What Happened: OFAC settled with BitGo, Inc. for $98,830, resolving 183 apparent violations of multiple US sanctions programs for processing digital currency transactions on behalf of individuals located in sanctioned jurisdictions ...
At Christmas, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) consisting of 1256 pages was finally agreed between the EU and the UK. Crucially, the Agreement is between the EU and UK only and not the EU and its member states and the UK. The TCA establishes a free trade area for goods and services, in accordance with the WTO law. Both sides can apply trade remedies as is usual for free trade agreements such as on condition anti-dumping duties, anti-subsidy duties, and economic safeguards ...
At Christmas, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) consisting of 1256 pages was finally agreed between the EU and the UK. Crucially, the Agreement is between the EU and UK only and not the EU and its member states and the UK. The TCA establishes a free trade area for goods and services, in accordance with the WTO law. Both sides can apply trade remedies as is usual for free trade agreements such as on condition anti-dumping duties, anti-subsidy duties, and economic safeguards ...
Key Points Past and future PPP loan recipients can deduct PPP loan-funded eligible expenses for federal tax purposes even if the loan is forgiven. Expanded eligibility for new loans to include new categories of employers; existing borrowers who have not yet received loan forgiveness may increase loan amount based on expanded allowable expenses ...
On Dec. 16, 2020, OCIE issued a new Risk Alert focused on the compliance efforts of investment advisers and broker-dealers regarding Rule 13h-1 (the Rule). The Rule was enacted in order to help the SEC identify market participants that conduct significant amounts of trading activity in national market system (NMS) securities. Generally, NMS securities are exchange-listed equity securities and standardized options ...
On Dec. 22, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to five companies for violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) related to the sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products.[i] CBD is the primary non-psychotropic compound in Cannabis sativa plant. The FDA stated the companies who were served warning letters illegally marketed CBD products for the treatment or prevention of medical conditions, including COVID-19 ...
On Jan. 19, 2021, the two recent final rules issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the Physician-Self Referral Law (Stark Law) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) regulations (respectively the OIG Final Rule and the CMS Rule, collectively the Final Rules) will become effective ...
If anyone had told you that 2020 would be a year in which you are virtually guaranteed a lie-flat bed in economy class, businesses instructed employees not to come into the office, and budget supermarket Sheng Siong’s shares outperformed bank blue chip DBS’s, you would have sent the chap to have his head checked.But as the new coronavirus spread worldwide, the ensuing Covid-19 pandemic forced billions into lockdown ...
After a hectic first quarter, the focus shifted dramatically after the lockdown in mid-March. Within a few days, we went from negotiating new financings within most industries to assisting our clients with urgent waivers and liquidity loans. After the initial chaotic period, we have, however, seen a more normalized period with considerable activity where strong companies and good projects have been able to obtain new financings on acceptable terms ...
On December 27, 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission (“NDRC”) and the Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) issued two revised versions of negative lists (collectively the “2021 Foreign Investment Negative Lists”), which came into effect on January 1, 2022: Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Foreign Investment Access (2021 Edition) (the “2021 National Negative List”) ...
On January 4, 2021, law No. 21, 299, which allows the postponement of mortgage loans installments and sets a state guaranty to guarantee the so postponed installments was published in the Official Gazette (the “New Law”) ...
The recently enacted COVID-19 Related Tax Relief Act of 2020 and the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, both of which are part of the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,” includes the following provisions that expand and extend changes intended to provide relief to retirement plan sponsors and participants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters ...
On New Year’s Day 2021, Congress passed—over President Trump’s veto—a defense appropriations law containing the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (“AML Act”) and the Corporate Transparency Act, as part of a sweeping new set of anti-money laundering reforms that create important new beneficial ownership disclosure obligations for a wide range of small companies, and contain both good and bad news for financial institutions ...
FINANCIAL SERVICES BURSA MALAYSIA SECURITIES EXPANDS MARKET MAKING FRAMEWORK Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (“Bursa”) has, via Participating Organisations’ Circular No. R/R 13 of 2020 issued on 24 November 2020, made amendments to the rules and directives of Bursa in relation to the expansion of the market making framework ...
Decree-Law 106/2020 of 23 December (the “TPR Law”), which was published on 23 December, sets out a Temporary Permissions Regime (the “Portuguese TPR”) for UK entities that provide financial services in Portugal under the freedom to provide services or freedom of establishment as provided for in the applicable EU legislation (the “EU Passport”) ...
This edition of our Q&A series focuses on real estate financing and loan securitization issues in Bangladesh. Given the continuing global uncertainty and economic disruption caused by COVID-19, investors are increasingly concerned about their ability to secure, dispose or otherwise transfer assets that are often now subject to revamped or revised local rules and regulations ...
This edition of our Q&A series focuses on real estate financing and loan securitization issues in the Lao PDR. Given the continuing global uncertainty and economic disruption caused by COVID-19, investors are increasingly concerned about their ability to secure, dispose or otherwise transfer assets that are often now subject to revamped or revised local rules and regulations ...
This digest is a curated list of Bradley content regarding the coronavirus. In an effort to provide our clients with the easiest way to find information that may be beneficial in responding to the impact of COVID-19, we have provided links to our most recent blog posts, news alerts, webinar recordings and more. Additionally, this digest will now be deployed on a weekly basis in an effort to reduce the number of emails our clients receive ...
An important update to Georgia’s statutory lien waiver laws will take effect on January 1, 2021. This summer, Georgia enacted an amendment to O.C.G.A. § 44-14-366 (the Lien Waiver Statute), that alters the form for interim and final lien waivers. The new statute makes it clear that lien waivers only waive lien or bond rights against the property and do not waive the right to file a lawsuit for non-payment or other related claims ...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP, the Central Bank of the Philippines) has issued Circular No. 1105, Series of 20201 (Digital Bank Circular) dated December 2, 2020 to provide guidelines on the establishment of digital banks. This circular took effect on December 23, 2020 and was promulgated pursuant to the Monetary Board’s authority under Section 3.2(g) of the General Banking Law of 2000 to create other classes of banks ...
On December 24, 2020, the Brazilian President sanctioned, with some vetoes, an amendment to Law 11,101/2005, which governs judicial reorganizations, pre-packaged reorganizations and bankruptcy liquidations of businessmen and companies. The vetoes can still be overthrown by the Brazilian Congress ...
On December 27, the President signed the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (Act) addressing changes to the rules regarding PPP loans, including making a supplemental PPP loan available to many PPP borrowers and increasing the types of business expenses that can be forgiven ...
While the calling restrictions are sure to get the most publicity from the CFPB’s new debt collection rule, a number of the less discussed aspects of the rule may present just as many operational challenges. For instance, the CFPB’s prohibition on the sale or transfer of certain types of debt, as well as the record retention requirements in the rule will likely present a number of hurdles of their own ...
Congress reached agreement on the third round of coronavirus-related relief measures (totaling approximately $900 Billion) as this issue was being written. The relevant statutory language is part of the massive Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Act”) and was released on December 21, 2020. Passage by the House and Senate was swift, and approval by the President is expected ...
