The Office of the Superintendent of Banking Sector Institutions issued Resolution No. 001.21 of 4 January 2021 to regulate the financial technology (fintech) services. The Resolution entered into force on 17 June 2021.
In the context of an emergency negotiated procedure for the awarding of framework agreements for the supply of ecotomographs intended for the COVID-19 health emergency, the Council of State reiterated the obligation for the bidder to specify in its financial offer the cost of labor highlighting that the failure to comply with this requirement results in the exclusion from the tender pursuant to Sections 95, paragraph 10, and 83, paragraph 9, of the Code of Public Contracts.
Trade under the African Continental Free Trade area is now underway and 36 countries, and counting, have ratified the agreement. Countries including South Africa and Ghana are early beneficiaries of the agreement due in part to their existing customs infrastructure. The agreement has many benefits and is expected to drastically boost the continent’s post-pandemic recovery, but there are still many challenges to overcome.
On 1 June 2021, the President sanctioned Complementary Law 182/2021 (“Legal Framework for Startups”). The main goal of the new law is to promote and encourage innovative entrepreneurship in the country, focusing on the growth of startups as a path to economic, social, and environmental development; and the modernization of the Brazilian business environment.
With a press release dated 20 May 2021, the Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA) informed that starting from 31 May 2021 the new e-Dossier Pricing and Reimbursement portal is available on its website. The purpose of the Portal is to support the submission of pricing and reimbursement applications by allowing the preparation of the relevant dossiers in digital format.
Following its publication in the Italian Official Gazette on 21 May 2021, the decree of the Ministry of Health authorizing the use of drugs for human use for the treatment of pets and certain animal diseases came into force.
Pursuant to our previous articles about medical devices and their development in Thailand following the Medical Device Act B.E. 2551 and its amendments, which were adjusted according to the ASEAN Medical Device Directive, there have been more updates on the medical device regulations under the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The MAPA Integrity Recognition (“Selo Mais Integridade”) was created on 12 December 2018 by MAPA Ordinance No. 2462 to recognize and reward agribusiness companies for their integrity practices — particularly in terms of social responsibility, sustainability and ethics — in addition to validating their efforts to mitigate fraud, bribery and corruption. For 2021, agribusiness companies and cooperatives seeking recognition for these practices and for their commitment to prevent fraud and corruption have until 21 June to register for the Selo Mais Integridade 2021 to 2022.
The new proposed regulation (“Circular”) is aimed at developing the rules, principles and criteria to which crypto-asset advertising will be subject. The Circular defines the type of entities and assets included in its scope and the powers granted to the Spanish financial regulator, the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), so it can supervise and control the adverting of certain types of crypto assets that have been deemed unregulated products thus far. The deadline for interested parties to reply to the public consultation is 31 August 2021.
Episode 3: Foreign Direct Investments in France – Samantha Mobley (Partner, Baker McKenzie, London) talks to Marie Anne Lavergne, Head of the unit for Foreign Direct Investment in France, as well as Nataf Guillaume (Partner, Baker McKenzie Paris) on foreign investments screening in France.