The rapid spread of Covid-19 has placed the healthcare system in Thailand under severe pressure. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, new startups focusing on telemedicine have sprung up to take on the challenge of innovating the way healthcare services can be provided to patients ...
Some opening words In South Africa, as in many jurisdictions, the concept of good faith (bona fides) crops up a lot. So, for example, in order to get registration of a trade mark, the applicant must have a good faith intention to use the trade mark. Once the trade mark is registered the owner must use it in good faith in order to keep the registration alive. In the words of George Michael, “You gotta have faith". Good faith ...
JOINT PRAKAS 315 AND 316 ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE, dated 12 May 2021 The Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) issued a new announcement (“Announcement”) on the Granting of E-Commerce Permits and Licenses on 26 May 2021. Eligible applicants may now apply for e-commerce permits or licenses with immediate effect from the MOC through an online portal – www.ecommercelicensing.moc.gov ...
Saravut Krailadsiri, our tax partner and Pichaya Nimcharoen, our tax associate recently published a journal for Thailand’s Office of Judicial and Legal Affairs of the Court of Justice, Thailand as part of “Dunlaphaha: Journal of the Court of Justice ...
On 4 June, the European Commission adopted new standard contractual clauses («SCC»), which replaces previous standard clauses for the transfer of personal data to countries outside the EEA (third countries). In addition, the Commission has for the first time adopted a standard data processor agreement governing the data processor’s processing of personal data on behalf of the data controller ...
The South African President has signed the Cybercrimes Bill into law, which means it is now an Act of Parliament. The date on which the Cybercrimes Act, 2020 comes into force is yet to be announced, but there are a few key things to note: The majority of the offences created by the Cybercrimes Act relate to data, messages, computers, and networks involving hacking, the unlawful interception of data, ransomware attacks, cyber forgery and uttering, and cyber extortion ...
When the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (“POPIA”) comes into effect fully from 1 July 2021, there are some areas of possible dispute that could arise between employers and employees, including the monitoring of employee emails. In a recent Constitutional Court judgment in Turkey, the personal data protection rights of an employee were considered, and could provide some guidance as to how a similar situation may be handled in a South African context ...
In May 2021, the total value of cryptocurrency globally surpassed USD $2.5 trillion, and continues its emergence as a new asset class.[1] Governments in Canada and around the world are updating regulatory requirements in response to the new innovations in financial technologies. Historically, there has been regulatory uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrencies in Canada ...
Since the European Court of Justice declared the EU-US Privacy Shield as an invalid legal basis for the transfer of personal data to the US, stipulating increased requirements for the use of the EU standard contractual clauses in July 2020 (C-311/18, 'Schrems II'), uncertainty has been rife within many companies: a legally compliant data transfer to the USA on the basis of the Privacy Shield is no longer possible and the new EU standard contractual clauses announced in November 202
New Cybercrime Law is enacted by the Brazilian President and provides for a considerable increase in penalties for hacking into computer devices, theft and embezzlement perpetrated electronically or through the Internet. In addition to providing more severe penalties for cybercrimes, Law No. 14,155 of May 28, 2021 establishes the victim's place of residence as the competent jurisdiction to prosecute cybercrime ...
New SCCs are hot off the (virtual) press. Now's the time to plan, implement the changes in them and, most importantly of course, keep your data flowing. Who hasn’t during a power cut, out of habit, entered a room and tried to flick on the lights? There’s a tiny delay before you remember there’s no power and you reprimand yourself for being so foolish. Too often, we only notice the electricity that powers our lives when it’s not there ...
On 21 May 2021, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and Treasury Bureau (FSTB) issued its consultation conclusions (Conclusions) on the proposed licensing regime for virtual asset services providers (VASPs). The Conclusions follow publication of the FSTB’s consultation paper of 3 November 2020 (Proposal). For details of the Proposal, please refer to our article of 24 November 2020 ...
Our latest article in the series looking at the impact of the pandemic on different groups focuses on how COVID-19 has affected those within ethnic minorities, what this has meant for the BLM movement and what employers can do to better support employees. Impact of COVID-19 The latest statistics all point to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected those within ethnic minorities ...
New measures for state contracting for economic reactivation. Through Decree 579 of 2021, issued on May 31 by the National Planning Department, certain transitory paragraphs enshrined in Decree 1082 of 2015 or the sole Regulatory Decree of the Administrative Planning Sector, were replaced in matters of state contracting ...
On 21 April 2021, the European Commission (EC) published a proposal (Proposed Regulations) which is described as the “first-ever legal framework on [Artificial Intelligence]”, aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Proposed Regulations are of general interest because they constitute a first attempt to “regulate” AI properly and, if implemented, may become influential worldwide ...
Introduction The Covid-19 vaccine is currently being rolled out, and according to the authorities’ vaccination-plan, a large part of the population will receive their first dose during the summer months. As a rule, one must take the vaccine in one’s own home municipality, and not in the municipality where one has a summer house etc. In addition, the authorities are working on a corona certificate ...
Electronic registration The Norwegian Maritime Authority («NMA«) has developed a new system for electronic ship registration and has proposed certain amendments to the Norwegian Maritime Code and appurtenant regulations. The amendments are currently circulated in a memo subject to public hearing ...
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) recently discussed possible approaches to establishing an interoperating central bank digital currencies (CBDC) arrangement as the future of cross-border payments. Although not an “official” definition, CBDC generally refers to a new form of digital currency issued by a central bank, denominated in an existing unit of account operating as a store of value and a medium of exchange ...
Tech London Advocates (TLA) Scale Up Group hosted a virtual event with expert speakers, UK Tech on the World Stage, as a partner event for Scaleup Week: The Business Plan held on 18-20 May 2021. A panel of international tech leaders shared insights and opinions regarding UK technology on the world stage, exploring the growth of UK digital businesses and what it takes for them to expand into overseas markets ...
Decree-Law 36/2021, which amends Decree-Law 176/2006 of 30 August ("Medicines Statute"), was published on 19 May. The new Decree-Law introduces a ban on the advertising of discounts on the price of medicines subject to medical prescription that are reimbursed by the National Health Service ("NHS") or that contain narcotic or psychotropic substances ...
On May 19, 2021, Superintendent Resolution Nº 045-2021-SMV/02 was published, apdopting the Regulation of the Financial Participative Financing Activity and its Management Companies (the “Regulation“), which clarifies the provisions of Emergency Decree Nº 013-2020 – Emergency Decree that Promotes the Financing of MSMEs, Entrepreneurships and Startups ...
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals held that a D&O liability insurer could not rely on ambiguous endorsements as a basis to deny coverage for claims brought by investors against its insured company and its CEO. Reversing the Eastern District of Missouri, the appellate court in Verto Medical Solutions LLC et al. v. Allied World Specialty Insurance Co., No. 19-3511 (8th Cir ...
The world is in an upheaval now with the pandemic raging for over a year. The discussions and decisions that probably would never have been made a few years ago are being made today in the interest of the greater good and the public at large. When Bill Gates expressed his reservations against lifting IP protection on vaccine patents, it left the world reeling and his comments understandably criticised by experts and laymen alike ...
OSHA Adopts CDC Vaccine Guidance. On May 17, 2021, the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) updated its online COVID-19 portal to announce that OSHA is revising its employer materials to reflect recent interim guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). In the meantime, OSHA recommends that employers “refer to the CDC guidance for information on measures appropriate to protect fully vaccinated workers ...
