The enactment of EU Directive 2018/843 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for money laundering or terrorist financing (the "5th AML Directive") has prompted the Luxembourg government to accelerate the final implementation process of EU Directive 2015/849. This Directive prevents the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (the “4th AML Directive”) ...
In light of the new EU data protection scheme, shaped by the GDPR, Serbia has enacted a new Data Protection Law earlier this year, with its' applicability postponed for 21 August 2019. The new law was long-awaited: it has been 10 years since the existing law was passed, which was even at that moment already outdated (e.g. it recognized only consent in the written form and almost completely restricted data transfers to non-European countries) ...
When auditing annual financial statements, auditors are required to draw attention to risks that potentially threaten the company. Such risks can result for example from failure to implement the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that has been in force since May 25, 2018. Given the substantial fines envisaged in the GDPR, these risks can result in high provisions, in the worst case in refusal on the part of the auditor to issue an unqualified audit opinion ...
News of a new federal law on foreign direct investment in the UAE has many people asking: “Does this mean I can now form a new company with majority foreign ownership?” The answer is the same as previously, “No, not yet”. Companies incorporated in the UAE require a minimum of 51 percent UAE ownership. As an exception to this rule, 100 percent foreign ownership is permitted in free zones. The new law may lead to further exceptions in the future ...
The introduction of the e-hailing system had changed the landscape of public transport in Malaysia and, at the same time, intensified the competition in the taxi industry. Whilst the taxi industry was subject to specific regulatory requirements there was previously no express law to regulate the operation of the e-hailing system ...
“Tax investigation” entails an examination of a taxpayer’s business books, records, and documents as well as his personal documents to ensure that the correct amount of income is reported and tax is calculated as well as paid by the taxpayer ...
In the last quarter of 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued an opinion letter ending what had become known as the “80/20 rule” for tipped employees. The new rule, which eases restrictions on an employer’s application of the tip credit, is a reissuance of a 2009 opinion letter that had been supplanted by contrary guidance since 2011 ...
Earlier this week, the UK Cryptoassets Taskforce published its Final Report on cryptoassets and distributed ledger technology (DLT). The Taskforce – which includes representatives from HM Treasury, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England – was established in March 2018 to analyse and assess the risks and potential benefits of cryptoassets and DLT and “set out the path forward with respect to regulation [of these areas] in the UK” ...
"Slavery remains a reality in the modern world. Children, men and children are being exploited in our towns, communities and businesses every day. The victims are hidden from view and many people may never know this cruel practice is taking place on their streets and under their noses". Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Home Secretary, October 2018 ...
On October 31, 2018, the Treasury Department released proposed regulations (“the Proposed Regulations”) providing guidance on the application of Section 956 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) following recent tax law changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) ...
For decades, banks and other counterparties in the UAE have obtained financial services from foreign financial institutions. Industry bodies, such as the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), the International Capital Market Association and the International Securities Lending Association, have developed standard documentation for these kinds of transactions ...
The South African Competition Amendment Bill, 2017 is a step closer to becoming operational. During its plenary sitting in late 2018, the South African National Assembly (“NA”) passed a revised version of the Bill.On 1 December 2017, the Minister of Economic Development announced the release of the Competition Amendment Bill for public comment ...
Cryptocurrencies have captured the imaginations of individuals and emerging businesses drawn to their potential to serve as alternative stores of value, to reduce transaction costs by eliminating intermediaries. Most notably in popular culture and media - to provide eye-catching opportunities for speculative investing ...
The oil and gas sector has seen significant changes over the past few years, led by a significant reduction in global oil prices. This has increased the focus on operational efficiency and more flexible ways of working collaboratively to alleviate the effects of protracted price deflation ...
The Scottish financial sector has always punched above its weight due, in large part, to its appetite for innovation and sharp business acumen, which it has successfully exported around the globe. The successful early establishment in Scotland of current account banking and the investment trust speak to this, along with the undisputed influence of the Scottish diaspora, which established many of the great financial institutions from Paris to Hong Kong ...
Blockchain is a distributed ledger of data entries. The entries are processed and managed by a series of different computers, or ‘nodes’, which can be running on different servers. Every computer connected to the system keeps a copy of this ledger, meaning that different parties can view and manage the same information in real time. It also makes it exceptionally safe and secure. The energy sector has been relatively slow to adopt blockchain technology ...
On November 5, 2018, the amendments recently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to update and simplify certain disclosure requirements will become effective ...
The role of the Millennial lawyers and the recent incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in law firms are current trending topics. As a 27-year old associate of a law firm based in Guatemala City, every time I read about AI and that global law firms are incorporating AI to their practice, I ask myself, will I be replaced by it (or IT) ...
The Veterans Administration (VA) maintains the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database of Veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB) and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB). This database is available at www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov. The VIP database is managed by VA’s Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) who determines whether an offeror is eligible to be listed on the database ...
Under Government Regulation Number 57 and Indonesian Competition Authority (KPPU) Guidelines Number 02 , the criteria for determining whether a foreign merger (the definition includes a share acquisition) conducted outside Indonesia is reportable under the current Indonesian merger control rule (please note that the current merger control rule are the following: The Asset and/or revenue thresholds The value thresholds for a reportable transaction are: a ...
With investors such as the Scottish Investment Bank, the soon-to-be-launched Scottish National Investment Bank and the Epidarex Life Sciences Fund all increasingly paying attention to the life sciences sector against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive life sciences market in Scotland, now is a great time to consider whether your business is ready for investment, and how it could be standing out in order to attract investors ...
The High Court judgment in Friends of the Irish Environment v. An Bord Pleanála (delivered in 2018 by Meenan J) decided that if a Section 5 referral is made by a third party, then the owners and occupiers of the lands must be identified and served with notice of the referral, and given an opportunity to make submissions in accordance with basic fair procedures ...
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (the ADGM) recently announced the launch of a commercial license specifically catered towards tech start-ups that allows entrepreneurs to obtain an operational license in the ADGM and access to a Professional Services Support Program aimed at allowing entrepreneurs entry to a community of businesses, financial services and professional advisors ...
