Chapter News, Trade & TTIP Related

Next stop in the trade debate: Bratislava

In the midst of the ongoing debate about our trade deal with Canada, and EU trade policy in general, I am heading to Bratislava. For the next two days, the Slovak capital will be the centre of EU trade policy discussions. I hope that the series of meetings planned there will bring us closer to the decision on the entry into force of the EU-Canada treaty. This agreement – CETA – is the most forward-looking free trade agreement that Canada...

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Member News

Steps For Conducting A Successful Pay Equity Audit

While laws prohibiting pay discrimination have been around for decades, recent legislative and regulatory changes, along with other trends, have propelled pay equity into the spotlight. This renewed focus on pay equity creates new challenges — and opportunities — for compliance-minded employers that not only strive to achieve fair pay practices in their workplaces, but also seek to minimize the risk of pay equity claims. One way for employers to face these issues head-on is to conduct pay audits. While...

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Member News

WPP says its targeting European assets post-Brexit

The world's largest advertising group snaps up a stake in a French media group and promises to make Europe a priority to avoid fallout from Britain's EU exit. Britain's WPP plc (WPPGY) is bulking up on European assets claiming it has little choice but to buy businesses in some of its key markets in the wake of the U.K.'s Brexit vote. The world's largest advertising firm by revenues announced, on Thursday, Sept. 22, the acquisition of a stake in French media...

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Member News

Global Professional Search and National Peace Corps Association Partner to Connect the Peace Corps Community to Jobs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At the annual Peace Corps Connect conference, Global Professional Search (GPS) and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) formally announce a partnership to connect Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and former Peace Corps employees to careers that leverage the cultural and language proficiency acquired during their overseas experience. <img alt="Global Professional Search Logo" class="Maw(100%)" src="https://l3.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/bxJVkE4_qAZefYO9LpGOxg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160920/410213LOGO"/>Employers, visit GPS to hire a Peace Corps volunteer or former employee. Candidates, visit GPS to create your profile today. GPS is the leading...

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Member News

Blockchain in the Financial Sector

In this contribution, we focus on the uses of the blockchain in the financial sector. In its most extensive form, blockchain technology could dramatically change the financial sector and monetary systems. Virtual currencies Even without making use of virtual currencies, such as bitcoin, blockchains can be used to settle transactions quickly and cheaply by rendering the involvement of traditional players in the banking system superfluous. This is done by making assets "intelligent". We'll write more about this in a later...

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Chapter News, Trade & TTIP Related

15th Round Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Negotiations

15th Round Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Negotiations October 3 – October 7, 2016 New York, NY NEGOTIATIONS The fifteenth round of U.S. - EU negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) agreement will take place in New York, NY from October 3 - 7. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will host an extended Chief Negotiator's briefing for stakeholders to provide an update on negotiations and solicit input and feedback from interested stakeholders on Wednesday, October 5, as well...

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Chapter News

Julian King Set to Become U.K.’s Last EU Commissioner

Julian King is poised to become the U.K.’s last European Union commissioner, in charge of implementing the bloc’s security polices, after a key committee of EU lawmakers approved his nomination on Tuesday. Mr. King’s performance during a three-hour hearing on Monday evening in the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee was convincing enough for the committee to endorse his nomination, said Claude Moraes, the committee chair. “We think he should be appointed as the next commissioner for the security union,” Mr. Moraes...

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Chapter News

Malmström and Froman discussed TTIP progress, next round

Today, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström met with US Trade Representative Michael Froman in Brussels to take stock of the ongoing negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). After the meeting, Malmström and Froman made the following statement: "We had a good meeting where we reviewed the substantial progress being made and discussed next steps for moving forward. We have directed our teams to make as much progress as possible during the next round, scheduled for the week of...

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Member News

Tax Alert – Dutch Government presents the 2017 Budget

On 20 September 2016, the Dutch government presented the 2017 Budget.  As part thereof legislative proposals were submitted to Dutch Parliament on the amendment of certain tax laws in the Netherlands. Below, we will summarize some of the rules which are relevant for internationally oriented corporate taxpayers, that will apply as from 1 January 2017. Please note that the summary is based on the current version of the legislative proposal which is still subject to parliamentary approval.   In addition to...

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Member News

OECD: Belgium Has Third Best Education System

Education in Belgium ranks third-best among the 35 OECD countries, well above the EU and world averages, with the highest level of pre-school participation, good teachers and a broad and flexible higher education system. The ranking is based on a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Belgium is one of only six countries in the EU to meet the benchmark level performance on at least seven out of 10 targets set by the OECD and measured...

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