The COVID-19 virus (commonly known as the “coronavirus”) is affecting companies’ commercial activities around the world, with particular impact on supply chains and employment and insurance law. There is also a question around the measures the competent authorities may impose to prevent or contain the spread of the coronavirus. A ...
As the number of novel coronavirus infections (“Covid-19” or “Coronavirus”) and fatalities continue to rise, on 11 March 2020 the Italian Prime Minister issued a decree to impose new emergency measures to contain and manage the spread of the virus (the “11 March Decree”). Always on 11 March, the World Health Organisation has declared that Covid ...
Many organizations may be parties to contracts where the counterparty is seeking to cancel its obligations because of COVID-19. This situation is arising in relation to various commercial relationships, including supply agreements, events planning contracts, and numerous other types of agreements ...
On March 15, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order, effective 9 a.m. March 16, 2020, through April 13, 2020, imposing two restrictions aimed at preventing price gouging during the COVID-19 emergency. These restrictions, issued pursuant to her powers after declaring a State of Emergency on March 10, 2020, apply to offers or sales of products in Michigan. The first restriction applies only to resales of products acquired from retailers ...
On top of the multiple challenges hitting retail and leisure landlords and occupiers arising from COVID-19, the news that Intu has had to write down the value of its shopping centre portfolio by nearly £2 billion came as further bad news. Intu owns multiple high-profile retail and leisure locations across the UK (including The Trafford Centre in Manchester and the Lakeside complex in Essex) and on 12 March was widely reported as being at risk of insolvency ...
The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic is upending regular commercial activity across the United States and around the world, and that disruption is expected to escalate. Among the issues confronting our clients, the effect of public health orders and other measures to address COVID-19 is threatening, impacting, and in some cases, outright prohibiting the performance of material contractual obligations ...
In less than a week, SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that leads to COVID-19, has upended American lives and livelihoods.But while many are taking an unwanted break from business as usual, “essential businesses” are working overtime to rise to the critical call of keeping Americans healthy, safe, and fed while the nation shuts down and the virus spreads. First, each business must determine whether – and to what extent – it is essential ...
Seemingly overnight, flights and hotels emptied, and state and local governments began ordering restaurants, gyms, bars, and other “non-essential” businesses to close or to significantly curtail operations. Unemployment skyrocketed, and businesses began calling out for relief. In response, the government has proposed multiple initiatives to help stabilize businesses hit hard by current events, especially those in the hospitality industry, many of which are also franchises ...
As of Monday, March 23, Virginia Governor Northam announced all public K-12 schools will remain closed through the end of the school year and many – but not all – non-essential businesses will be required to close their doors. By the end of Tuesday (11:59 p.m. on March 24) some non-essential services, including all recreation and entertainment services, are to close ...
In the turmoil of adjusting and living day-to-day in this time of the COVID-19 virus, the public has become more attuned to the reality of the term “Supply Chain.” We are gaining a better appreciation that before products reach the consumer, an extensive network of shippers and transportation entities of all types and modes of commerce, as well as freight brokers and any other functions essential to the delivery cycle, are at play 24/7 ...
Covid-19 has had an impact on ongoing consumer contracts and their relations with suppliers. The rapid spread of the virus led the authorities to declare State of Disaster in the country, raising concern about the (i) fulfillment of consumer contracts of goods and services and (ii) an eventual price manipulation ...
In the tough times of battling the coronavirus, many tenants are seeking ways to reduce their rent, release themselves from the obligation to pay rent, or avoid other obligations under their existing leases ...
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the food industry, just as it has many others. The good news is that food-to-person transmission of the disease does not seem to be a risk. The challenge remains keeping workers safe from airborne and surface transmission. However, the FDA and the USDA have provided guidance and recommendations to food producers to deal with COVID-19, links to which have been provided below. The guidance focuses on stopping the person-to-person spread of the disease ...
On March 24, 2020, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC” or the “Commission”) unanimously approved its final interpretive guidance (“Final Guidance”) regarding retail commodity transactions involving certain digital assets ...
Due to the reforms and additions to the General Health Act in matters of obesity and labeling of food and non-alcoholic beverages setting a frontal warning system, published in the Federal Official Gazette (Spanish Acronym - DOF) on November 8, 2019 ...
The Coronavirus pandemic is impacting every business sector across the globe. Many new resources, however, including the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provide franchise and hospitality businesses with opportunities for relief. The following information is intended to aid franchise and hospitality companies in understanding options available to them during this time ...
As misinformation on COVID-19 continues to spread, there is another more serious threat being dispersed through back trade channels and that is of counterfeit goods either for sale at exorbitant prices or fake goods proclaiming to cure or treat the virus. In 2018, Forbes announced that counterfeiting was the largest criminal enterprise in the world[1] and the sales of counterfeit and pirated goods totals $1.7 trillion per year, which is more than drugs and human trafficking ...
On April 6, 2020, the National Consumer Service (SERNAC) published the "Interpretative Circular on distance contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic", which seeks to set general guidelines regarding distance contracting with consumers during the constitutional state of catastrophe due to public calamity. To safeguard the basic rights embodied in Law No ...
The set of several emergency measures of the Ministry of Health dated 23 March 2020 banned the retail sale of goods and services. It also banned the public presence at selected premises or selected times, prohibited the operation of certain premises, prohibited the free movement of persons or restricted the activities of public authorities and administrative bodies. On 26 March 2020 the Ministry of Health amended these measures ...
As detailed in our previous alert, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently committed to begin the gradual process of reopening businesses in Texas. On April 17, 2020, Governor Abbott issued two Executive Orders that relate to the strategic reopening of select services as the first step to open Texas in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Impact on Retail Employers Executive Order GA 16 (“E.O ...
Another week brings another round of COVID-19-related lawsuits. Even after a month, we already can identify some early trends: refund lawsuits and second amendment claims continue to boom. A rise in takings claims may signal another trend, or a recent adverse decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court may throw cold water on business owners and citizens’ efforts to be compensated for government-directed impacts ...
At a news conference on April 20, Governor Wolf announced he is extending his stay-at-home order until May 8, 2020. But in a nod to a construction industry that has been particularly hard-hit by the Governor’s shutdown and stay-at-home orders, Governor Wolf said he also will permit construction (both residential and non-residential construction) to resume throughout the Commonwealth on May 8, 2020 ...
Key Points: Since Governor Newsom announced a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak, private Proposition 65 enforcement has increased by about 50%. Effective April 1st, new regulations clarify how manufacturers can satisfy their Proposition 65 warning obligations. These new regulations also clarify when retail sellers assume the burden under Proposition 65 to warn Californians ...
