COVID-19 Key EU Developments, Policy & Regulatory Update No. 19

Beginning November 8, 2021, a burden on millions of travelers will be eased with the revocation of the country-specific travel bans that have been in place since 2020.

On May 24, 2020, the White House issued a proclamation that temporarily bars persons who have been in Brazil from entering the United States, beginning at 11:59 pm on May 28, 2020...

Earlier today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published a Notice of Enforcement Discretion (Notice) for HIPAA COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Sites (CBTSs).

Nurses make up the largest section of the healthcare profession and spend more time with patients than any other care team member.

In this article, we'll focus on what company information is available to the public regarding companies registered in California.

Becker Shareholder Jennifer Horan strongly advocates for a careful examination of association restrictions before moving forward with any Airbnb-esque scheme.

We are all in this together: In these rapidly changing times, more than ever, the Board needs to play its role with active engagement, thoughtfulness and resolve.

The 21st installment of our Civil Right Series was held in February.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a COVID-19 emergency temporary standard that is effective today.

Health Provider News – February 19, 202

The Code is voluntary, but it will likely become an important reference point for demonstrating compliance with Article 50 of the AI Act.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against 20 EU Member States for failing to transpose the EmpCo Directive by the March 27, 2026 deadline. This directive aims to combat greenwashing by requiring substantiation of environmental claims and third-party certification for sustainability labels, with full implementation expected by September 27, 2026.

Mexico's comprehensive anti-money laundering framework has undergone a sweeping transformation through Acuerdo 115/2026, introducing mandatory risk-based methodologies, enhanced client due diligence protocols, and automated monitoring requirements. With implementation deadlines beginning March 1, 2027, obligated parties conducting vulnerable activities face compressed timelines to overhaul their compliance infrastructure while navigating heightened enforcement risks and stricter beneficial ownership thresho

China's Supreme People's Court has issued comprehensive judicial rules addressing artificial intelligence disputes, establishing frameworks for product liability, intellectual property rights, and data protection. These landmark opinions provide critical guidance for global companies navigating AI-related legal risks in China's evolving regulatory landscape.

The European Commission has proposed replacing the EU's three core procurement directives with a single, directly applicable Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how companies compete for public contracts across Member States. The reform introduces mandatory quality criteria thresholds, embeds ESG considerations as evaluation factors, and establishes new security and European-preference provisions that could restrict participation based on ownership, supply chain exposure, and strategic dependencies.

A federal court has struck down New York's Climate Change Superfund Act, which sought to recover $75 billion from fossil fuel companies based on historical emissions. The ruling found the Act preempted by the Clean Air Act, marking the first judicial decision on state climate superfund legislation and establishing that EPA's rescission of the endangerment finding does not alter preemption analysis.

The European Commission has adopted final Guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 TFEU, introducing a "workable effects approach" that narrows presumptions while expanding guidance on objective justifications and recognizing sustainability benefits as valid efficiencies for the first time. These Guidelines replace the 2008 Enforcement Priorities Guidance and are expected to significantly impact enforcement practices across EU Member States and beyond, particularly for digital market

France's Anti-Corruption Agency has imposed its first-ever monetary sanctions under the Sapin II Act, penalizing a company €350,000 and its president €60,000 for widespread compliance failures. The landmark decision establishes critical precedents for enforcement strategy, breach assessment timing, and personal executive liability in anti-corruption matters.

The user of defective goods benefi ts from several causes of action against the vendor or manufacturer.