In this publication, we aim to provide global employers with a snapshot of recent developments on mandatory employer COVID-19 vaccinations across 11 jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region.
On 2 December 2021, the Australian Parliament passed the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Act 2021 (Cth) (Act) which is partly based on the United States’ Magnitsky Act, and similar laws already in place in the UK, Canada and the European Union. The Act is designed to sanction individuals and entities responsible for certain “thematic” categories of “egregious conduct”. The Act came into force on 7 December 2021.
On 7 May 2021, Indonesia ratified a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The CEPA was introduced to accelerate the economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic and enhance comprehensive economic cooperation between Indonesia and the EFTA.
On December 9, 2021, the US Departments of State and Commerce amended their regulations to strengthen US export controls targeting Cambodia. According to the Federal Register notices announcing these final rules, these enhanced export control measures were adopted in response to the expanded Chinese military presence in Cambodia, as well as the corruption and human rights abuses allegedly committed by the Cambodian Government. This action builds on various public statements from the US Government this year expressing concerns about Cambodia and warning US business about conducting business in or with that country, as described in more detail below.
In response to an Indonesian Trade Security Committee report that shows that local manufacturers are threatened by the increased import of apparel and its accessories, the Ministry of Finance has imposed a safeguard duty on imports of those products. Minister of Finance Regulation Number 142 of 2021 on the Imposition of Safeguard Duty on the Import of Apparel and Its Accessories became effective on 12 November 2021.
On 25 November 2021 the Constitutional Court decided that Law No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation (Law No. 11 of 2020) – commonly known as “Omnibus Law” after its format – is conditionally un-constitutional. Though the Law will remain in effect, the Government must remedy the procedural flaws within two years.
On 12 April 2021, the General Administration of Customs of China issued Order No. 248, which sets out new requirements for the registration of qualified foreign food producers that are allowed to export food products to China, effective from 1 January 2022. This Order represents a significant move toward tightening up the regulation of foreign made food products imported into China.
With the COVID-19 restrictions beginning to ease in Thailand, along with many parts of the world, the question that comes to mind for most of us, and particularly for employers, is whether it is now the right time to return to the workplace.
On 8 November 2021, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) announced the launch of two national artificial intelligence (AI) programmes for the government and financial sectors.
In this article, we will discuss the obligations of business operators to report transactions that meet the monetary thresholds set by the Anti-Money Laundering Office or where there are any suspicious transactions as stipulated under the Act.