After almost a decade of negotiations, the RCEP was finally signed on 15 November 2020 by 10 ASEAN countries, along with Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. India was originally party to the RCEP negotiations, but it left the deal in 2019 due to concerns over the protection of its national interests and local industries.

The RCEP is the largest regional free trade agreement (FTA) outside the WTO. Its member states account for approximately 30% of the world’s gross domestic product (USD 26.3 trillion) and 30% of the world’s population (2.3 billion). Key developments that are expected from the implementation of the RCEP include further liberalization of trade, removal of non-tariff trade barriers and increased trade facilitation, removal of barrier to services sectors, as well as overall enhanced business environment through regulations relating to intellectual property protection, government procurement practices, e-commerce and more.

Welcome to our first Virtual Year-End Review of Import/Export Developments Conference, a virtual offering for all our clients and friends worldwide. Baker McKenzie’s international trade compliance lawyers from around the world discussed the major global legislative, judicial and administrative activities and trends in export controls, trade sanctions, customs compliance, and…

The Australian Government has released comprehensive terms of reference and an issues paper (“Issues Paper”) as part of its long-awaited review of the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). The review forms part of the government’s response in December 2019 to recommendations in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry (“DPI Report”) to strengthen privacy laws in Australia. It marks the first of two papers seeking public input on the Privacy Act.

Global supply chain disruption is both a cause and effect of the major global market slowdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This disruption has amplified existing supply chain digitalization and diversification issues for global companies with current or intended supply chain operations in Asia Pacific. As businesses and…

Singapore updated its strategic goods control regime on 3 August 2020 to ensure robust administration of controls and effective risk assessments, while ensuring the facilitation of legitimate trade. Key amendments include ensuring individual and bulk permit holders have access to English translations for strategic trade records kept in other languages. For bulk permit holders, expanded document categories under recordkeeping requirements and monthly reporting will apply. A new offence has also been created for failing to amend permits in the event that information submitted under initial permit application processes subsequently change.

Off the Shelf, the Global Consumer Goods & Retail Industry Podcast, provides short practical legal insights into the key issues affecting consumer goods and retail (CG&R) businesses. The first Off the Shelf series focuses on COVID-19 and covers a range of issues, including longer-term considerations as CG&R businesses enter the…

Across the globe, governments are taking steps to gradually reduce lockdown measures and reopen their economies. As new measures are enacted across a world still battling a pandemic, companies will need to prepare for a gradual transition back into the workplace amid a changed landscape. Join Baker McKenzie for a…

Contents Accelerated procurement procedures territory by territory Permissible direct awards across Australia Other options available to contracting authorities Critical goods and services Based on government procurement legislation, policies and government announcements as at the date of this publication, the following options are available to contracting authorities to procure goods, services,…

In continuation of Baker McKenzie’s Asia Pacific webinar series on the business impact of COVID-19, we bring you another panel of legal practitioners to share practical insights on further issues that impact your businesses. In this webinar, we reflect on supply chain impacts and discuss ways in which businesses are…

COVID-19 has irrevocably changed the global economic landscape As the business impact of the COVID-19 crisis continues to intensify, leaders in every industry are trying to protect the health and stability of their workforce, adapt their business models and build their recovery plans. While it has been widely publicised that the…