The EU introduced the Regulation establishing an EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Under the CBAM, importers into the EU of carbon-intensive goods (mainly cement, electricity, fertilizers, iron and steel, aluminum, and hydrogen) will be required to pay a charge for the carbon emissions embedded in those products. This charge will be gradually phased in from 2026 to 2034.
weiter lesenOver the last three months, BLOMSTEIN has assisted the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova (AmCham) to improve the Moldovan screening mechanism for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). This was achieved in close cooperation with the CELIS Institute, in particular its Executive Director Prof Dr Steffen Hindelang. AmCham was on its side supported by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). The team’s main aim was to improve the already existing provisions, render them more effective and align them with EU requirements as well as best practises in EU member states.
weiter lesenEU importers should be aware that CBAM legislation may have a significant impact on their operations, supply chain, and logistics. They need to quantify their carbon footprint and prepare for the financial obligations and administrative measures required by CBAM. The first CBAM report about the embedded greenhouse gas emissions is due by 31 January 2024. Here is an update of what EU importers will have to do, what help is available, and if fines are due when the report is not submitted in time.
weiter lesenThe 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia, aimed at further increasing economic pressure in response to Russia's continued aggression towards Ukraine, entered into force on 19 December 2023. It includes additional listings of Russian individuals and companies as well as new trade restrictions, such as the long-awaited import ban on Russian diamonds and prohibitions related to enterprise management software. Of particular practical relevance are additional measures against the circumvention of long-standing sanctions, including a new obligation for EU exporters to contractually prohibit the re-export of certain sensitive goods to Russia.
weiter lesenWenn Sie sich für die neuesten Entwicklungen und Herausforderungen im Bereich des Investment Screening und dessen Auswirkungen auf die deutsche Wirtschaft interessieren, sollten Sie die Investment Screening Conference von BDI und CELIS German Chapter, in Kooperation mit BLOMSTEIN und Hogan Lovells am 20. Februar 2024 im Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft in Berlin nicht verpassen.
weiter lesenDie EU-Kommission (Kommission) hat im Sommer zwecks Evaluierung der Verordnung (EU) Nr. 2019/452 (EU-Screening-Verordnung) verschiedene Interessengruppen befragt und kürzlich die Ergebnisse veröffentlicht. Die Umfrage folgt auf die kürzlich erfolgte Veröffentlichung des dritten EU-Screening Jahresberichts, worüber wir schon in einem früheren Briefing berichteten. Da die Kommission voraussichtlich bis Ende 2023 formelle Änderungen zur EU-Screening-Verordnung vorschlagen wird, geben die Ergebnisse der Umfrage sowohl über die Ansichten der verschiedenen Interessengruppen zur aktuellen Fassung der Verordnung als auch über die zukünftige Überarbeitung Aufschluss. Unter den Ergebnissen waren die folgenden zentralen Punkte:
weiter lesenIn Summer 2023, the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) was adopted. ASAP marks the final stage of a three-track plan for the delivery and joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine. While the first two tracks concerned the intended supply of 1 million rounds of stock ammunition to the Ukraine (track 1) and the promotion of joint procurement by EU member states (track 2), ASAP aims to strengthen the supply-side by increasing the European defense industry’s production capacities of ammunition and missiles (track 3). In contrast to the first two tracks, which responded to an immediate need for military supply following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, ASAP focuses on longer-term objectives.
weiter lesenThe German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) released its report on the evaluation of the current legal framework for the screening of foreign investments (“Evaluation of the First Act Amending the Foreign Trade and Payments Act as well as of the 15th - 17th Ordinance amending the Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance”) in September this year. The European Commission (“Commission”) followed shortly thereafter and released its third “Annual Report on the screening of foreign investments into the Union” on 19 October 2023. Both underline that there is an ongoing need for an effective screening of foreign investments, especially during times of crisis, such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
weiter lesenOn 12 October 2023, the notification and declaration obligations of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) will finally start to apply. The new review procedures for M&A transactions and bids in public procurement procedures are aimed to address distortions caused by foreign subsidies and thus ensure a level playing field for all companies operating in the EU Single Market. While the European Commission has recently provided further clarity on some of the procedural aspects of the FSR (see our latest briefing), there is still significant uncertainty about the actual compliance requirements for companies. This briefing aims to alert businesses to the pitfalls to watch out for and to provide practical guidance on how to successfully navigate these new regulatory waters.
weiter lesenAm 9. August 2023 unterzeichnete der Präsident der USA, Joe Biden, eine Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments In Certain National Security Technologies And Products In Countries Of Concern. Die Executive Order ist der erste Schritt zu einer so genannten Outbound-Investitionskontrolle, die die Ausfuhrkontrolle und die Inbound-Investitionskontrolle der USA ergänzen soll. Kann die Outbound-Investitionskontrolle der USA als Vorbild für die EU dienen?
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