NEWS
New1
Cashless money transactions – Mexico's new payment method Digital collection (CoDi) is the latest electronic payment method developed by the Mexican Central Bank, designed to reduce the use of cash and promote competition, while incorporating larger sections of the population into the formal financial sector. It seems that Mexico is moving forward in financial technologies, such as CoDi, and using these developments to promote larger inclusion, competition and transparency for every sector in the country. Read more....
New2
Federal Administrative Court rules on abuse of dominant position. The Federal Administrative Court recently upheld a Sfr7 million fine issued by the Swiss Competition Commission in 2010 against SIX Group regarding the processing of credit and debit card payments. The decision concerned SIX's abuse of its dominant market position pursuant to Article 7 of the Cartel Act (similar to Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). Read more....
News 3
Trump announces 10% tariff on $300 billion of imports from China for List 4 goods. Arent Fox LLP . International Trade USA 23 August 2019 . President Trump recently tweeted that, beginning on 1 September 2019, importers can expect a 10% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese goods. While the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has yet to issue specific coverage for this new 10% tariff, importers should expect to see the goods subject to it on the proposed Section 301 List 4. The USTR has also indicated that a List 4 exclusion request process could come on the heels of the current List 3 exclusion request timetable. Read more....
News4
Italy and China – a new era of cooperation between insurance supervisory authorities? Insurance Italy 20 August 2019 . The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and the Italian Institute for the Supervision of Insurance recently entered into a memorandum of understanding setting out the basis for cooperation between the two supervisory authorities in the context of a broader plan of general cooperation between Italy and China. It will be interesting to see what concrete effects (if any) the memorandum will have, particularly in the context of the present unstable geopolitical situation. Read more....
News 5
Dilemma and solution – enforcement of GUI patents. Wanhuida Peksung IP Group. Intellectual Property China 12 August 2019. China has followed the global trend of protecting graphical user interfaces (GUIs) by acknowledging them as patentable designs in its amended Patent Examination Guidelines. However, under the Patent Law, designs are patentable only when filed together with a product which embodies the design. Since GUIs and software per se are not recognised as products, GUI patentees are faced with a dilemma if they attempt to challenge software developers for merely offering software which exploits their patented GUI design. Read more....
News 6
July update on China Section 301 tariffs: latest from China-US talks. At a recent G20 Summit press conference, President Trump said that he would not lift the existing Section 301 tariffs on China, but would also not add tariffs on any additional Chinese imports "for at least the time being" as part of an agreement to resume negotiations with China. This article summarises the current status of the Section 301 List 4 goods and the List 3 product exclusion process which commenced on 30 June 2019. At a press conference at the G20 Summit in Japan on 29 June 2019, President Trump said that he would not lift the existing Section 301 tariffs on China, but would also not add tariffs on any additional Chinese imports "for at least the time being" as part of an agreement to resume negotiations with China. Read more....