Below is a summary of new developments and key new measures that have been implemented by various UAE authorities since 19 April 2020 and the time of this inBrief, 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, 25 April 2020.I. First Phase of Easing of Lockdown and Movement Restrictions in DubaiThe Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management has announced a partial reduction in the restrictions on movement in Dubai starting from Friday 24 April 2020 ...
It is evident that the current lockdown is having an unprecedented slowdown in the movement of persons between EU Member States. This is not due to a restriction which was imposed by the EU itself but because of the restrictions which the Member States themselves imposed through their respective Public Health officials. It is noticeable that the legal restrictions on immigration were driven by the Member States' individual rules rather than by a general guideline from the EU ...
On April 23, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released new guidance that permits employers to test employees for COVID-19. In an update to its publication, “What You Should Know about COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and other EEO Laws,”[1] the EEOC advised that an employer “may choose to administer COVID-19 testing to employees before they enter the workplace to determine if they have the virus ...
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act allocated $100 billion to the United States Health and Human Services Department (“HHS”) to provide financial relief for eligible health care providers. The first $30 billion of what is now known as the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund was released earlier in April. This initial wave was allocated among providers in proportion to their 2019 Medicare fee-for-service payments ...
Key Points: New guidance from the SBA clarifies the "necessity" requirement for PPP loans. Start-ups should proceed with caution when planning to apply for a PPP loan. Since the passage over the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES ACT (the “Act”) start-ups and emerging companies have received mixed signals and guidance regarding their eligibility for loans and loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") ...
Since the passage over the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES ACT (the “Act”) start-ups and emerging companies have received mixed signals and guidance regarding their eligibility for loans and loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") ...
With the number of cases continuing to increase exponentially on a daily basis, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) has now been determined a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has affected at least 213 countries across the world. On 2 March 2020, the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo announced the country’s first confirmed case ...
We would like to provide you with an update on some changes in the legal regulation of medicines in Russia made due to dynamic spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) ...
The Small Business Administration emphasizes that businesses who participate in the Paycheck Protection Program must make a good faith certification that the loan request is “necessary” to support ongoing operations due to the current economic uncertainty ...
On 23 April 2020, the Municipal Court in Prague issued a judgment upholding the petition for annulment of certain measures of the Ministry of Health issued in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. With effect from 27 April 2020, the Court annulled two extraordinary measures of the Ministry of Health of 17 April 2020 and 26 March 2020 on the restriction of retail sales and two extraordinary measures of the Ministry of Health of 15 April 2020 and 23 3 ...
The new COVID Prague program focused on business activities in the Capital City of Prague followed the fate of its predecessors COVID I and COVID II. This means that the available funds were exhausted on the same day as the receipt of applications, which thus ends. The COVID I and COVID II programs are also exhausted. Entrepreneurs thus have no choice but to wait for the announcement of the conditions of the COVID III program ...
The Ministry of Finance proposes the abolition of a 4 percent real estate acquisition tax. The proposal will be discussed on Friday 17 April by the Coalition Council of the Government and the National Economic Council of the Government (NECG) ...
The Government recently approved the amendment of the Compensation Bonus Act. This Act, which was published in the Collection of Laws on 14 April 2020, and, with effect from 15 April 2020, introduced another instrument of support for self-employed persons whose business was negatively affected in connection with coronavirus. This extends the period for which the self-employed will be able to claim a bonus ...
Today, the federal government enacted the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (the “PPP/HCE Act”) to provide additional funding for loan and grant programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP/HCE Act modifies and increases funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, as discussed in greater detail here ...
Yesterday, in Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that a plaintiff in a trademark infringement suit is not required to show that the infringing defendant acted “willfully” to avail itself of the Lanham Act’s disgorgement remedy ...
Many companies are affected by the economic crisis resulting from the spread of Covid-19. We have previously reported that, under the EU state aid rules, there are certain opportunities for the state and other public entitiesto provide support to these companies or sectors. On 19 March 2020, the Commission adopted a temporary framework for state aid, which was amended and extended on 3 April 2020, with a view to limiting the economic and social impacts of Covid-19 ...
In a previous article we emphasised the importance of ensuring compliance with the competition rules even during an economic crisis – there are inter alia strict rules on cooperation between competitors. The outbreak of Covid-19 has led to a shortage of certain healthcare products ...
In a turn of events, likely in response to the headlines relating to companies and others returning PPP loan proceeds, on April 23, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of the Treasury updated the Paycheck Protection Program Loans Frequently Asked Questions to include Question 31, which has been seen by many as a change in eligibility. The CARES Act specifically suspended the SBA 7(a) loan program requirement that borrowers be unable to obtain credit elsewhere ...
On April 24, 2020, Governor Whitmer reaffirmed the stay-at-home measures set forth in Executive Order 2020-42, amended the scope of that order, and extended the duration of such measures through May 15, 2020 (unless modified earlier). While many of the restrictions from her prior executive orders remain in place, Executive Order 2020-59 includes some easing of in-person operation restrictions as well as some corresponding requirements for those operations ...
The CREG granted the possibility to defer the payment obligations of the marketers invoiced by XM S.A. E.S.P in their ASIC and LAC functions ...
The Public Utilities Superintendence submitted to the CREG concerns provided by public utility providers with respect to the provisions of Resolution 058 of 2020. In this regard, the main concern was that both workers in charge of measurement and users have shown reticence regarding the performing of consumptions measurements due to the high possibility of COVID 19 infection ...
The Philippine Government has issued a slew of resolutions and circulars as part of its response to the COVID 19 pandemic and unsurprisingly, a number of legal and practical issues have beset businesses and persons under the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)1. Like the rest of the world, the country is bracing itself for a new normal – in the way enterprises are run, services are rendered, everyday tasks are undertaken ...
The government announced that as of 20th April 2020, masks (or alternative face protections) are mandatory when going outside (for authorised reasons only) when the required interpersonal minimum distance of 2 meters cannot be guaranteed. This measure is also applicable in the work environment. On 17th April 2020, a new grand-ducal regulation introducing a series of health and safety measures to fight against Covid-19 entered into force ...
With nearly five years of enforcement experience since the coming into effect of the Competition Ordinance (Ordinance), on 16 April 2020, the Hong Kong Competition Commission (Commission) published a revised Leniency Policy for Undertakings Engaged in Cartel Conduct (Leniency Policy for Undertakings) and introduced a new Leniency Policy for Individuals Involved in Cartel Conduct (Leniency Policy for Individuals) (collectively, Leniency Policies) ...
In order to allow the importation of medicines and other products for human health,during the State of Emergency, the National Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs (DNFYD) of the Ministry of Health, has issued Resolution 280 of April 6, 2020 published in Official Gazette No ...