Date Title Group Language 11/3/2010 Real Estate English This guide covers the main aspects of investing in commercial real estate in Austria, Belgium, England and Wales, France, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands and Spain. It summarises types of ownership and property rights, the acquisition process, legislative controls on the use and
development of land and taxes and other costs involved in acquiring real estate. It is neither an exhaustive summary nor a detailed analysis of property-related legislation and therefore cannot replace detailed advice from qualified legal counsel on specific cases or transactions. (March 2010)
11/3/2010 Regulatory and public affairs Antitrust, competition and trade English Our EU public affairs practice operates as part of our Brussels office and provides strategic advice on a broad range of European law issues concerning communications and media, competition, ecommerce, intellectual property, environment, financial services, energy, taxation and company law issues. (March 2010)
11/3/2010 The implementation of the Shareholder Rights Directive in Italy Corporate English The government recently approved the legislation implementing the EU Shareholder Rights Directive in Italy. The aim is to enhance shareholders’ rights in Italian companies whose shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market of an EU member state. This briefing provides a short
overview of the main changes introduced into the Italian legal framework. (March 2010)
10/3/2010 French safeguard proceedings: balance swings back in favour of creditors Corporate; Finance English On 25 February 2010, the Paris Court of Appeal handed down two much-anticipated decisions confirming that creditors are able to challenge the opening of safeguard proceedings and clarifying the basis upon which safeguard proceedings can be opened by a debtor. (March 2010)
9/3/2010 Real Estate English This guide outlines the main legal factors involved in real estate investments in Germany and provides an introduction to the real estate business. It does not make redundant the detailed advice of qualified legal counsel on specific cases or transactions. The legal topics covered here are very complex and dealing with them in depth would go well beyond the scope of this guide. Investors interested in real estate in Germany should always obtain the advice of a lawyer experienced in German real estate law, which is based on a civil law system but also includes case law as an important part. (March 2010)
9/3/2010 Loans from employers to pension schemes Employment, pensions and benefits English A loan from a sponsoring employer to a defined-benefit pension scheme can sometimes be an attractive way to provide short-term funding for the scheme. This briefing discusses the UK pension and tax law implications of funding the scheme in this way. (March 2010)
9/3/2010 Patents and standard-setting in China: further developments Intellectual property/ information technology English The Standardization Administration of China and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine have issued draft Disposal Rules for the Inclusion of Patents in National Standards. The rules are intended to be a working manual for the relevant authorities but they may also affect private businesses. This briefing outlines the potential implications for businesses should the new rules come into effect. (March 2010)
4/3/2010 Congress takes aim at offshore tax evasion Tax English On February 24, 2010 the US Senate passed a Bill containing provisions aimed at offshore tax avoidance. These provisions represent significant departures from current US law. This briefing summarizes key provisions of the Bill, which impose (i) a 30 percent withholding tax on (a) payments to foreign financial institutions that do not comply with enhanced information reporting obligations and (b) dividend-equivalent payments linked to US equities, and (ii) enhanced reporting requirements with respect to offshore assets. This briefing provides only general information, not advice on which you can rely to avoid US tax penalties. (March 2010)
26/2/2010 One of the criminal ones: an overview of section 40, Pensions Act 1995 and employer-related investments Employment, pensions and benefits English This briefing provides an overview of the issues raised by the limitation on employerrelated
investment imposed by section 40 of the Pensions Act 1995. These provisions can be technically difficult, but potentially severe civil and criminal penalties apply for trustees and managers who breach them. There may also be
secondary criminal liability for employers
who persuade trustees to invest in employer-related investments. (February 2010)
26/2/2010 The UK Bribery Bill Financial institutions; Dispute Resolution English Bribery and corruption have risen rapidly up the UK political agenda in recent years. The Bribery Bill finally looks set to enter the statute book later this year. It repeals existing bribery offences and introduces new ones – including, for the first time, a corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery. In this briefing we consider some of the key issues that arise from the Bill as well as some practical steps that corporates may wish to consider taking now to prepare for when the Bill becomes law. (February 2010)
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