Member News

BEA requirements for US companies with foreign investors

By Lee Grosse | Vice President, Structured Finance| TMF Group There has been an influx of foreign investment in real estate in the United States as a direct corollary of the stable legal framework, strong property rights and as well as a robust commercial real estate environment. But, these foreign investors may not be aware of the mandatory filings required by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis for US domiciled corporations with 10% or more foreign ownership.  What is the BEA? The...

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Member News

Trademark filing in Italy: new fast-track procedure launched

As of February 26, 2019, companies and individuals filing for a trademark with the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (“IPTO”), using the dedicated website, will be able to choose a new, optional fast-track procedure. The key advantage of this new procedure, as defined in the Ministry of Economic Development circular no. 604 of February 6, 2019, is that trademark applications will be published in the IPTO bulletin in a considerably shorter amount of time (within 7 days of filing). In fact, the standard procedure...

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Member News

Update on Property Tax Issues: March 2019

The EACC, in partnership with the International Property Tax Institute (IPTI), wants to keep its members up to date with the latest developments in property taxes in the USA and Europe. IPTI has put together a selection of brief reports from articles contained in IPTI Xtracts which can be found on its website (www.ipti.org). The first article below covers both the USA and Europe.   If a Wealth Tax is Such a Good Idea, Why Did Europe Kill Theirs? In late January, Senator...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

No-deal Brexit happens next week and no one knows if the EU will stop it

by Luke McGee, CNN Brexit is deep into its most crucial week since the last one. On Thursday, Theresa May travels to Brussels to meet with the remaining 27 EU leaders, where she is expected to request an extension to Article 50, the legal process by which Britain is leaving the EU. If the EU27 agree, as they probably will, Brexit will be delayed beyond the current deadline of March 29. Leaving aside the gravity of this epic failure of British Brexit policy, the...

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Chapter News, News

Antitrust: Commission fines Google €1.49 billion for abusive practices in online advertising

The European Commission has fined Google €1.49 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules. Google has abused its market dominance by imposing a number of restrictive clauses in contracts with third-party websites which prevented Google's rivals from placing their search adverts on these websites. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Today the Commission has fined Google €1.49 billion for illegal misuse of its dominant position in the market for the brokering of online search adverts. Google has cemented...

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Member News

HSBC International Business Guides: Germany

At the heart of Europe and an intrinsic part of the European Union, Germany is an economic powerhouse. Famed for its industry, manufacturing and engineering, it is Europe’s greatest exporter. Its people are highly educated, skilled and motivated, making it a core market for growing businesses. Founded in Germany in 1785, HSBC Germany offers in-depth local knowledge and financial expertise from its base in Düsseldorf and 11 other locations across the country. With almost 3,000 employees in Germany, backed by...

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Member News

More Affordable and Innovative Medicines and Treatments in Europe – Has the Competition Enforcement Met the 2009 Objective?

By Marie-Laure Combet and Lena Boucon | Orrick  A decade ago, the European Commission conducted a thorough sectoral inquiry into the European pharmaceutical sector that identified antitrust shortcomings impeding access to more affordable and innovative medicines and treatments. Concluding this inquiry by setting priority actions for the years to come, former Competition Commissioner Kroes called for “… more competition and less red tape …” (sic). Since this statement, there has been intense enforcement activity in the sector not only by the European Commission itself,...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

Brexit: Council adopts a series of contingency measures for a “no-deal” scenario

Press Release 19-3-2019 The Council today adopted a series of legislative acts as part of its contingency preparations for a "no-deal" Brexit scenario. The aim of these acts is to limit the most severe damage caused by a disorderly Brexit in specific sectors where it would create a major disruption for citizens and businesses. They come on top of other measures, such as on citizens' rights, adopted by member states as part of their preparations for a "no-deal" scenario. These measures are...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

Parliament speaker rules out third vote on ‘same’ Brexit deal

By Charlie Cooper Theresa May's government cannot hold a third vote on its Brexit deal without securing a "demonstrable change" agreed with the EU, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow ruled, throwing the government's plans into further chaos. In an announcement that took MPs by surprise, Bercow said that according to parliamentary conventions dating as far back as 1604, the government could not hold repeated votes in the House of Commons, in the same parliamentary session, on a motion that...

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Chapter News, News

EU Industrial Policy After Siemens-Alstom: Finding a New Balance Between Openness and Protection

The ongoing technological revolution and China’s rise have sparked fears that Europe's industry risks falling behind, and that its unmatched openness is being used against its strategic interests. Amid calls for a more ambitious and strategic EU industrial policy, this paper explores a possible new balance between openness and protection as part of a joined-up strategy to create a more level global playing field, while shoring up industrial innovation and productivity at home. BEGIN REPORT: The European Commission’s decision of 6...

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