On December 15, 2015, the National Hydrocarbons Commission (Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos or, “CNH”) in a successful public bid for Mexico, awarded all of the 25 available blocks of License Agreements for the Production of Hydrocarbons in on-shore contract areas. A total of 41 formal bidders submitted effective proposals ...
As part of the nuclear arrangement reached with Iran, the United States rescinded its nuclear-related sanctions imposed on entities outside the United States on January 16, 2016, which is the so-called “Implementation Day” under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA”). At the same time, the United States also lifted sanctions on foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies. Apart from a few specific exceptions, however, including new exceptions for U.S ...
On February 12, 2016, the recently constituted Philippine Competition Commission (“PCC”), which was created under the Philippine Competition Act (Republic Act 10667 or the “PCA”), issued Memorandum Circular No ...
There has been a lot of talk recently about launching of the EU’s procedure for monitoring compliance with the rule of law in Poland, but not much about what exactly the procedure is. Observing the rule of law is a condition for joining and being a member of the European Union. Democracy, human rights and the rule of law are also enshrined in the preamble to the European Convention on Human Rights. Because the rule of law is one of the fundamental values of the EU defined in Art ...
The first set of commissioners to constitute the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has just been appointed. The PCC, a five member body created by the Philippine Competition Act (passed into law in July 21, 2015), is mandated to implement the national competition policy. Vested with a broad range of powers, it can conduct administrative inquiries, institute civil or criminal proceedings before the courts, and review proposed mergers and acquisitions ...
On February 23, 2016 the Secretariat of Energy (SENER) published a notice in the Federal Gazette by means of which as of April 1, 2016 such authority can grant import permits of gasoline and diesel into Mexico to any interested party that complies with the applicable legal provisions, including those set forth in the Administrative Resolution published in the Federal Gazette on December 29, 2014 and amended by publication in the same Gazette on December 30, 2015 that establi
Following the creation of the regulatory framework and the successful passing of required tests, the first organised electricity market in Serbia, ("SEEPEX"), has officially launched its operations on 17 February, 2016. This power exchange operator was set up jointly by Elektromreže Srbije, the Serbian state-owned power system, and the European Power Exchange (EPEX SPOT SE) ...
Executive Summary On February 5th, 2016, Law N° 20,897 was published in the Official Gazette incorporating 3 new paragraphs into article 34 bis of the Electric Power Services General Law (“LGSE”). By virtue of this modification, article 34 bis of the LGSE, widens its protection to any developer of non conventional renewable energy projects (“NCRE”). This article was originally intended exclusively for electric concessionaires ...
With the steep collapse of oil and gas prices in the last eighteen months, dozens of exploration and production companies have declared bankruptcy and many more companies are expected to file for bankruptcy protection unless prices rebound dramatically ...
A proposed Act on Wind Power Plant Projects presented in February 2016 is intended to specify the rules for siting of wind farms. But the current version of the proposal generates a huge risk for further growth of the wind power sector and for wind farms already in operation and even for persons interested in building housing near existing wind projects. The issue of siting of wind farms near other construction has created a lot of confusion ...
In February, the British-based Mineco Group has officially submitted the request for an urban permit before the Bosnian Ministry of Physical Planning for its project of building a lead mine in the town of Olovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina ...
With increasing numbers campaigning for Britain to leave the EU, ever closer union is looking ever more uncertain. Opinion about the positive and negative aspects of Britain remaining within the EU is diverse. Whatever decision is made, companies need to be prepared for the potential outcomes. This article looks at the likely impact of the referendum (whatever its outcome) and provides some positive steps for companies to take ...
Businesses face an increasing number of challenges and one of the most severe and potentially damaging is that of cybercrime. Fallout from a cyber-attack can result in both physical as well as reputational damage and the loss of business and customers. Chilling words - particularly given how much British businesses now rely on their online presence ...
At a recently held Roundtable on the topic of the economic and environmental challenges that are surrounding the process of building the second block of the thermal power plant in Pljevlja, the Montenegrin Network for the Affirmation of the NGO sector (MANS), has scrutinised the whole idea behind this state-owned National Power Company of Montenegro's (EPCG) project ...
Deriving from the enormous interest shown by the investors towards the liberalization of the oil and gas industry, Mexico’s Ministry of Energy has eliminated the restriction to import gasoline and diesel by private parties as of April 1, 2016.Read the full alert ...
Following up on the announcement from Mexico’s Ministry of Energy about a month earlier, on March 22, 2016, the Energy Regulatory Commission (“CRE”) approved the regulatory framework to allow the importation of gasoline and diesel into Mexico as of April 1, 2016. The regulations trigger open access to the storage facilities and transportation pipelines owned by PEMEX LOGISTICA (“PEMEX”). The regulations cover the following: i ...
The Office of Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) issued a revised Handbook for examination of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Lending on March 16, 2016 (the “March 2016 Handbook”). This March 2016 Handbook replaces and significantly revises the OCC’s prior version issued April 9, 2014, which is no longer available on the OCC website (the “April 2014 Handbook”) ...
This alert describes certain information regarding the recently filed bankruptcy case of Emerald Oil, Inc. and is an example of current developments in the energy industry.Emerald Oil, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the “Debtors”) filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S ...
The new Slovenian Public Procurement Act, the ZJN-3 ("Procurement Act"), enters into force on 1 April 2016. After a long period of dual regulation of the general and utility areas of public procurement, the new Procurement Act unifies both areas in a single act, thus invalidating the existing Public Procurement Act - ZJN-2, and the Act Regulating Public Procurement in Water, Energy, Transport and Postal Services - ZJNVETPS ...
The new Slovenian Public Procurement Act, the ZJN-3 ("Procurement Act"), enters into force on 1 April 2016. After a long period of dual regulation of the general and utility areas of public procurement, the new Procurement Act unifies both areas in a single act, thus invalidating the existing Public Procurement Act - ZJN-2, and the Act Regulating Public Procurement in Water, Energy, Transport and Postal Services - ZJNVETPS ...
Another set of amendments to the Law on Technological Industrial Development Zones ("Law") was recently enacted by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia. The amendments address the specific activities which are allowed or prohibited under the Law in the area of information and communication technology. All activities that are allowed to be conducted within these zones are now exhaustively listed in the recently-amended Law ...
Amendments to the Law on Technological Industrial Development ZonesAnother set of amendments to the Law on Technological Industrial Development Zones ("Law") was recently enacted by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia. The amendments address the specific activities which are allowed or prohibited under the Law in the area of information and communication technology ...
The Government of Republic of Macedonia, acting through the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning ("Ministry"), recently published another public call for the awarding of concessions of HPP Ćebren and HPP Galište, and two other public calls for concession of total 48 new small hydro power plants ("SHHPs") ...
Republika Srpska's Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines, Petar Đokić, together with a group of entrepreneurs, recently visited a business forum in Nizhny Novgorod – one of the leading industrial areas in Russia – for the purpose of promoting investments in the region ...
The Uruguayan Government announced a non-binding call for expressions of interest in order to define the demand for the purchase of gas in relation to the regasification plant GNL del Plata, which is under construction by Gas Sayago (owned by the state-owned companies UTE and ANCAP). The call launched today refers to services of storage capacity, regasification or reloading of LNG and will remain open until May 6th, 2016 ...
