DawesCo LLP

With the conclusion of two major #European elections, one with a decisive super majority and the other with a fragile coalition of diametrically opposed parties, we'll be tracking the impact on future political and investments risks across the region. #France #Uk

Please join us on 24th July for an interesting webinar on #crossborder investments and #M&A transactions in collaboration with Adviserly and the British Alumni Network. We're absolutely delighted to share the panel with Jeremy Charles Espley from Seven Legal. Also featuring Sukanta Dey from DawesCo LLP who will be giving insights into investment climate and risks. Please feel free to reach out on [email protected] for further information.

In April of 2024, the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (#TTC) held its sixth ministerial meeting in Leuven, Belgium. This particular meeting, which occurred just before elections on both sides of the Atlantic, presented an opportunity for the #EU and the #US to strengthen and uphold the accomplishments achieved through the TTC. During the meeting, the transatlantic partners introduced significant initiatives concerning trade and investment. These included the Joint Declaration on Enhancing e-Invoicing and the Joint EU-US Catalogue of Best Practices on Green Procurement. Additionally, they deepened their collaboration on emerging technologies by releasing a Joint #6G vision, establishing Terminology and Taxonomy for #AI, making progress on quantum issues, and extending existing administrative arrangements on semiconductors. The launch of new workstreams on areas such as bioeconomy technology and solar energy further showcased the willingness of both sides to collaborate on emerging shared challenges. We expect something more substantial post the elections on both sides as the TTC enters its seventh round of negotiations.

Today, the first-ever international legally binding treaty focused on upholding human rights, the rule of law, and democratic standards in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has been approved by the Council of Europe. This treaty, accessible to countries beyond Europe as well, establishes a legal structure that encompasses all stages of AI systems and tackles the potential risks they could present, all the while encouraging accountable innovation. The convention takes a risk-oriented stance towards the creation, advancement, implementation, and retirement of #AI systems, necessitating a thorough examination of any possible adverse effects stemming from their use.

We're glad to be contributing. Looking forward to it !

We're starting off with India - UK trade relations and how businesses in both countries can benefit from the upcoming #FreeTradeAgreement. We'll be having 4 such webinars on the series. Date : 22nd May, 11 am GMT Please do not hesitate to get in touch for joining details via email on [email protected]. Alternatively, please feel free to get in touch with, Adviserly British Alumni Network Looking forward to seeing you there.

On 7 March, the EU marked a significant milestone in its planned withdrawal from the troubled Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). The ECT had, at its peak, bound 56 states and entities globally to energy cooperation through investment protection and technology transfer. However, criticisms of the ECT’s failure to reform since the 1990s and reported active obstruction of climate goals have led many (primarily European) states to withdraw. Now, the EU itself seems primed to formally leave the agreement, leaving the entire project in doubt. While many CIS and central Asian countries appear content with (or at least silent on) the operation of the ECT, its European members have grown increasingly frustrated. As the Energy Charter Treaty’s largest member finalises its withdrawal, the long-term future of international energy investment and cooperation is cast into doubt.

We are pleased to announce our upcoming webinar series starting 22nd May 2024 in collaboration with Adviserly and the British Alumni Network on the legal and business aspects of cross-border trade between #EMEA and #APAC regions. We shall post further details soon.

This week, the European Union countries postponed a scheduled vote on the bloc's nature restoration policy due to insufficient support from governments. Belgium, currently holding the EU presidency, announced that the vote would be delayed until Friday. The proposed law has faced opposition from some member states and lawmakers who fear it will impose heavy regulations on farmers. The Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, had to delay presenting the reforms in Poland due to disagreements over the timing of certain changes. In response to the environmental regulations and food imports from Ukraine, Polish farmers staged protests by blocking roads with tractors and flares. The demonstrations highlighted concerns over the impact of the EU's Green Deal on Polish agriculture. Despite initial expectations of passing the nature law with a majority vote, last-minute shifts in governments' positions have jeopardized its approval. Countries including Italy and Sweden have opposed the law, and Belgium and Austria are set to abstain, EU officials said. The Netherlands has decided to oppose the law, and EU officials said Hungary had indicated it was still considering its position. Germany was set to support the law, EU officials said, even though the Free Democrats, a junior partner in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government, indicated this week they could not back it. The nature law is one of the EU's biggest pieces of environmental legislation, requiring countries to introduce measures restoring nature on a fifth of their land and sea by #2030. It aims to reverse the decline of Europe's natural habitats – 81% of which are classed as being in poor health – and includes specific targets, for example to restore peatlands so they can absorb #CO2 emissions.

Effective from the 7th of March, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the six gatekeepers identified by the #EU Commission in September 2023, are required to adhere completely to all responsibilities outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The primary goal of the DMA is to enhance competition and fairness in digital markets within the EU. It introduces fresh regulations for 10 specific core platform services, including search engines, online marketplaces, app stores, online advertising, and messaging. Additionally, it grants new privileges to European enterprises and consumers. The international implications of the #DMA are evident in the Global South where an Indian panel has suggested the implementation of a fresh digital competition legislation aimed at tackling antitrust issues surrounding large technology corporations. This law is specifically targeted at digital entities that hold significant influence within the system, and they may face penalties of up to 10% of their global turnover.