The Personal Data Protection Commission recently released new guidance, including an update to the Guide to Data Protection Practices for ICT Systems, a Handbook on How to Guard Against Common Types of Data Breaches, and Checklists to Guard Against Common Types of Data Breaches.
Key developments reflected in this week’s update to the tracker include the following: President Biden issued a COVID-19 Action Plan, which requires, among other things, that all employers with 100 or more employees ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly. Colorado, Delaware, Indiana and Louisiana extended their state-wide orders and/or the duration of the current phase of their reopening plans Louisiana and Washington implemented state-wide mask mandates, while Nevada changed its mask mandate to give organizers of conventions in counties with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission rates the option to allow attendees to remove their masks if the organizer can guarantee that all attendees are vaccinated
In the run up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), the UK has published its first ever Hydrogen Strategy. The strategy promises to deliver 9,000 jobs, GBP 4 billion in investment and new export opportunities by creating a thriving low-carbon hydrogen sector in the UK over the next 10 years and beyond. It builds on the prime minister’s determined Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution by depicting how the UK government will work with industry to meet its ambition for 5 gigawatts of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.
For a little over a year now, the financial sector has been occupied with the need for resilience in the face of the challenges posed by the pandemic, but we are now swiftly and surely moving into the reform and renewal stages of recovery. It’s now time to reflect on what is changing as well as the lessons we have learnt so that the financial sector can continue to best serve and support its clients and markets.
Baker McKenzie has published its fully revised and expanded Global Guide to Legal Issues in Securitisation. This guide has been compiled by Baker McKenzie lawyers in 33 jurisdictions across the globe. It provides you with an overview of the general legal, tax, accounting and regulatory issues typically relevant to securitisation structures.
Hong Kong controls dual-use items under the Import and Export Ordinance and its corresponding subsidiary legislation, the Import and Export Regulations. On 17 September 2021, an order to amend the list of strategic commodities under relevant schedules to the IESCR came into effect. The amendments aim to align Hong Kong’s control list with international non-proliferation regimes, including the Wassenaar Arrangement.
US federal government agencies charged with implementing President Biden’s February 24, 2021 Executive Order 14017 continue to assess supply chain risks and vulnerabilities by issuing public requests for comment. Among other things, the Supply Chain EO directs the heads of several federal agencies to conduct a one-year review to examine supply chains for potential vulnerabilities in a number of sectors.
On 1 August 2021, the regulatory framework for Advanced Therapy Products (ATPs) came into operation in Hong Kong. ATPs, which are innovative medical products based on genes, cells and tissues that have been subject to ‘substantial manipulation’ or are intended for non-homologous use, have been added to the definition of ‘pharmaceutical products’ under the existing Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations.
On 31 August 2021 the European Commission launched a consultation on the operation of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 520/2012 on pharmacovigilance activities targeted at stakeholders involved in such activities.
17 December 2021 is the deadline for all Member States to transpose the new Whistleblower Protection Directive 2019/1937, which obliges businesses with over 50 employees to have a reporting channel. It should be noted that the aim of these new regulations is to exploit the potential for whistleblower protection to strengthen enforcement and set standards for strong protection against any reprisals.