Member News

White House Announces Tariffs Of 5% – 25% On Imports From Mexico

On May 30, 2019, President Trump announced that effective June 10, 2019, all goods imported into the U.S. from Mexico will be subject to an additional duty of 5% ad valorem. This is in addition to the regular duties which are normally applicable to the goods. The President invoked his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the tariff, stating that the measure was necessary to address the “illegal migration crisis” at the U.S. southern border....

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Member News

EY Europe Attractiveness Survey 2019

By Andy Baldwin, Hanne Jesca Bax & Marc Lhermitte | EY The EY Europe Attractiveness Survey 2019 examines the region’s attractiveness as a foreign direct investment (FDI) destination, bringing priorities for Europe into sharp focus. Our report analyzes the level of foreign investment into Europe and gathers the views of over 500 international business leaders on the most important factors that will improve Europe’s attractiveness for investment prospects. Our findings reveal that, relative to other regions around the world, Western...

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Member News

Toy Association Opposes Administration’s Threat to Impose Tariffs on Goods Imported from Mexico

The Toy Association opposes President Trump’s plan to impose escalating tariffs, starting at 5 percent, on all U.S. imports from Mexico as a retaliation against the country’s immigration enforcement actions. “While Congress and the administration together must act to fix our broken immigration system, a further misuse of tariffs now focused on Mexico is the wrong approach,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association. “As with China Section 301 tariffs, this amounts to nothing more than a tax with...

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Brexit News, Member News

EY UK Attractiveness Survey 2019

By Mark Gregory | Chief Economist, UK | EY   The UK remained the number one destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe in 2018, ahead of Germany and France, with 1,054 projects, its third-highest number of FDI projects in 20 years. However, this was a 13% drop in FDI projects compared to 2017 (1,205 projects) and according to our survey perceptions of the UK as an FDI destination have weakened. The latest EY UK Attractiveness Survey, which launches today, shows that...

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Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

Minimum wages have increased across Europe, but will low-wage workers feel the difference?

Publication by Eurofound, June 4, 2019 There have been wage increases for minimum and low-wage earners in most EU Member States, with rises in statutory minimum wages in almost all countries since January 2018; including significant increases in Lithuania, Spain, Greece and low-wage newer Member States. While these increases are welcomed as good news for minimum wage workers, Eurofound’s research shows workers may not automatically feel the positive impacts of these changes in terms of income and reductions in wage...

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Chapter News, News

Eurostat: Euro area annual inflation down to 1.2%, unemployment at 7.6%

June 4, 2019 Euro area (EA19) annual inflation is expected to be 1.2% in May 2019, down from 1.7% in April according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Looking at the main components of euro area inflation, energy is expected to have the highest annual rate in May (3.8%, compared with 5.3% in April), followed by food, alcohol & tobacco (1.6%, compared with 1.5% in April), services (1.1%, compared with 1.9% in April) and...

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Member News

First Belgian GDPR fine

By Stephanie De Smedt | Loyens & Loeff On 28 May 2019, the Data Protection Authority (DPA) imposed its first administrative fine under the GDPR . A mayor was fined 2,000 EUR for misusing personal data for electoral campaign purposes. The DPA noted that while the fine is modest, the message is not: all data controllers must take their responsibility, most certainly those who hold a public mandate. The case: sending of personalized e-mail by a government representative The DPA received a...

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Chapter News, News

OECD: International community agrees on a road map for resolving the tax challenges arising from digitalisation of the economy

May, 31, 2019 The international community has agreed on a road map for resolving the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy, and committed to continue working toward a consensus-based long-term solution by the end of 2020, the OECD announced today. The 129 members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) adopted a Programme of Work laying out a process for reaching a new global agreement for taxing multinational enterprises. The document, which calls for...

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Chapter News, News

European Commission clears two large acquisitions under the EU Merger Regulation

June 3, 2019 The European Commission has cleared the acquisition of a joint venture by VW Group, Intel and Allied Holdings, and the acquisition of Euroports by MRG, PMV and SFPI-FPIM. Commission clears acquisition of a joint venture by VW Group, Intel and Allied Holdings: The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of a newly created joint venture by Volkswagen Finance Luxembourg S.A. (“VWFL”) of Luxembourg, Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. (“Mobileye”) and Champion...

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Member News

Tax Challenges of the Digitalisation of the Economy – new OECD work programme

On 31 May 2019, the OECD published its programme of work for developing a solution to the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy (Programme of Work). The Programme of Work will explore technical issues in line with the ‘two-pillar’ approach set out in the OECD policy note of 29 January 2019 (see our tax flash here) and the OECD public consultation document of 13 February 2019 (see our tax flash here). Pillar One seeks to develop new profit allocation...

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