In June 2022, amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act, which protects employees who have reported violations of certain laws specified in the WPA, are expected to come into force. Amongst other items, the Amended WPA includes a mandatory obligation for companies of a certain size to establish a whistleblowing system with the aim of ensuring the protection of whistleblowers.
Brazil: IBAMA publishes directive regulating the Annual Report of Potentially Polluting Activities and Users of Environmental Resources
Prior to the “NFT art” paradigm, people tended to belittle the value of digital art due to its intangible and non-exclusive nature. An Internet surfer can screenshot, save or copy and paste the digital art onto their personal devices and end up with a piece identical to the original work. Such protection is now made possible with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) through blockchain, smart contract, and cryptocurrency technology.
Explore our key resources and stay abreast of market developments and trends in the corporate PPA space.
Baker McKenzie and the Financial Times co-created a multimedia series, the FT Big Deal, to explore new trends shaping transactions and how to unlock value. In this series, Baker McKenzie lawyers are joined by industry thought leaders to discuss the key developments and issues shaping the future of global transactions.
Our first episode provides an overview of the series and focuses on the latest triggers for disruption, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to supply chain management.
The National Security and Investment Act came into force this week, completing the overhaul of the UK’s foreign investment rules and creating a standalone foreign investment screening regime. The new rules require businesses and investors to submit mandatory notifications for certain acquisitions of and investments in companies operating in 17 key sectors. The rules also grant the UK Government extensive powers to investigate and impose conditions on a wide range of transactions, including corporate investments as well as asset transactions, on national security grounds.
On Thursday 6 January 2022, the European Commission published Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1, updating the list of dual-use items contained in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/821. The EU Dual Use List is updated by the European Commission each year to ensure it remains aligned with the control lists of relevant international non-proliferation regimes, in which Member States (and the EU itself) participate.
In December 2021, the existing exemption that excludes medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics from the application of sections 18A and 18B of the Medicines and Related Substances Act was extended. This extension means that suppliers of medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics are permitted to supply their products according to bonus, rebate and incentive systems for another three years.
Bank Negara Malaysia, the Central Bank of Malaysia, has on 15 December 2021 issued an exposure draft of the Payment System Operator policy document. The PSO Exposure Draft is intended to apply to all approved operators of a payment system under the Malaysian Financial Services Act 2013 and Malaysian Islamic Financial Services Act 2013. The objectives of the PSO Exposure Draft are to: (i) ensure the safety, efficiency and reliability of payment systems; (ii) preserve public confidence in the payment systems and the use of payment instruments; and (iii) ensure payment systems are aligned with relevant international standards.