Chapter News

Commerce Department Releases Reports Ranking Top Export Markets

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today released the second set of Top Markets Reports that provides the latest assessment of export opportunities for U.S. companies in 19 sectors. As part of the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Top Markets Series launched in 2015, the report ranks future export markets within a particular industry, delivering in-depth commentary on key opportunities, trends, and challenges facing U.S. companies looking to expand their businesses and export globally. “The Department of Commerce is committed to providing exporters...

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New York Related News

Governor Cuomo Announces $1.1 Million to Support the Development of the Agricultural Industry

Funding Approved By the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority For Nine Projects in the Finger Lakes Region Investments Advance 'Finger Lakes Forward' Plan for Bolstering Industry; More than $6.5 Million Has Been Awarded to 60 Projects Since 2011 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $1.1 million for projects that strengthen the research, promotion and development of New York State's agricultural industry. The funding, approved by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority, supports efforts range from upgrading equipment at the New York...

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Member News

Council of Europe Adopts the NIS Directive

On 17 May 2016, the Council of Europe formally adopted the Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive, a Commission proposal in response to increasing concerns about cyber-attacks and privacy breaches. Agreed by Member States on 18 December 2015, the Directive aims to ensure a higher common threshold of cybersecurity across the EU through three main measures: • Enhancing Member States' national cybersecurity capabilities by requiring Member States to define cyber-security strategic objectives and regulatory measures; • Creating a "Cooperation Group" to support...

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Member News

Risk in Review: Going the Distance

Risk resiliency + risk agility = enduring success in PwC's 2016 Risk in review study. We live in turbulent times. Companies across industries have faced an unprecedented confluence of risks. It's no wonder that in PwC’s 19th Annual Global CEO study, 66% of CEOs saw more threats to their business than opportunities. To remain competitive, companies must pursue two parallel strategies: 1. Building agile and flexible risk management frameworks that can anticipate and prepare for the shifts that bring long-term success and 2. Building the resiliency that will enable those frameworks...

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Member News

Intangible Assets & Property Taxes

Property consists of two basic types - tangible and intangible. Intangible property is exempt in some US states, while almost all tangible property is taxable. Some states exempt all intangibles, while others exempt only certain parts of intangible property. In either case, the tax savings can be substantial. If you do business in a state that exempts intangibles, that value can reduce your tax burden. It is well worth the time to find out what is and what isn’t taxable...

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Member News

Tax Alert – Still no unanimous agreement on the EU Anti Tax Avoidance Directive

The EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (“Ecofin”) was expected to adopt the so-called EU Anti Tax Avoidance Directive (the “ATAD”) during its meeting held on 25 May 2016.  However, due to disagreements among the delegations of the EU Member States on certain measures included in the proposed ATAD, the aim of the meeting was no longer to adopt it, but to resolve the remaining political issues regarding the measures included therein and to agree on a general approach...

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Chapter News

New Crop of Companies Reaping Profits From Wasted Food

Several start-ups are chasing ways to use food waste to make other edibles. Some are aiming to quickly distribute food that is about to be thrown out. And yet others are working to use every last ounce of ingredients. Food waste, in other words, is now a platform for commerce. “I’m convinced there’s a business that’s a kind of Uber for refrigerated trucks,” said Jesse Fink, a founder of the travel site Priceline who now calls himself a food waste evangelist. The...

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Chapter News

Energy prices in the EU in 2015 – Household electricity prices rose by 2.4%… … while household gas prices fell by 1.7%

In the European Union (EU), household electricity prices rose by 2.4% on average between the second half of 2014 and the second half of 2015 to reach €21.1 per 100 kWh. Since 2008, electricity prices in the EU have risen by 33%. Across the EU Member States, household electricity prices in the second half of 2015 ranged from below €10 per 100 kWh in Bulgaria to more than €30 per 100 kWh in Denmark. Full text available on EUROSTAT website Compliments...

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Chapter News

Speech by Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič at the Energy Fest (Start Up Event) in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, 26 May 2016 Ladies and gentlemen, Let me start by thanking you for inviting me to this first edition of the Energy Fest, hopefully the first of a long series. One of the most brilliant European minds of all times, Lenardo Da Vinci once said that "people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things". By 'happening to things', Da Vinci meant questioning axioms, challenging the common wisdom, and above all daring...

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Chapter News

EU-US “Privacy Shield” for data transfers: further improvements needed, MEPs say

The EU Commission should go on negotiating with the USA to remedy “deficiencies” in proposed “Privacy Shield” protection for EU citizens’ data transferred to the US for commercial purposes, Parliament says in a non-legislative resolution passed on Thursday. In the resolution, passed by 501 votes to 119 with 31 abstentions, MEPs welcome the efforts of the Commission and the US administration to achieve "substantial improvements" in the Privacy Shield compared to the Safe Harbour decision which it is to replace. However,...

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