5G) to become mainstream in 2020. The 5G roll out is exciting businesses and consumers alike as it has the potential to facilitate a...

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Chapter News

Brexit: the Withdrawal Agreement Passes the First European Parliament Test

The Constitutional Affairs Committee agreed on Thursday to recommend that the EP plenary should approve the UK withdrawal terms. After parliamentary ratification in the UK was concluded earlier today, with Royal Assent granted for the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, Constitutional Affairs Committee MEPs voted in favour of a positive recommendation regarding the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, with 23 votes for, three against and no abstentions. The vote took place after a statement by Committee Chair Antonio Tajani (EPP, IT) and a discussion between the Parliament’s...

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Chapter News

Christine Lagarde, Luis de Guindos: Introductory Statement to the Press Conference

Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, Frankfurt am Main, 23 January 2020 Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice-President and I are very pleased to welcome you to our press conference. We will now report on the outcome of today’s meeting of the Governing Council. Based on our regular economic and monetary analyses, we decided to keep the key ECB interest rates unchanged. We expect them to remain at their present or lower levels until we have seen the inflation...

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Chapter News

Shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe

Today, the European Commission set out its ideas for shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe, which should be launched on Europe Day, 9 May 2020 and run for two years. The Communication adopted is the Commission's contribution to the already lively debate around the Conference on the Future of Europe – a project announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in her Political Guidelines, to give Europeans a greater say on what the European Union does and how it works for them....

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Chapter News

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald J. Trump Meet in Davos

Today in Davos, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met with U.S. President Donald Trump. This friendly exchange of views between allies at the World Economic Forum was a first opportunity to meet in person and to compare notes and positions on a number of topical issues, notably on trade, technology and energy. This was a first get-to-know-each-other meeting. Both sides agreed to meet soon in Washington to move the common transatlantic agenda forward. Ursula von...

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Member News

Food and Ag Industry: Know Your Visa Options and Immigration Strategies

The food and agriculture industry includes farms, restaurants and food manufacturing, processing and storage facilities. Companies within the food and ag industry seek to employ talented professionals, such as scientists, veterinarians and engineers, to bring food to the table in a changing world. With a focus on talent, food and ag companies must understand the employment-based immigration factors that affect their U.S. workforces, as talented job candidates come from all over the world. Especially in periods of low unemployment,...

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