We are pleased to bring you the latest update as of 18 March 2020 from our Dispute Resolution Practice Group ...
CIVIL LITIGATION What are the effects of COVID-19 and the measures recently taken by the federal government on litigation proceedings? Will the civil courts remain in operation? As of 16 March 2020, a regulation amending the rules of procedure for courts of first and second instance will come into force. This regulation provides for a restriction of court services limited to the strict minimum ...
Because of the coronavirus, several questions related to processing of personal data must be raised – in particular within the context of work life. In this article, we touch on some of the most important aspects employers should consider when processing employees’ personal data. A few days ago, the Swedish Data Protection Authority also published its guidance on the coronavirus and personal data. The guidance is available here (only in Swedish) ...
Payments of tax and penalties falling due between 8 March and 31 May 2020 arising out of tax assessments issued by the Italian Tax Authorities, the National Social Security Agency (INPS), the Italian Customs Agency and by Regional and Local Authorities, and any other enforcement claims aimed at collecting tax revenues, must be made in a single instalment by 30 June 2020. Payments made before the issuance of the Decree cannot be reimbursed to the taxpayer ...
We have already entered a state of emergency pursuant to the Decree issued by the President of Romania imposing a state of emergency on the territory of Romania, published in the Official Gazette Part I no. 212 on March 16th, 2020 (the “Decree”), and we can already see the changes and reactions triggered by this situation. The state of emergency proclaimed for a period of 30 days starting from March 16th, 2020 has a far-reaching impact in all domains ...
In the current context of COVID-19 epidemic, President of Romania issued Decree No. 195/2020 on the declaration of the state of emergency on the territory of Romania,published in the Official Journal of Romania, Part I, No. 212/16.03.2020 (the “Decree”), with effect for a period of 30 days as of its publication, which can be further extended ...
The current COVID-19outbreak and severe and numerous preventive and restrictive measures governments are continually introducing are first and foremost a global health concern. However, this situation has already caused significant distortions to businesses and their ability to perform their contractual obligations. The question of all questions seems to be if the COVID-19 pandemic is aforce majeureor not ...
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his address to the nation on Sunday, 15 March 2020, declared a national state of disaster and introduced a numberof measures to curb the spread of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19). As of 19 March 2020, South Africa has recorded 150 confirmed cases of COVID-19 ...
Regarding the State of Catastrophe and sanitary alert decreed in Chile in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Sunday 22 March 2020, the Chilean Government announced the following 12 measures: Strict quarantine for the extreme-South city of Puerto Williams (except for essential cargo freighting). Strict sanitary customs in the aerial and maritime crossing to the city of Puerto Williams ...
The e-signature is a tremendously useful tool to aid in the operational continuity of companies that, in the face of the restrictions to freedom of movement resulting from the expansion of Covid-19, need to digitalize their processes, including the way in which they render their consent to contracting long distance ...
The corona virus and the covid-19 outbreak have had a major impact on people and companies. To limit spread of the virus, restrictions of various degree have been imposed by public authorities and sometimes taken on a voluntary basis by private organizations. Numerous countries have closed their borders, people are advised to avoid face-to-face meetings and many shops and offices are closed ...
A trend is emerging with recently filed litigation involving the COVID-19 pandemic. Spilman attorneys are committed to providing information that allows businesses to react as quickly as possible to avert civil litigation threats or to protect your interests through litigation. Monitoring these litigation trends will allow organizations to prepare to defend against such threats in the future or to identify and pursue civil remedies when needed ...
The coronavirus (COVID-2019)[1], which today affects more than 150 countries and territories around the world, has already had, and continues to have, a significant impact on the global economy ...
The impact of Covid-19 is becoming more prevalent throughout the economic landscape of The Bahamas. Most recently, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus, preventative measures involving the closure of non-essential local businesses for a specified duration were introduced by the Government in exercise of its emergency powers. This has had far-reaching effects in the employment sphere ...
In recent weeks, Governments around the world have been grappling with how best to combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Bahamas is no exception. To date the Prime Minister has issued two Emergency Orders aimed at ensuring the health and safety of persons within The Bahamas ...
Justice systems around the world will soon be exposed to the same pressure as is currently crushing healthcare systems in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. What can judges and advocates doto “flatten the curve” and increase the resilience of the justice system as it awaits the post-pandemic wave of disputes? Healthcare systems around the globe are wobbling, and in some states collapsing under atsunami of Covid-19 cases ...
As if businesses did not have enough to worry about during this COVID-19 pandemic, it’s times like these when cybersecurity risk is at its peak. Distracted employees may be psychologically vulnerable to attack, and shifting quickly and unexpectedly to a remote workforce can create technology and control risks. It’s a perfect storm for cyber risk ...
Through External Circular No. 001 of March 23, 2020, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) made clear that mobile phone operators and private entities in general have legal grounds to provide to the National Planning Department (DNP), as well as to public entities that so require it, personal data that is necessary to address, prevent, treat and/or control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its effects ...
Amid the spread of COVID-19, the Romanian President decreed a state of national emergency in Romania, with express measures to be taken in the justice system. Although the Decree does not refer to arbitration, the state of national emergency and the need of social distancing inevitably impact it as well ...
Thousands of disputes are dealt with by way of international arbitration every year and it is inevitable that when most countries started introducing social distancing measures, a number of arbitrations were either part heard or just about to start and will have been derailed, at least to some extent ...
Force Majeure clauses are used in many contracts in the most diverse business areas. These contractual provisions are rarely invoked in practice in Latvia, as the parties usually do not face any circumstances that could qualify as Force Majeure ...
When Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("CRA"), it left much for the U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") to explain. The DOL has started offering vital interpretations employers need to consider in making decisions over the next few weeks. 1. When does the CRA become effective? April 1, 2020. 2 ...
Directions pertaining to the communications sector were issued on 26 March 2020 by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (the "Minister"), to ensure the smooth operations of the electronic communications sector – as essential services – during the disaster period to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Africa ...
