Does the Covid-19 pandemic (or actions taken to counter the spread of Covid-19) constitute a Force Majeure in a refit/ repair contract? Is there any implied right of relief for the contractor or the owner? Under English law, unlike civil law systems, a force majeure is neither defined nor automatically applicable to commercial contracts ...
On April 6, 2020, the National Consumer Service (SERNAC) published the "Interpretative Circular on distance contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic", which seeks to set general guidelines regarding distance contracting with consumers during the constitutional state of catastrophe due to public calamity. To safeguard the basic rights embodied in Law No ...
On Saturday, April 4, 2020, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued a business review letter to a number of providers of Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) and pharmaceutical products, stating that the DOJ “presently does not intend to challenge” their efforts to expedite and increase manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution of PPE and medications in connection with Project Airbridge ...
Below is a summary of key new measures and initiatives that have been implemented and announced by various UAE authorities since 6 April 2020 and the time of this inBrief, 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 April 2020 ...
As misinformation on COVID-19 continues to spread, there is another more serious threat being dispersed through back trade channels and that is of counterfeit goods either for sale at exorbitant prices or fake goods proclaiming to cure or treat the virus. In 2018, Forbes announced that counterfeiting was the largest criminal enterprise in the world[1] and the sales of counterfeit and pirated goods totals $1.7 trillion per year, which is more than drugs and human trafficking ...
This supplements our inBrief dated 3 April 2020, which reported on measures implemented by the UAE authorities in response to COVID-19 up to 9:00 a.m. that day. Many new measures have been introduced since then. We now report on new measures taken up to 9:00 a.m. on Monday 6 April 2020 ...
With the Treasurer's recent announcement on Sunday 29 March 2020 that monetary screening thresholds have been reduced for all foreign investors, our team takes you through what this means for potential transactions. With the Treasurer's recent announcement on Sunday 29 March 2020 that screening thresholds have been reduced for all foreign investors, our team takes you through what this means for potential acquisitions ...
The UAE continues to implement new measures on a daily basis to curb the spread of COVID-19. Those measures are being adopted, announced and implemented at a very rapid pace. For ease of reference, we present here a summary of the key measures that have been implemented by various UAE authorities between 18 March 2020 and the time of this inBrief, 9:00 a.m. on Friday, 3 April 2020 ...
On April 2, President Trump moved to use the Defense Production Act of 1950 (“DPA”) to expand the authority of the Department of Homeland Security to intervene in the private sector to order and prioritize production of supplies and equipment needed to address the coronavirus pandemic ...
The Coronavirus pandemic is impacting every business sector across the globe. Many new resources, however, including the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provide franchise and hospitality businesses with opportunities for relief. The following information is intended to aid franchise and hospitality companies in understanding options available to them during this time ...
On March 24, 2020, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC” or the “Commission”) unanimously approved its final interpretive guidance (“Final Guidance”) regarding retail commodity transactions involving certain digital assets ...
(continuation from Part I - separate article) Part II - "Antivirus Programme" - Financial Assistance to Czech Employers The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs was mandated by the Government to further prepare a compensation program for entrepreneurs who continue to operate but whose production has decreased due to measures (category C of the Antivirus Programme) ...
Due to the reforms and additions to the General Health Act in matters of obesity and labeling of food and non-alcoholic beverages setting a frontal warning system, published in the Federal Official Gazette (Spanish Acronym - DOF) on November 8, 2019 ...
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the food industry, just as it has many others. The good news is that food-to-person transmission of the disease does not seem to be a risk. The challenge remains keeping workers safe from airborne and surface transmission. However, the FDA and the USDA have provided guidance and recommendations to food producers to deal with COVID-19, links to which have been provided below. The guidance focuses on stopping the person-to-person spread of the disease ...
As a result of the COVID-19 changes to foreign investment in Australia announced on Sunday, investors that are now caught by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) regime will also be subject to scrutiny from other regulators. Our team explains what this means for investors and what they can do to manage this process ...
Considering the Covid-19 pandemic and Chile's declaration of a State of Catastrophe, the National Customs Service ("Servicio Nacional de Aduanas," SNA) has issued certain regulation to facilitate electronic foreign and domestic trade operations and to protect the health of people involved in its operations. Regulations currently in force and effect: A. Circular Letter No ...
Perhaps, one of the facts which creates the highest expectations among those of us who manage the second or third defense line is risk materialization. That is to say, for a risk to become an event and generate some kind of impact. And from there on, the possibility of verifying the effectiveness of the controls designed, the residual risk and feeding back the matrix ...
In the tough times of battling the coronavirus, many tenants are seeking ways to reduce their rent, release themselves from the obligation to pay rent, or avoid other obligations under their existing leases ...
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced a period for public comment on excluding medical goods from Section 301 China tariffs if they are needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The USTR notice was published in the Federal Register on March 25, 2020. The USTR previously granted approximately 200 exclusions from Section 301 tariffs for medical goods because they are needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S ...
Impact of the Czech Government measures on employment relations The current situation has a considerable impact on employment relations ...
COVID II programme – Government financial support for self-employed and small and medium-sized enterprises Aid for self-employed persons ('self-employed') and small and medium-sized enterprises ('SMEs') affected by anti-coronavirus measures pursuant to the Czech Government’s 'COVID GUARANTEE' programme was exhausted in one day ...
Czech Government Approves Mitigation Measures Related to Coronavirus Emergency UPDATED In connection with the coronavirus emergency, the Czech government has approved a liberation tax package aimed at mitigating the consequences of the emergency ...
Czech Health Ministry's Special Measures UPDATED The government explicitly stated in the Emergency Resolution that the Health Ministry’s existing emergency measures are not to be affected by the state of emergency, which means that they remain valid and must be observed. All the Health Ministry’s special measures introduced valid after the emergency was announced must be observed as well. A brief summary (updated on 19March 2020) is outlined below ...
