Under the patent statute, any person who “invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent,” subject to the conditions and requirements of the law. The word “process” is defined by law as a process, act, or method, and primarily includes industrial or technical processes. The term “machine” used in the statute is self-explanatory ...
The Fit for 55-package To achieve EU’s Paris climate goals, the EU Commission presented in December 2019 the European Green Deal, including a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and become carbon neutral by 2050 ...
Ships, Spitfires and Shoosmiths’ Solent planning team, Southampton is home to them all. Previously known as ‘The Gateway to the World’, for years people have visited Southampton to reach distant and exotic locations. As one of England’s foremost commercial ports, Southampton has a unique cultural heritage, a thriving commercial centre, and a bright future ...
In late September, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance continued signaling the increased importance of ESG initiatives in its mission by publishing a sample comment letter similar to what it may provide to issuers when reviewing their filings ...
Developments on hold, trips to the High Court, nutrient credit schemes... Ever since a European Court of Justice ruling in November 2018, being nitrate neutral has caused headaches and blockages for developers and planners. Shoosmiths partnered with Planning magazine on a virtual roundtable discussion which examined nitrate / nutrient neutrality, the rules and how developers and authorities can work within them to deliver the right kind of development ...
The recent judgment in Kinli Civil Engineering Ltd v Geotech Engineering Ltd, HCA 2141/2020, is a reminder of the importance of choosing words carefully when drafting an arbitration clause, to ensure that it reflects the parties’ intentions as to how any disputes that may arise are to be resolved. Background The proceedings were instituted by the Plaintiff (K) against the Defendant (G) for sums, said to be due under a contract between them (Contract) ...
By Board Resolution Nº 368-2021-MINEM/DGH and Board Resolution Nº 369-2021-MINEM/DGH, published on September 21, 2021 in the Official Gazette “El Peruano”, the drafts of the “Operating Procedure for the electronic market of the auctions for the transfer of natural gas supply volume and/or transport capacity (MECAP)” (“MECAP Operating Procedure“) and of the “Operating Procedure for the Transfer of Information in the Natural Gas Market&rd
Water and wastewater agencies gained an important new protection from lawsuits challenging their rates on Wednesday, when Governor Newsom signed SB 323 (Caballero). For water or sewer service fees or charges adopted after January 1, 2022, this new law requires any lawsuits challenging those fees or charges to be commenced within 120 days of the effective date ...
Decree No 131 of the Ministry of Public Works, published in the Official Gazette on September 15, 2021 (the "Decree No 131"), comes to amend DS No 50 / 2015 (the "Decree No 50"), Regulation of Article 295 paragraph 2° of the Water Code, which establishes technical conditions to be met in the design, construction and operation of hydraulic works of Article 294, consisting, among others, in dams or reservoirs with a capacity greater than 50 thousand m3 or whose wall is more than 5 mete
The UK government’s Hydrogen Strategy, published in August 2021, confirms that developing a thriving low carbon hydrogen sector in the UK is a key plank of the government’s plan to build back better with a cleaner, greener energy system ...
On 17 August 2021, the UK Government presented its Hydrogen Strategy (the “Strategy”) to Parliament. The 120-page document set out the Government’s ambition to develop a thriving hydrogen sector in the UK and to place it at the forefront of hydrogen technology. What does it say and how might hydrogen feature in the future? Throughout this article, we will be referring to different colours of hydrogen (primarily blue and green) ...
The Fit for 55-package To achieve EU’s Paris climate goals, the EU Commission presented in December 2019 the European Green Deal, including a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and become carbon neutral by 2050 ...
On 29 June 2021, the Ministry of the Environment (“MOE”) issued five new Prakas pursuant to Prakas No. 021 dated 3 February 2020 on the Classification of Environmental Impact Assessments (“EIA”) for Development Projects. These new Prakas determine the procedures and implementation guidelines for checklists used to prepare initial environmental and social impact assessment (“IEIA”) reports ...
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, Resolution Nº 0041-2021-CD-OSITRAN was published in the Official Gazette “El Peruano”, extending the deadline for receiving comments and suggestions to the “General Guidelines to be applied in the tariff procedures under the price cap methodology or RPI-X mechanism” (the “Resolution 041”) for a period of 15 working days from its publication, that is, until October 1, 2021 ...
In seeking to address the impact of climate change within Hong Kong’s fund management industry, the SFC has introduced new climate-related regulatory requirements for fund managers in relation to disclosures and to their investment risk and management processes. In this ten-minute podcast, Jeremy Lam outlines key features of the new regime, the timeframe for implementation and how best to plan ahead ...
Key Points As litigation under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) continues to drive lengthier and costlier environmental reviews, the use of "categorical exemptions" can provide a quick and efficient path towards CEQA compliance – but only if the exemption is legally sound and defensible. California's Fifth District Court of Appeal recently published Los Angeles Department of Water and Power v. County of Inyo (Cal. Ct. App., Aug. 17, 2021, No ...
On September 2, 2021, Resolution of the Board of Directors Nº 017-2021-OEFA/CD (the “Resolution”) was published in the Official Gazette El Peruano, which amends the Regulation of the environmental emergency report of the activities under the purview of the Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement- OEFA ...
The Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (“DFFE”) recently published a notice inviting consultation on her intention to publish a National Guideline for Consideration of Climate Change Implications in Applications for Environmental Authorisations, Atmospheric Emission Licences and Waste Management Licences (the “Guideline”) ...
The National Treasury (“NT”’) published its draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill with accompanying Explanatory Memorandum on 28 July 2021 (the “draft Bill”). By now it is well known that the draft Bill contains a fairly radical proposal: section 20 of the Income Tax Act, 1962 (“the Act”) will be amended to limit the amount of an assessed tax loss that may be set-off against taxable income ...
Last night, only days ahead of a general election the minority Government in Norway is likely not to win, a proposal for dramatic changes to the upstream petroleum tax regime. It was announced at 18.00 hours Oslo time in a hastily called press conference by the Minister of Finance Mr Sanner (Conservative) and the Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ms Bru (Conservative) ...
