On 15 March 2022, the Presidential Decree Amending the Decree on the Implementation of Certain Articles of the Customs Law No. 4458 was published in the Official Gazette. The Decree introduced notable amendments to the customs duty rates of certain product groups imported via mail, cargo or along with passengers. The amendments will enter into force on 1 May 2022.
The Presidents of the Employment Tribunals (England & Wales and Scotland) have issued Presidential Guidance updating the Vento bands for damages for injury to feelings in discrimination claims.
The Court of Appeal has overturned the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s decision which had read down section 146 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA) to give workers who participate in industrial action protection from action short of dismissal. The court confirmed that the protections in TULRCA, as drafted, do not extend to preventing employers from taking such action in response to striking employees. This means that a decision to potentially remove discretionary benefits from employees participating in industrial action would no longer give rise to a standalone claim under TULRCA.
On 4 March 2022, the Government approved the Draft Law on the protection of persons who report infringements of regulations and the fight against corruption, aimed at transposing Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on whistleblowers’ protection.
The mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters between the UK and the Netherlands used to be governed by the Brussels Recast Regulation. Today, post-Brexit, it is not an easy task to determine which rules apply. The key issue is whether the Convention between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland providing for the Reciprocal Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil Matters dated 17 November 196711 revived. Nonetheless, a notable exception to the current uncertainty exists with respect to judgments that fall within the scope of the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements dated 30 June 20052.
The amendments in the Turkish merger control regime (i) increase the turnover thresholds for notifiability, (ii) bring an exception to the turnover thresholds applicable to the acquisition of technology companies, (iii) change the turnover calculation methodology for certain types of undertakings, and (iv) update the template notification form. The amendments are set to enter into force on 4 May 2022.
The European Commission launched a public consultation on 1 March 2022 inviting all interested parties to comment on two drafts revised Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations on Research & Development and Specialisation agreements and the draft revised Horizontal Guidelines.
Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled Situation in Ukraine: Switzerland tightens sanctions against Belarus and Russia on 18 March 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.
Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled What are the data privacy implications of “leaving Russia”? on 18 March 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.
Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled Canada Imposes Additional Sanctions on Belarus, Designates 22 Senior Ministry of Defence Officials on 18 March 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.