The Pensions Regulator (tPR) has published a consultation introducing its proposed guidance (‘Draft Guidance’) on pensions climate risk. The Draft Guidance follows on from the introduction of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Climate Change Governance and Reporting) Regulations 2021 (‘Regulations’) ...
As of today, July 26 the Chilean borders will open so that all those who have a “Mobility Pass” can exit the country, although current restrictions for non-resident foreigners have been maintained. The is subject to modification in view of the development of the Covid-19 outbreak in the national territory ...
Introduction The ‘golden thread’ of modified universalism in cross border insolvency has long been an aspiration, rather than a rule. [1] The common law concepts of recognition and assistance play a key role in achieving that aspiration. In recent years these concepts have been affirmed but scaled back, by decisions such as that in Singularis Holdings Limited v PricewaterhouseCoopers ...
On May 25, deputies Karim Bianchi, Boris Barrera, Jaime Naranjo, Alexis Sepúlveda and Pedro Velásquez presented a bill That seeks to to assign the Chilean Competition Court ( Tribunal for the Defense of Free Competition - " TDLC ") the authority to Set maximum consumer prices for food and housing repair related-products, in the event of a constitutional state of exception ...
The UK Government has this week announced what would be the biggest shake-up of the competition and consumer protection policy landscape for the last 20 years. On 20 July 2021 the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a consultation document setting out its proposals for sweeping reforms of the UK’s competition and consumer protection law regimes and inviting responses by 1 October 2021 ...
What is to come: new ESG reporting requirements Norway introduced legislation presenting social reporting requirements already in 2013 through the introduction of section 3-3 of the Norwegian Accounting Act in anticipation of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive 2014/95 (NFRD) ...
In summary, this note includes information in relation to: the UK REIT regime; advantages of using a Jersey company as the REIT vehicle; TISE listing process and listing document requirements; TISE’s continuing obligations requirements; and Carey Olsen and our REIT experience. We trust that the above will be of assistance ...
Since March 2020, the United States and Canada have agreed upon mutually reciprocal COVID-19 related travel restrictions. U.S. and Canadian officials mutually determined that “non-essential” travel between the U.S. and Canada “poses additional risk of transmission and spread of the virus associated with COVID-19 and places the populace of both nations at increased risk of contracting the virus associated with COVID-19 ...
We have this year assisted with numerous new financings, covering everything from new bank syndicates, refinancings, direct lending and bond loans. It has in periods been especially hectic within the shipping, aviation and renewable energy sectors. On the regulatory side, we have had a particular focus on the LIBOR transition ...
Following July 8, 2021’s Client Alert, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) posted its CFL Transition Checklist for existing California Financing Law licensees to begin the license administration transition over to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) portal. The deadline for submitting CFL transition applications through the NMLS portal is December 31, 2021 ...
By: Jenni Krengel and Tonie Bitseff On Friday, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2021-30 expanding the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System ("EPCRS")—a voluntary program for correcting errors in tax-qualified and section 403(b) plans—by adding two new methods for recouping benefit overpayments, among other changes ...
The Finance Minister of India in the 2021-22 Union Budget had announced that the Government proposes to review 400 exemption notifications. The exemption on more than 150 items, currently exempted under Notifications Nos. 14/2006-Customs dated 01.03.2006, 26/2011-Customs dated 01.03.2011 and 50/2017-Customs dated 30.06.2017 could be axed. The Telecom, Information Technology, Wind Power, Textiles and Pharmaceuticals are a few of the affected sectors ...
Financial ServicesRuling of Shariah Advisory Council of Bank Negara Malaysia on QardAt its 213th meeting of the Shariah Advisory Council (“SAC”) of Bank Negara Malaysia, the SAC ruled that the method under Malaysian Financial Reporting Standard (“MFRS”) 17 Insurance Contracts and MFRS 9 Financial Instruments may be adopted to measure qard (interest free loan) for transactions between shareholders’ fund and takaful fund ...
From a competition law standpoint, the regulation of sport presents a difficult conundrum. On the one hand, sports regulations may limit the ability of economic actors (including sportspeople) to win business through unrestricted competition. On the other hand, without such regulations, the essential core of the sport (and the business interests built around it) may be undermined ...
The parties to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) have agreed to formally commence an accession process with the UK. Ahead of the start of formal negotiations, the UK Government has set out its strategic approach to accession ...
Directors have a fiduciary duty to their companies as they hold positions of trust and confidence and as a result, have an obligation to act in good faith and in the company’s best interests. Ghana’s new Companies Act (Act 992) introduces provisions concerning amongst others, the requirement for Directors to deal transparently while handling transactions, and their obligations when managing conflict-of-interest situations ...
Utility bills can bring unwelcome surprises: a water bill that reminds you of the extra irrigation costs incurred during a heat wave, an electric bill that makes you realize how much extra power is used when working from home or gaming nonstop, an embarrassing cable bill documenting how many shows you binge-watched last month ...
In a move that will allow greater flexibility for traveling to the United States, the State Department recently announced National Interest Exceptions (NIEs) issued to foreign nationals in the last 12 months who are covered by COVID-related Presidential Proclamations (PPs) will now be valid for 12 months, rather than the previous 30-days. In addition, these NIEs will allow for the ability to use them for multiple entries during the new validity period ...
On July 13, 2021, Ohio Lieutenant Governor John Husted announced the introduction of the Ohio Personal Privacy Act (OPPA), a comprehensive privacy framework following in the footsteps of recent legislative enactments in California (the CCPA as modified by the CPRA), Virginia (the CDPA), and Colorado (the Colorado Privacy Act) ...
On Dec. 29, 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a final rule amending Regulation Z’s Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage (QM) requirements (the New Rule). Regulation Z requires creditors to make a reasonable, good-faith determination of a consumer’s ability to repay their residential mortgage loan. Loans that comply with Regulation Z’s requirements qualify for certain protections from liability ...
When the lockdown was a fact in March 2020, Norwegian courts demonstrated a great willingness to keep the wheels of the Norwegian litigation system going by rapidly transitioning to conducting court hearings through video meetings, and by resolving a larger number of cases through written proceedings. The question going forward is whether experiences gained through the pandemic should change how civil procedures are conducted, and if so, what these changes should be ...
As per our earlier articles, in late 2020, the SBA began requiring borrowers with First Draw PPP loans $2 million or greater to complete a PPP Loan Necessity Questionnaire (Form 3509 (For Profit Borrowers) or Form 3510 (Non-Profit Borrowers)) as part of the forgiveness process. These forms were the subject of a lawsuit in December 2020 advanced by the Associated General Contractors of America (“AGC”) ...
Starting around October 26, 2020, the Small Business Administrations (the “SBA”) asked Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) lenders to provide certain questionnaires to PPP borrowers with loans of $2 million or greater. There are two questionnaire forms on the Treasury: Form 3509 for for-profit borrowers and Form 3510 for non-profit borrowers ...
