11 Apr
Member News

USCIS Issues New Guidance on H-1B Work Visas for Computer Programmers

On March 31, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that provides new guidance regarding H-1B visas for computer-related positions. This document supersedes and rescinds a December 2000 memorandum that the agency has deemed “obsolete” and an inaccurate articulation of current policy on H-1B visa criteria. The new memorandum amends the prior analysis for determining when programmers should be classified as professionals. Now a more thorough analysis must be used for assessing whether the programmer's...

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10 Apr
Chapter News

New EIB Investment Survey Highlights Investment Gaps and Obstacles Amid Recovery

The investment recovery is strengthening in Europe. 84% of European firms reported having invested in the previous financial year. Going forward, more firms expect to expand their investment activities than to scale them back. Firms consider only some 44% of their machinery and equipment to be “state-of-art”. Global competition and technological advancement call for a quick action. But most firms say uncertainty (69% of firms), lack of skilled labour (68% of firms) and the business and the regulatory...

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10 Apr
Member News

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek “Netherlands Law Firm of the Year 2017”

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek has been named "Netherlands Law Firm of the Year 2017" by Chambers and Partners. This is the sixth time in ten years De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek has been awarded this honour, a remarkable achievement reflecting impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service. Chambers and Partners publishes leading directories, ranking leading law firms around the world. Their in-depth analysis is based on up-to-date, independent and objective research, as well as on client feedback. Geert Potjewijd, managing...

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10 Apr
Brexit News, Chapter News

Strasbourg Plenary Highlights: Brexit Priorities, Medical Devices, Car Emissions

MEPs overwhelmingly approved a resolution setting out European Parliament's priorities for the negotiations concerning the UK's withdrawal from the EU during this week's plenary session in Strasbourg. In addition MEPs urged European authorities to establish new checks to prevent car emissions fraud and also approved stricter rules to ensure the safety of medical devices as well as plans to enable more flexibility regarding the EU's long-term budget. Brexit Any Brexit agreement will require Parliament's approval before it can enter into force....

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10 Apr
Member News

USCIS Reaches FY 2018 H-1B Cap

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that the annual H-1B quota for both the regular 65,000 visa petition bachelor’s degree cap and the 20,000 visa petition U.S. master’s degree cap has been met for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. The exact number of petitions received has yet to be announced but will likely be shared in the coming weeks once all of the petitions are counted. Likewise, due to the high number of petitions received, USCIS has...

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07 Apr
Chapter News

Monetary Policy and the Economic Recovery in the Euro Area

Speech by Mario Draghi, President of the ECB, at The ECB and Its Watchers XVIII Conference, Frankfurt am Main, 6 April 2017: Over the course of the crisis, the making of monetary policy has become progressively more complex. We have operated in an environment where the limits of our traditional instruments have been tested, and where new instruments have had to be introduced. This has required adaptation, not just by those of us who decide on it, but also by...

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07 Apr
Member News

SEC Division of Investment Management Issues Guidance on Holding Companies and the Transient Investment Company Rule Under the Investment Company Act

Earlier this month, the SEC Division of Investment Management issued guidance with respect to situations in which an operating company may find that, upon the occurrence of an extraordinary event, it meets the definition of an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Company Act“), even though it intends to remain in such status only temporarily. Absent an exclusion or exemption from this definition, the operating company may be required to register under the Company Act. Rule...

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07 Apr
Chapter News

Eurogroup President Dijsselbloem Speaks after April 7 Meeting

Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem spoke to press and public representatives following the group's April 7 meeting: "Good afternoon and welcome to this press conference, here after the Eurogroup in Valletta. I want, first of all, to thank the Maltese hosts for the excellent organisation and the wonderful venue for today's discussions. Today in the Eurogroup, we welcomed Danièle Nouy of the ECB Supervisory Board and Elke Koenig of the Single Resolution Board. They joined us to speak about their work,...

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07 Apr
Chapter News

New EU Rules on Medical Devices to Enhance Patient Safety and Modernise Public Health

The Commission welcomes the adoption of its proposal for two Regulations on medical devices which establish a modernised and more robust EU legislative framework to ensure better protection of public health and patient safety. The new Regulations on medical and in-vitro diagnostic medical devices proposed by the Commission in 2012 will help to ensure that all medical devices - from heart valves to sticking plasters to artificial hips – are safe and perform well. To address this, the new rules...

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07 Apr
Member News

Team as a Service – Turnkey Web- and Mobile Development Resources for your specific needs

Due to the digital revolution driving global economy, there is a shortage of skilled and reliable web- and mobile software developers globally. According to a European Commission report, by 2020, 900,000 qualified ICT professionals will be missing from the market in Europe alone, whereby demand for skilled developers will be likely even higher in the USA. Successful businesses need to stay ahead of their competition through digital transformation and the introduction of new digital solutions and services to their clients,...

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