Member News

Finland to open a Consulate General in Houston

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is continuing to strengthen the network of Finnish missions abroad by opening a third Consulate General in the United States. The new Consulate General will be located in Houston, Texas. Finland currently has three foreign missions in the United States: the Embassy of Finland in Washington, D.C., and Consulates General in New York on the East Coast and Los Angeles on the West Coast. The Consulate General in Houston is scheduled to start its operations...

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Chapter News

ECB | The role of the digital euro in digital payments and finance

Contribution to Bancaria by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, based on remarks at the Crypto Asset Lab Conference on 17 January 2025 Being a key player in digital payments and digital finance should be a priority for Europe. As Mario Draghi pointed out in his recent report, the productivity gap between the United States and the European Union is mostly explained by technology and finance. If we take the information and communications technology (ICT) and financial sectors...

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Chapter News

European Commission | Commission simplifies rules on sustainability and EU investments, delivering over €6 billion in administrative relief

The European Commission has adopted a new package of proposals to simplify EU rules, boost competitiveness, and unlock additional investment capacity. This is a major step forward in creating a more favourable business environment to help EU companies grow, innovate, and create quality jobs. By bringing our competitiveness and climate goals together, we are creating the conditions for EU businesses to thrive, attract investment, achieve our shared goals – such as the European Green Deal objectives – and unlock our...

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Chapter News

European Commission | A Clean Industrial Deal for competitiveness and decarbonisation in the EU

Today, the Commission presents the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of our industry. The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe. Faced with high energy costs and fierce and often unfair global competition, our industries need urgent support. This Deal positions decarbonisation as a powerful driver of growth for European industries. This framework can drive competitiveness as it gives certainty and predictability to companies and investors that Europe...

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Member News

Vulcan View: The latest EU developments 24 February – 28 February

EU unveils €100 billion Clean Industrial Deal to boost green competitiveness On Wednesday, 26 February, the European Commission announced its plan for EU competitiveness and decarbonisation through the Clean Industrial Deal. The strategy comes in response to increased competition from China and the U.S. with EU officials claiming that Europe can win on green technology. There will be €100 billion in short-term relief to increase green manufacturing in the EU. The goal is to help traditional industries cut carbon emissions and boost...

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Member News

Thompson Hine | President Trump Issues America First Investment Policy Memorandum Impacting FDI into the U.S. and Outbound Investment to Foreign Adversaries

On February 21, 2025, President Trump issued the America First Investment Policy Memorandum (“Memorandum”). The Memorandum aims to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) from “allies and partners” while restricting inbound investment from and outbound investment to “foreign adversaries,” such as China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela. To achieve its FDI aims, the Memorandum requests a review of various Committee on Foreign Investment into the United States (CFIUS) procedures, limits the...

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Member News, Trade & TTIP Related

AlixPartners | 2025 Container Shipping Outlook: Navigating the crosscurrents

Well, that was unexpected. With some 3 million 20-foot-equivalent units (TEU) in new capacity poised to come online in 2024, after 3 years of controlled capital spending, carriers went into the year anticipating a reversion to the chronic overcapacity that has long weighed on the industry’s profitability. But market fundamentals changed drastically in November 2023, when Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a campaign of attacks on Red Sea shipping. Virtually overnight, 7-8% of global capacity was diverted as Red Sea...

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Member News

Mason Hayes & Curran | TUPE: Top Tips for Transferors and Transferees

TUPE regulations impose strict responsibilities and obligations on both the transferor (outgoing employer) and the transferee (incoming employer). Our Employment Law & Benefits team reviews the key aspects of TUPE and shares practical tips to help employers stay compliant. What you need to know The law governing the transfer of undertakings (TUPE) is complex and involves a number of obligations for both the transferor and transferee. Transferors and transferees must engage in a statutory information and consultation process with representatives...

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Chapter News, Trade & TTIP Related

European Commission | Speech by Commissioner Šefčovič at the American Enterprise Institute event on ‘EU-US Cooperation on Trade and Economic Security’

"Check against delivery" Thank you for your warm welcome and for hosting this timely discussion. It has been almost exactly a year since I last visited Washington, D.C. In fact, I realised that I have been here every February since 2022 – when Russia invaded Ukraine –each time marking a significant moment in our relationship. This year is no different, as I am here to address a critical issue: the U.S. administration's proposal to impose tariffs on EU exports. This has sparked concerns...

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Chapter News

European Commission | Speech by President von der Leyen at the Munich Security Conference 2025

“Check against delivery” Bundespräsident Steinmeier, Ministerpräsident Söder, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Like so many of you, I have been coming here for many years. From the times when it was an exclusively transatlantic audience to today, when we see political, business and thought leaders from right across the world. This is a testament not only to the great success of the Munich Security Conference. But it also reflects on how the rest of the world impacts our security and our transatlantic relationship. Our task here...

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