Arbitration World: A Spelling Error In Vienna

On 11 January 2023, the Austrian Supreme Court handed down an order in which it dealt with the procedural aspects of challenging arbitral awards.

The Austrian legal system is steeped in civil law. Laws are based on codes and statutes. Civil procedure contemplates an adversarial process with inquisitorial elements...

The so-called "Kompetenz-Kompetenz" principle in essence provides that an arbitral tribunal decides itself whether it has jurisdiction to decide a dispute brought before it.

While arbitration has long been considered one of the most efficient ways of commercial dispute resolution, it also tends to be more costly than other ADR proceedings.

Most jurisdictions protect the confidentiality of communications between the lawyer and the client, which is commonly referred to as legal privilege.

The flexible, dynamic and continuously evolving nature of international arbitration has been severly tested throughout the past year.

On 23 September 2024, the third ITA Roundtable at an UNCITRAL Working Group III ("UNCITRAL WG III") session took place at the offices of KNOETZL...

Das Bundesministerium für Justiz hat am 02.05.2024 den Begutachtungsentwurf der Verbandsklagen-Richtlinie-Umsetzungs-Novelle - VRUN...

In a recent decision rendered on 15 December 2021, the Austrian Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof, OGH) examined different grounds for setting aside an arbitral award.

The Austrian Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof, OGH) recently considered the subjective scope of arbitration clauses contained in contracts with protective effect for third parties...

On 30 September 2026, the SEC proposed rule amendments advancing Chairman Paul S. Atkins’ “responsible retailization” of private markets, expanding retail access to private-market strategies while adding key investor safeguards.

California is implementing a major tax policy shift that will subject software-as-a-service, remotely accessed software, and digital products to sales and use tax beginning January 1, 2027. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has proposed emergency regulations establishing sourcing rules, a $5 million threshold that shifts tax liability from retailers to purchasers, and key exemptions for custom software and certain service-based digital products.

The EU has introduced its first major amendment to the AI Act through the AI Omnibus regulation, which delays certain compliance deadlines while maintaining others. Organizations must understand which obligations remain on schedule, including transparency requirements and general-purpose AI provisions, and which have been deferred, such as high-risk AI system requirements.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a proposed enforcement policy statement targeting businesses that use consumer personal data to set individualized prices. While acknowledging it cannot prohibit all personalized pricing, the FTC warns that companies may violate federal law if they fail to clearly disclose their use of personal data in pricing decisions.

Texas Senate Bill 140 (SB 140) took effect 1 September 2025, and applies to conduct occurring on or after that date. The bill amended Section 302 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code to extend registration and disclosure requirements to text messages by expanding the definition of “Telephone solicitation,” which previously applied only to a “telephone call,” to include certain transmissions of text or graphic messages and images. In addition, SB 140 added a definition of “Telephone call” that incorporates the definition found in Section 304, which includes certain text or graphic messages and images, but excludes certain agreed-to transmissions.

The SEC and CFTC have issued coordinated regulatory relief measures that significantly advance crypto-based trading infrastructure in US markets, bypassing Congressional gridlock on the CLARITY Act. These orders establish new frameworks for tokenized securities venues and passive software providers, potentially reshaping how digital assets are traded and accessed in regulated markets.

The European Commission has issued guidelines on transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, clarifying how providers and deployers must inform individuals when they interact with AI systems or are exposed to AI-generated content. These non-binding guidelines address a wide range of AI applications, from chatbots to deepfake technologies, and establish four main transparency scenarios with specific disclosure requirements that businesses must now prepare to implement.

China's stock exchanges have implemented three major trading rule changes effective July 6, 2026, designed to enhance market quality and align practices with international standards. The reforms expand after-hours trading, modify public fund pricing mechanisms, and adjust price limits for risk-warning stocks. How will these structural changes impact institutional investors, ETF efficiency, and overall market participation in China's evolving capital markets?

Venezuela's post-Maduro reopening is creating unprecedented opportunities for foreign investors across energy, mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors. With expanding OFAC sanctions relief, landmark legislative reforms, and major US companies nearing multibillion-dollar deals, the country presents investment prospects not seen in a generation—though success requires disciplined navigation of corruption, security, and regulatory risks.

The European Union's new Consumer Rights Directive amendment introduces a mandatory "withdrawal button" for online merchants, fundamentally changing how consumers exercise their 14-day right of withdrawal from distance contracts. This requirement, effective June 19, 2026, applies to any trader—including US-based companies—actively selling to EU consumers, creating new compliance obligations around button placement, design standards, data collection, and confirmation processes. Understanding whic