Bulgaria is the second largest producer of raw tobacco in Europe after Italy and has been a leading exporter of cigarettes and tobacco products from the 1920s onward. Slance Stara Zagora Tabac is a leading Bulgarian producer of cigarettes and tobacco products with rich experience in the selection and skillful blending of classic American and Virginia blends ...
The Competition Commission of India (“CCI”) has revised the Competition Commission of India (Procedure in regard to the transaction of business relating to combinations) Regulations, 2011 (Combination Regulations), making them more forward looking, in keeping with some of the best practices in other jurisdictions. The instant revision is the fourth instance in the four years since the introduction of the merger control regime in India ...
On June 29, President Obama signed the Trade Preferences and Extension Act of 2015, which significantly increases penalties for the failure to file correct information returns under I.R.C. § 6721 and the failure to furnish statements to payees pursuant to I.R.C. § 6722. The new law increases the penalty from $100 to $250 for each violation of either statute ...
Restraints of trade - Scope of rules: 1. Are restrictive agreements and practices regulated? If so, what are the substantive provisions and regulatory authority? Restrictive agreements and practices may qualify as anti-competitive concerted practices (that is, practices that resulted or may result in prevention, elimination or restriction of competition). There is a general prohibition of anti-competitive concerted practices, unless an exemption applies (see Question 3) ...
On 5 January 2015, the Minister of Trade issued Regulation No. 4/M-DAG/PER/1/2015 of 2015 on Provisions to Use a Letter of Credit for Exporting Certain Commodities (“MOT Regulation 4”). One of the goals of MOT Regulation 4 is to provide a clear and verifiable record of prices actually paid by foreign buyers for exported natural resource products ...
On April 14, 2015, the White House announced that President Obama intends to remove Cuba from the government’s list of nations that sponsor terrorism. This decision follows a series of important changes to US policies and regulations affecting business and commercial transactions between the United States and Cuba ...
Private sector, investors and experts agree that the Government of El Salvador has to improve the business climate to attract more national and foreign investment that would contribute to increase the Gross Domestic Product and improve in this way the living conditions of the population ...
A country’s competitiveness depends in part on its capacity to attract foreign investorsinterested in the acquisition of local companies ...
On 26 January 2015, President Joko Widodo swore in Mr. Triawan Munaf as the Head of the Creative Economic Board (BEK – Badan Ekonomi Kreatif). BEK is tasked to strengthen the role of creative economic businesses, including protection for Indonesian creative crafts ...
Earlier this month, President Obama announced historic changes to U.S. policy and relevant regulations regarding diplomatic engagement, travel and trade with Cuba. The White House’s new policy represents the most dramatic shift in U.S. policy to Cuba since the enactment of the embargo in 1961. As a result of this new policy, a number of sectors of the U.S. economy are likely to see new opportunities in Cuban trade ...
On 5 December 2014, the Hong Kong Government formally released its draft legislation to waive stamp duty for the transfer of shares or units of all exchange traded funds (“ETFs”). The Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2014 will be introduced into the Legislative Council on 17 December 2014 (“the Bill”). It is expected to have wide support ...
The Ministry of Finance announced that an improvement in the online inquiry concerning the value of declared merchandises intends to reduce under-declaration in 20%. For the purpose of establishing better controls on imported merchandises, the National Service of Customs of the Ministry of Finance has intensified and integrated software tools to apply in a more efficient and effective manner instruments of control over the value declared for the entry and exit of goods ...
On 25 June 2014 the European Commission announced adoption of the Commission Communication “Notice on agreements of minor importance which do not appreciably restrict competition under Article 101(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (De Minimis Notice).” The De Minimis Notice was published in the Official Journal on 30 August 2014 (OJ C 291/1). The De Minimis Notice follows the existing practice of the Commission and the case law of the European Court of Justice ...
PLMJ has launched the new version of its Portugal Investment Guide, which reflects PLMJ’s experience in handling innumerable investment projects in Portugal in a range of sectors, throughout its 45-year history.This Investment Guide proves that Portugal has increasingly competitive conditions – in terms of technology, workforce, infrastructure, logistics, geography, law and tax – to continue to attract large-scale investment projects ...
After signing the Bilateral Investment Treaties (“BITs”) with Turkey on July 28 and with France on July 10, and ratifying the BIT with Japan on June 25, Colombia significantly moves forward on the protection of foreign investments. These agreements pursue the establishment of a fair, safe and transparent juridical framework in order to draw foreign investors to Colombia and bolster Colombian investments abroad ...
Protection of the use of the term “Rooibos” has long been a topical issue. However, an economic partnership agreement between Southern African nations and the European Union (EU) has recently been signed which will secure geographic indicator status for rooibos tea in the EU. This is the latest in a number of acts by the South African government which has secured intellectual property protection for the indigenous brew ...
Almost exactly a decade ago, on August 5, 2004, the United States signed the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement ("DR-CAFTA") with the Dominican Republic and five Central American counties (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua)> The DR-CAFTA, which was the very first free trade agreement between the United States and a group of smaller developing economies, entered into force for the United State, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
The Anti-Monopoly Bureau (AMB) of the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) has recently published the following provisions and guidelines relating to the review procedure for merger clearance with AMB (AMB Clearance): (1) "Tentative Provisions on Standards for Simple Cases of Concentration of Undertakings " (Standards), published on 11 February 2014; (2) Trial Guidelines on Notification of Simple Cases of Concentration of Undertakings" (Trial Guidelines) , published on 18 April 2014; and (3) R
In 2014, China’s Premier Li Keqiang chose Africa as the destination for his very first foreign trip, marking a milestone in China-Africa cooperation. His travels commenced on 4 May and included countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya. Premier Li’s visit undoubtedly reflects the emphasis China is placing on Africa ...
In a recent judgement delivered by the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court in Atelier Etude Limousin & Ors vs BPCE International Et Outre Mer & Anor 2014 SCJ 166 the court confirmed the prevailing practice that foreign companies could be granted fixed or floating charges by Mauritian entity as security for a financing ...
Presidential Regulation No. 39 of 2014 on The List of Business Fields that are Closed or Conditionally Open for Investment (the Negative Investment List/daftar Negatif Investasi (DNI)/“Negative List”) was issued recently and became effective on 24 April 2014. This new negative investment list revises and replaces the 2010 regulation. The new Negative List revises the components of the 2010 list classified as: a) closed for investment; and b) conditionally open for investment ...
In recent years, Nicaragua has experienced sustained economic growth, as a result of a strict management of its fiscal, financial, monetary and exchange policies. Its business-related administrative procedures and laws have contributed to a strong inflow of direct foreign investment, so much that the country intends to exceed this year an amount of 1500 million in investments in sectors such as: power, manufacture, agriculture, tourism and others ...
The movement of information across national borders drives today’s global economy. Cross-border data transfers allow businesses and consumers access to the best available technology and services, wherever those resources may be located around the world. The free-flow of data across borders benefits all industry sectors, from manufacturing to financial services, education, health care and beyond ...
