This 30-minute webinar hosted by Baker McKenzie cyber experts Paul Glass in London and Cyrus Vance in New York, on Tuesday 22 February 2022, will discuss the cyber-related risks to businesses from this ever evolving situation related to Russia-Ukraine, and how they can prepare today to mitigate risks.
In Germany, the digitalization of the healthcare market is a hot topic. “Digital health” is prominently featured in the coalition agreement of the newly elected German federal government. At the same time, there is still skepticism within the medical community on whether quality standards might fall victim to these rapid developments. Now, the German Federal Civil Court has addressed some of those concerns. In its December 2021 ruling (I ZR 146/20), the court has ruled that advertisement for comprehensive tele-treatment of patients (Fernbehandlung) violates applicable law.
NICE has produced a single guidance development manual, which describes how NICE conducts itself with each step and stage in its evaluation (NICE’s processes) and how NICE collects and considers evidence (NICE’s methods). The guidance development manual covers: Diagnostic Assessments Programme, Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme, Highly Specialised Technologies Evaluation Programme, Technology Appraisal Programme.
The UK’s Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) gives patients with life-threatening or seriously debilitating conditions access to medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorisation, when there is a clear unmet medical need. The existing EAMS began in 2014 and since then has granted 100 medicines a Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) status and more than 40 Scientific Opinions have been awarded in a variety of therapeutic areas with unmet patient need.
The Swiss government has opened the consultation process on a further revision of the Swiss Cartel Act after previous failed attempts. The main objective of the proposed revision is the modernization of Swiss merger control. By changing the current qualified market dominance test to the Significant Impediment to Effective Competition test, the regulation of mergers shall be adapted to the standards already prevailing in the EU and the threshold for prohibiting a transaction should thus become lower.
The legal recognition of a type of fuel via the introduction of a legal definition and certification framework is a defining step in establishing a market for such fuels. Renewable hydrogen took this step when it was officially recognized and supported at EU level by the 2018 recast of the Renewable Energy Directive, joining biofuels and biogases, at least for what concerns its uses in the transport sector.
The ECB has warned European lenders of the potential risks they will face, should further sanctions be imposed against Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine. The impact of any sanctions would not be limited to Russian financial institutions/businesses but is likely to be felt across the world, especially by financial institutions who have significant Russian exposure.
On 24 January 2022, the European Council approved certain conclusions asserting that European security is indivisible, that challenges to the European security order affects the security of the EU and its member states, and that the EU will provide unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and other neighbouring states. The European Council has condemned Russia’s actions with respect to Ukraine and has stated that further military action by Russia against Ukraine would have consequences.
On 25 January 2022, a new set of personal special economic and other restrictive measures became effective (“Decisions”). The Decisions impose extensive sanctions restrictions, including asset freezes, restriction on the exit of capital from Ukraine, suspension of the performance of economic and financial obligations, a ban on trade operations, prohibition of participation in privatization and leasing of state property, cancellation of visas and licenses, entry bans, etc., upon certain legal entities and individuals.
Last year, Belgium introduced DAC 7 “light” reporting obligations for digital platform operators in the sharing and gig economy in anticipation of the implementation of the EU DAC 7. The legal provision that implemented the DAC 7 “light” reporting obligations remained vague however and left open quite some questions in practice with further implementation measures that needed to be taken. The Belgian tax authorities published a FAQ on Monday 14 January 2022. the FAQ clarifies the legislation and provides for the necessary implementation measures in view of the first reporting deadline, which is 31 March 2022.