BLOMSTEIN assisted Xerox Holdings Corporation on German foreign direct investment control aspects relating its acquisition of Lexmark International, Inc. The deal valued at USD 1.5 billion was completed on July 1.
read moreThis briefing is the fourth in a series on the EU-Mercosur agreement, where BLOMSTEIN addresses key provisions with respect to Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Public Procurement, Competition and Sustainability, and outlines implications and opportunities for businesses.
Today’s briefing focuses on the Government Procurement chapter of the Agreement, which sets out a comprehensive framework for open and reciprocal access to public procurement markets between the two parties. Tendering processes are expected to become more streamlined, transparent, and competitive.
read moreOn August 1, 2025, additional cybersecurity requirements will come into force for a large number of electronic devices under the Radio Equipment Directive (Directive 2014/53/EU; RED). Despite this approaching deadline, many issues are still unclear, in particular the scope of application of the new regulations and the interpretation of the term "internet-connected radio equipment ".
read moreThis briefing is the third in a series on the EU-Mercosur agreement, where BLOMSTEIN addresses key provisions with respect to Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Public Procurement, Competition and Sustainability, and outlines implications and opportunities for businesses.
In this release, we focus on the Agreement’s core provisions related to Trade in Services, particularly the commitments framework, national treatment and limitations. In 2023, the EU exported €28.5 billion in services to Mercosur, while Mercosur’s service exports to the EU amounted to €13.1 billion. The Agreement is expected to significantly boost this bilateral exchange. For the EU in particular, the agreement presents expanded opportunities in strategic sectors such as business services, financial services, telecommunications, maritime transport, and postal and courier services.
read moreThis briefing is the second in a series on the EU-Mercosur agreement, where BLOMSTEIN addresses its key provisions with respect to Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Public Procurement, Competition and Sustainability, and outline implications and opportunities for businesses.
In this release, we focus on the Agreement’s core provisions with respect to Trade in Goods, particularly tariff elimination schedules, safeguards for impacted sectors and rules of origin.
read moreBLOMSTEIN assisted French listed investment company IDI on German foreign direct investment control aspects relating the acquisition of a majority stake in radar technology specialist Intersoft Electronics Group (IE). The transaction was carried out as a secondary leveraged buyout in close partnership with the existing management team.
read moreAfter more than two decades of negotiations, the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement has taken a significant step closer to becoming a reality. Last December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her counterparts from four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) announced they reached a political agreement on the matter. However, the partnership agreement will only come into force after completion by each Party of its internal approval procedures (ratification process).
read more“We are no longer at peace – we are under daily attack.” – Lieutenant General André Bodemann
Germany is increasingly the target of low-threshold (hybrid) attacks. These range from disinformation and espionage to sabotage. Critical infrastructure is frequently affected – such as energy and water supply, transportation, and information and communication technology. As a result, the resilience of companies, particularly those operating critical infrastructure, is coming into sharper focus in legal regulations. This is reason enough to examine to what extent businesses in Germany are currently and will in the future be held responsible for protecting themselves against such attacks and responding appropriately.
read moreAt the Competition and Public Procurement Dialogue hosted by the Berlin Chamber of Architects, the final report of the joint procurement monitoring project was presented. BLOMSTEIN has been working alongside the Berlin Chamber of Architects for many years to advocate for a more competition-friendly approach to the procurement of architectural and planning services in Berlin.
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