Member News, News

Compliance in 140 Characters or Less: FFIEC Supervisory Guidance on Financial Institutions’ Use of Social Media

Of critical importance for any financial institution using Twitter or other social media for business marketing and promoting purposes, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) has issued final supervisory guidance titled “Social Media: Consumer Compliance Risk Management Guidance” (the “Guidance”). The FFIEC issued proposed guidance on the subject on January 23, 2013, and received 81 official comments on the proposal. Importantly, the Guidance does not impose any new requirements on financial institutions, but rather is intended to help financial...

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Chapter News, News

EU Council adopts rules setting up single resolution mechanism

The Council today adopted a regulation establishing a single resolution mechanism for failing banks (PE-CONS 88/14). The creation of a single resolution mechanism (SRM) – with a central decision-making board and a single resolution fund – ensures that resolution decisions across participating member states will be taken in a coordinated and effective manner, minimising negative impacts on financial stability and reducing the dependence of banks on the creditworthiness of sovereigns. The aim is to ensure the orderly resolution of failing banks...

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Chapter News, News

EU welcomes new UN Convention on transparency for investor-state dispute settlement

The European Union welcomes the agreement reached on 9 July 2014 on a new United Nations convention to strengthen transparency in investor-state disputes. The Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration will make it easier to apply the UN’s transparency rules to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) carried out under existing investment treaties. ‘Improving transparency in ISDS is crucial,’ said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, welcoming the development. ‘Yesterday’s agreement shows that more and more countries are committed to transparency in...

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Member News, News

Getting your Digital House in Order: A Checklist of Website Legal Requirements, Part 3

In this three-part series of posts, we bring you a checklist of questions to help you tackle the challenge of website legal compliance.  Part 1 and Part 2 of this series are also available.. Do you have a privacy statement? In order to comply with the Data Protection Acts, your website must contain a privacy statement if you: collect personal data (for instance, where visitors fill in web forms, feedback forms, submit orders etc.); use cookies or web beacons; or otherwise collect personal data (for example, IP addresses,...

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Member News, News

Counsel to the Company: A Framework for Corporate Governance

We focus on key considerations of corporate counsel in assisting clients to navigate through the growing proliferation of governance-related rules and regulations. Identification of the Client As a threshold matter, counsel must identify, and remain clear as to, the identity of its client, which may be the company or a subsidiary, the Board or Board committee, or one or more executives. The identity of the client will inform the scope of counsel’s advice, the ranking by counsel of key considerations within...

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Chapter News, News

Ecofin discusses its work programme for the second half of 2014

Ecofin discusses its work programme for the second half of 2014 At the meeting on 8 July the ministers discussed the Economic and Financial Affairs Council's work programme and priorities for the second semester of 2014, presented by the Italian presidency. Structural reforms and investment in growth and jobs are the key priorities under the Italian presidency of the Council of the EU, which runs from 1 July through to the end of December 2014. Pier Carlo Padoan, the Italian Minister of...

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Member News, News

New York City lost a small piece of its soul this week

New York City lost a small piece of its soul this week as a result of a few noteworthy closings. The famed Bowlmor Lanes bowling alley near NYU was closed Monday night after a 76-year run. According to a report from the Daily News, the location is being converted into luxury condos. On Tuesday, New Yorkers abruptly learned that high-end cupcake maker Crumbs closed all locations, including several in New York. Investors' portfolios saw some losses of their own on Tuesday, as stocks were...

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Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Protecting public services in TTIP and other EU trade agreements

In the EU, public services such as healthcare and education are amongst the best in the world. They play a special role which Europeans value, and which EU law recognises. For that reason the EU, and individual EU countries, are required to protect public services in any new laws or policies they adopt - including EU-wide trade agreements with countries outside Europe. So all EU trade deals provide three important guarantees for public services – on regulation, monopolies and so-called 'national...

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Chapter News, News

EU Commissioner Šemeta at the ECOFIN press conference

Algirdas Šemeta, EU Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, Statistics, Audit and Anti-fraud at Economic and Finance Ministers Council | Brussels, 8 July 2014 Before I comment on the Italian Presidency Work programme, I would like to first thank the Greek presidency for all it achieved in the tax field. I'm not only speaking about the new legislation they succeeded in getting adopted but also the groundwork they did on many files, which should bring future successes. So, thanks to...

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Member News, News

GDLSK Alert: Gender Litigation for certain Footwear and Apparel Products

In 2007, litigation was initiated in the Court of International Trade (CIT) alleging that gender and age tariff rate disparities on identical or substantially similar products were discriminatory and unconstitutional. Cases were filed on behalf of numerous importers raising identical claims and a few test cases were selected (e.g.Totes-Isotoner Corp. v. United States, 569 F. Supp. 2d 1315 (2008) ("Totes")) and the rest of the cases were stayed pending the outcome of these cases . Unfortunately, the test cases were...

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