COVID-19 Key EU Developments, Policy & Regulatory Update No. 57

The unique EU State aid control law requires, in principle, prior notification by Member States and approval by the Commission of all State aid. During a time of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic,...

Since the start of the pandemic, the Belgian government has taken several measures in order to protect the population from the effects of the Covid-19 virus.

Technology and the gig economy continue to drive major changes to the way we work, disrupting the traditional employment relationship. In this episode of our ‘Coffee Break' series...

On May 8, 2020, the Commission published an important new communication aimed at relaxing State aid rules for COVID‑19‑related equity injections by States into non‑financial companies. While previous initiatives...

This regular update (no. 60 | 6 September 2021) covers key regulatory EU developments related to the evolving COVID-19 situation (Antitrust & State Aid; Trade/Export Controls; Medicines, Medical Devices and Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection).

This regular update (no. 83 | 6 June 2022 ) covers key regulatory EU developments related to the evolving COVID-19 situation (Antitrust & State Aid; Trade/Export Controls; Medicines, Medical Devices...

With effect as of 13 March 2020, the regime of temporary unemployment due to force majeure has been extended and broadened.

This regular update (no. 69 | 29 November 2021) covers key regulatory EU developments related to the evolving COVID-19 situation (Antitrust & State Aid; Trade/Export Controls; Medicines, Medical Devices...

Tijdens de Coronapandemie heeft de federale overheid een overbruggingsrecht voor zelfstandigen uitgewerkt.

As Covid-19 continues to bite, the questions for every country around the world are what kind of government measures have succeeded in shoring up the economy and setting the stage for economic recovery -

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.