The corona pandemic, the ongoing Brexit and the emerging dominance of China in global markets are among the issues that pose multifaceted challenges for international trade relations. At a time when new Free Trade Agreements are being negotiated, we would like to examine how international trade can be shaped in the “World of New Normal” … Continue Reading
On May 5, 2020, the European Commission published (i) the Communication of the Action Plan (AP) for a comprehensive EU policy on the prevention of money laundering and financing terrorism (AML/CFT); (ii) the Delegated Regulation updating the countries identified as high risk countries for AML/CFT; and (iii) the methodology for the identification of high risk … Continue Reading
Like various other European Union member states, Poland has taken the first step to passage of a new act intended to screen foreign direct investments in Polish companies. The goal of the legislation is to protect Polish companies against take-over by non-EU/EEA investors. This post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of … Continue Reading
On June 2, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it would be initiating new Section 301 investigations examining digital services taxes (DSTs) adopted or under consideration by Austria, Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. USTR is requesting comments to inform their … Continue Reading
The EU’s trade commissioner had urged member states to ramp up screening levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to prevent predatory takeovers of key businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.… Continue Reading
The EU-27 and the UK have exchanged draft negotiating texts on their future trading relationship following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, indicating a polarity about how both sides see this future relationship.… Continue Reading
On March 11, 2020, President Trump announced via a nationally televised address that effective from 11:59 p.m. EDT, March 13, 2020, he would suspend or limit travel into the US from foreign nationals who have recently been in certain European countries in an effort to curtail the person-to-person transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the … Continue Reading
This blog post is being published for The Trade Practitioner as part of a content partnership with our Brexit Legal blog. Please contact Matthew Kirk with any questions. In the last week of February 2020 – amid some chest-beating ferocity on both sides – the EU and UK published their respective negotiating mandates for the … Continue Reading
After a lengthy procedure and a few unexpected changes within the commissioners list from below (i.e. rejection of the French, Romanian and Hungarian nominees) which led to a delay of the prompt start of the new commission mandate, the new Ursula von der Leyen (VDL) Commission officially took office on December 1, 2019, without a … Continue Reading
Watch a recording of our panel discussion from October 23, 2019 in Washington DC that examined some of the most critical aspects of Brexit and their short- and medium-term implications, including a potential roadmap to a US-UK free trade agreement, and what the impact of a possible Jeremy Corbyn government might mean for US-UK relations.… Continue Reading
The UK government has published the proposed customs duty rates that will apply to imported merchandise entering the UK from third countries after the country has left the European Union (EU) under a so-called no-deal scenario. Unless recent political developments require the UK government to extend that deadline, it has been indicated that the UK … Continue Reading
By now, avid watchers can agree that Prime Minister May’s resignation will further complicate the already-complex Brexit landscape. Her tenure in office had been looking increasingly challenged for some time. The immediate trigger for her resignation was her final attempt to get her Brexit deal done, which included the offer of the possibility of a … Continue Reading
Our Brexit team resides on both sides of the Atlantic and has multifaceted expertise to help you with any aspect of your Brexit planning and preparation. We have sectoral and subject expertise, backed by political and legal understanding and technical ability for in-depth analysis, which together can ensure you are properly informed and prepared for … Continue Reading
UPDATE: The Tariff Book was updated on May 10, 2019 to reflect an updated action on Section 301 by the Trump Administration that increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products (List 3). How To Use The Tariff Book Because there is so much information included in this Tariff Book, we have made the document fully searchable. … Continue Reading
UPDATE: On April 17, 2019, the European Commission launched a public consultation period on a preliminary list of products from the US to be considered for countermeasures in its own separate case against the US.… Continue Reading
After the UK government overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister May’s Withdrawal Agreement in January, the Prime Minister is back to negotiations with the EU in an attempt to hammer out a Brexit deal favorable for Britain before the 29 March deadline. … Continue Reading
UPDATE: The UK Export Control Joint Unit issued a general license authorizing export of dual-use goods from the UK to the EU in case of hard Brexit. The licence will enter into force on March 29, 2019 at 11 p.m. UK time. … Continue Reading
On October 15, 2018, the Council of the EU adopted new sanctions against people and entities involved in providing financial, technical or material support for or otherwise involved in any business transaction related to proliferation of chemical weapons. In particular, EU sanctions provide for the freezing of assets for sanctioned people/entities.… Continue Reading
In October 2018, the EU decided to amend its list of sanctioned entities and persons in the following countries: Burundi, Guinea and North Korea. Further, the European Commission added new persons to sanctions directed against the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida organizations, and removed restrictions imposed on one Iraqi entity. The up-to-date consolidated list of all entities and people subject to EU … Continue Reading
Directive 2009/43/EC (so-called the “Transfer Directive”) regulates terms and conditions of the transfer of defense-related products within the EU. According to the Transfer Directive, products are subject to licensing requirements to the extent they are “specially designed for military use”. The European Commission, in close cooperation with member states, has undertaken an initiative to clarify the scope of the term “specially designed … Continue Reading
The Council of the EU has decided to prolong the applications of Libya related sanctions against three persons until 2 October 2018. (Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/476)… Continue Reading
In order to implement the UN Security Council resolution of 30 January 2018, the Council of the EU has amended the scope of the exemptions to the embargo on exports of arms to the Central African Republic (CAR). In addition, the EU has amended the criteria for designation of persons and entities under the CAR-related sanctions. (Council Decision (CFSP) … Continue Reading
The UK Trade Bill continued to be debated in the House of Commons with a second reading taking place on 9 January 2018. One of the main contributions of the bill is the establishment of the UK Trade Remedies Authority, an institution responsible for investigations into trade remedies, a responsibility currently assigned to the European … Continue Reading
On 6 December 2017, the Venezuela (European Union Financial Sanctions) Regulations 2017 entered into force in the UK. This regulation implements Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 of 13 November 2017 and provides for the imposition of restrictive measures on persons or entities considered to be involved in undermining democratic principles and the rule of law, as … Continue Reading
