On April 13, 2021, Law No. 21,314 (“New Law”) was published in the Official Gazette, which sets forth new transparency requirements and reinforces the responsibilities of market agents, regulates pension counseling and other matters indicated therein. Article 6 of the New Law amends Law No. 19,913 (“AML Act”) in the following aspects: New faculties and functions of the UAF ...
On April 13, 2021, Law No. 21,314 was published in the Official Gazette, which, among other matters, set new transparency requirements and reinforce the responsibilities of market agents (the "Law"). Relevant modifications to the current insurance regulation: Amendments to Decree with Force of Law No. 251 of 1931 ("Insurance Act"). Article 5 of the Law amends the Insurance Act, among others, in the following matters: Insurance consultation system (new Article 12) ...
On Tuesday, April 13th of 2021, a law was published in the Official Gazette that establishes new demands for transparency and strengthens the responsibilities of market agents, regulates the social security advice and other matters indicated therein, reforming, among other regulations, Law No. 18,045, on the Stock Market and Law No. 18,046 on Corporations (going forward, referred as the “Law”) ...
The South African Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) recently delivered judgment in the matter of FirstRand Bank Limited v The Spar Group Limited. The SCA held that: A customer with no entitlement to money deposited into its account and who knows that it enjoys no such entitlement, may not pay out money against the credit to the account. Doing so amounts to theft ...
The INPI (Brazilian PTO) published Ordinance/INPI/PR No. 21, of March 26, 2021, which extends the Backlog Combat Project aiming at reducing the number of invention patent applications pending decision. The ordinance came into force on April 1st, 2021, and targets patent applications filed between Jan. 1st, 2017 and Dec. 31st, 2017 ...
On April 9, 2021, the IRS released Private Letter Ruling (PLR) 202114002 (January 13, 2021), which provides additional context to taxpayers worried about whether their Fintech or Insurtech shares represent Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 1202 ...
On April 5, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) issued a proposed rule that would, among other things, establish a temporary COVID-19 emergency pre-foreclosure review period until December 31, 2021, for principal residences. Currently, the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions for Federal Housing Administration, US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac loans has been extended until June 30, 2021 ...
Banking & Finance ESAs issue joint supervisory statement on the application of the Regulation on Sustainability-related disclosures in the Financial Services Sector (SFDR) ESAs issue recommendations on the application of the SFDR ...
On March 26, 2021, the Superior Court rendered a decision dismissing a class action against the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (“IIROC”) on the loss of personal information of thousands of Canadian investors.1 The lack of evidence of compensable injury and IIROC’s diligent behaviour are the main reasons for the dismissal of the class action. The Facts On February 22, 2013, an inspector working for IIROC forgot his laptop computer in a public place ...
On Tuesday, April 13 th of 2021, a law was published in the Official Gazette that establishes new demands for transparency and strengthens the responsibilities of market agents, regulates the social security advice and other matters indicated therein , reforming, among other regulations, Law No 18,045, on the Stock Market and Law No. 18,046 on Corporations (going forward, referred as the “ Law ”) ...
Earn-outs are a commonly used payment mechanism in overseas and cross-border M&A transactions. Through earn-outs, transacting parties can set flexible metrics to adjust the buyer’s payment obligation and thereby allocate the risks and benefits between the buyer and seller ...
The Financial Services Branch of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (the “FSB”) issued a letter on 1 April 2021 to all licensed money lenders setting out the Government’s proposal to revise the statutory interest rate cap and extortionate rate for money lending stipulated in the Money Lenders Ordinance (Cap. 163) (“MLO”) ...
In an increasingly interconnected world facilitated by the rise of global digital commerce a number of gaps have been exposed in the tax systems of countries with perhaps one of the most significant issues being the difficulties in collecting tax from those providing digital goods and services without a physical presence in the jurisdiction where those goods and services are consumed ...
The designation of eight new Freeports within England made headlines in the Budget and now the winning bidders have to put into effect their successful proposals. What will this mean in practice for those areas affected and what are the likely issues that Freeport authorities will face? We have pulled together some questions we are asked frequently on Freeports, together with the responses we have been providing to our clients ...
On March 17, 2021, the IRS published IR-2021-59, postponing the deadline for filing individual income tax returns and payment of individual income taxes from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. On March 29, 2021, the IRS issued Notice 2021-21, further clarifying the postponement of Federal income tax reporting and payment deadlines ...
The advent of blank cheque company IPOs. Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have taken the corporate world by storm. These “blank cheque” shell companies, which raise funds in their initial public offerings (IPO) to invest in potential but as yet unidentified target businesses, have fuelled a listing frenzy in the US. SPAC IPOs have garnered US$87.9 billion in fundraising in the first three months of 2021, already exceeding last year’s total ...
The National Security and Investment Bill will allow government intervention in transactions raising national security concerns. It will require investors in UK real estate to consider whether the regime applies and factor in any timetabling implications. The Bill is currently being examined in the House of Lords. It will introduce an independent screening regime in the UK where a transaction gives rise to national security concerns ...
In a recent article published in écho, WSG Member Astrid Wagner, Partner, IP Communication & Technology at Arendt & Medernach, provides insight on the growing risk of damage to information systems in cyber attacks and what cyber protection measures should be taken ...
In its recent decision Xuereb v Weber Construction Limited Et (decided 18 March 2021) the Civil Court (Commercial Section) weighed in once more on the appropriate tests to be applied when assessing a company's inability to pay its debts under Maltese corporate insolvency law ...
On March 31, 2021, the Biden Administration released a Fact Sheet for its proposed American Jobs Plan (the “AJP”). The full text of the AJP can be found here. Although the AJP is primarily a proposal for rebuilding our country’s infrastructure, positioning the U.S. to compete with China and creating millions of jobs, it also proposes important corporate tax changes necessary to fund the AJP ...
Pursuant to the Prakas on Launching the Use Rules and Procedures of Bakong System dated 26 June 2020 and the Prakas on Management of Payment Service Providers dated 14 June 2017, the National Bank of Cambodia (“NBC”) has determined transaction amounts and KYC procedures for financial institutions and payment service providers (“PSP”) in Cambodia ...
Pursuant to the Prakas on Launching the Use Rules and Procedures of Bakong System dated 26 June 2020 and the Prakas on Management of Payment Service Providers dated 14 June 2017, the National Bank of Cambodia (“NBC”) has determined transaction amounts and KYC procedures for financial institutions and payment service providers (“PSP”) in Cambodia ...