Japan’s amended regulations on cookie information will start on 16 June 2023. The amended regulations now capture an even wider range of businesses, such as SNS platforms, various content sharing services, and certain online search tool businesses. It is important to consider whether your business is within the scope of the amended regulations and to take appropriate measures to ensure compliance, such as updating cookie policies or adding appropriate pop-up notices.
Due to workplace safety and health concerns arising from the lack of improvement in rates of workplace fatalities and a rise in major injuries in certain sectors, the Ministry of Manpower has announced the following:
• A three-month extension to the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) to 31 May 2023. The HSP, which applies across all industries, was due to end on 28 February 2023
• Additional measures adopting the Recommendations by International Advisory Panel to Strengthen Workplace Safety & Health on 19 January 2023
Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled Japan introduces further sanctions against Russia on 15 February 2023. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.
At the 20th working session, which took place from 13 February 2023 – 15 February 2023, the National Assembly Standing Committee of Vietnam considered and decided on a number of important issues, including: the draft Law on Protection of Consumer Rights, the draft Law on Electronic Transactions and the draft Decree on Personal Data Protection.
The Environmental Public Health Amendment Bill, introduced in Parliament on 9 January 2023, has proposed revisions to the cleaning business license regulatory framework in a bid to drive capabilities and raise public health standards of cleaning businesses. The existing framework, which was introduced in September 2014, only provides for one type of cleaning business license. However, the revised framework, which is intended to come into force from 1 January 2024, will provide for three different classes of cleaning business licenses.
The Electric Vehicles Charging Act 2022 that seeks to regulate the provision of safe and reliable charging of Electric Vehicles and the expansion of the EV charging infrastructure in Singapore was passed by Parliament in January 2023. The Act is expected to take effect in the second half of 2023. Notably, the Act sets out a licensing regime for EV charging operators and also prescribes certification requirements that all EV chargers would have to meet before the chargers can be installed and used in Singapore.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, led by the Australian Sanctions Office, is undertaking a review of Australia’s Autonomous Sanctions Framework, ahead of the expiry on 1 April 2024 of the Regulations. The Review will assess whether the Framework remains fit for purpose. The Review will be informed by responses to an Issues Paper and by consultations with key stakeholders. The closing date for submissions is 26 February 2023, with the Review to be completed by 30 June 2023.
The General Code of Practice of Personal Data Protection introduces new legal requirements to be complied with by data users caught within its ambit. It also seeks to provide best practice recommendations with respect to the implementation of principles under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and its subsidiary legislation.
Some of the new legal requirements include providing additional mandatory information in a personal data protection notice, complying with any data subjects’ written request not to process their personal data for direct marketing within reasonable time, maintaining a personal data system, and establishing a PDPA compliance framework.
Following the concerns raised by some politicians that the repeal of section 377A of the Penal Code (which criminalizes consensual homosexual acts in private between male adults) may result in employees being pressured to attend their employers’ inclusion and diversity events, the Ministry of Manpower and its tripartite partners the Singapore National Employers Federation and the National Trades Union Congress have added new guidelines to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
This is the fourth in a series of client alerts in relation to Law No. 4 of 2023 on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector (“P2SK Law”), dated 12 January 2023. Aside from asserting the provisions that have been stipulated by the Financial Service Authority, the P2SK Law sets out several new provisions that open a new chapter in the financial conglomeration and consolidation. The P2SK Law now requires financial conglomerates to establish or appoint a financial holding company, a legal entity that is expected to control, consolidate and be responsible for all of the financial conglomerate’s activities. The P2SK Law also affirms OJK’s authority to give written orders to financial services companies to push for financial consolidation.