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Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation

Top News

Presentation of a Chinese electric concept car, the SAIC Roewe E1

Trade

December 30, 2024 | Joanna Sopinska

Asia, Europe

Trump’s return could scupper China’s bid to be rid of EU electric car duties
boy reading smartphone text message

Data Privacy and Security

December 30, 2024 | Sara Brandstätter

Europe

Age verification will be critical for Big Tech as EU stresses child safety

Data Privacy and Security

December 27, 2024 | Maria Dinzeo

North America

New California cybersecurity audit requirements loom in 2025

Antitrust View More

Mayne moves to dismiss plaintiffs' US claims in generic pharmaceuticals litigation

December 30, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Mayne Pharma moved to dismiss self-funded direct action plaintiffs’ US antitrust claims in a litigation over the pricing of generic pharmaceuticals. It argued that it should not be subjected to t... (more story)

Motorola targeted by UK mass claim over Airwave network charges

December 30, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Motorola Solutions has been targeted by a planned UK mass claim over the prices it has charged for its Airwave telecom network service, the Competition Appeal Tribunal has said in a summary of th... (more story)

Advocacy groups take lead in Brazilian tech platform probes

December 30, 2024 | Maria Júlia Baumert

Latin America

Advocacy groups Instituto Alana and Idec have emerged as key players in ongoing probes into the practices of major tech platforms in Brazil. While it is challenging to directly link their efforts to the broade... (more story)

Artificial Intelligence View More

In high-stakes sectors like housing, AI’s definition matters

December 30, 2024 | Emma Whitford

North America

As federal lawmakers consider regulating artificial intelligence, one major question they’ll have to answer is how to define the term. Their definition of AI could set bounds for regulation – a particularly im... (more story)

White paper on quantum AI, quantum technology to be published in South Korea

December 29, 2024

Asia

MLex Summary: South Korea’s National Information Society Agency said it plans to publish online the 2024 White Paper on Quantum Information Technology on Jan. 3, 2025. The publication will cover the latest tre... (more story)

Elon Musk supports pausing OpenAI's transition to for-profit organization

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Counsel for Elon Musk filed a reply in support of his motion to pause OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit organization. The brief argued OpenAI and Microsoft’s seizure of nearly a 70 percent shar... (more story)

Mergers and Acquisitions View More

US merger enforcement in 2025 expected to be robust with Trump’s picks

December 30, 2024 | Curtis Eichelberger and Flavia Fortes

North America

US antitrust agencies are expected to maintain their vigor for merger enforcement next year, given the quality of President-elect Donald Trump’s selections to lead the agencies.

IBM’s HashiCorp acquisition probed by UK CMA

December 30, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: IBM's planned acquisition of HashiCorp is being probed by the UK competition regulator. The Competition and Markets Authority said it will decide by Feb. 25 whether the deal warrants an in-depth investigation. 

China's competition regulators issued 2,385 ex-ante notices in 2024

December 30, 2024 | MLex Staff

Asia

China's competition regulators issued 2,385 preventive enforcement letters and notices in 2024 as part of their refined antitrust oversight strategy, representing a significant shift toward early intervention.... (more story)

Data Privacy and Security View More

UK age-assurance rules to hit adult sits first, but social media should take notes

December 30, 2024 | Patricia Figueiredo

Europe

Platforms that publish pornography content will be the first to be hit by new age assurance regulation under the UK Online Safety Act, as the national online safety watchdog said they will need to introduce “h... (more story)

China launches pilot program to harness data assets, boost digital economy

December 30, 2024

Asia

MLex Summary: China's Ministry of Finance has selected key government bodies, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Health Commission, along with state-owned enterprises like China Ele... (more story)

China's intelligence authority flags national security risks from cross-border data transfers

December 30, 2024

Asia

MLex Summary: The Ministry of State Security, China’s national intelligence and anti-espionage authority, has sounded the alarm on potential national security risks posed by illegal cross-border data transfers... (more story)

Intellectual Property View More

Japan-based legal software company again prevails in 'LegalForce' trademark dispute

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: LegalForce RAPC Worldwide P.C., a California-based provider of legal website services, failed to persuade the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that the advertising and sale of equity can... (more story)

iQIYI sues Chinese AI startup MiniMax for copyright infringement in landmark case

December 27, 2024 | MLex Staff

Asia

Video-streaming platform iQIYI has initiated legal action against domestic AI startup MiniMax in a local Chinese court for copyright infringement related to AI model training and content generation, MLex has l... (more story)

Japanese talent agencies' antitrust concerns prompt new guidelines

December 26, 2024 | Hiroki Yajima

Asia

Performing artists in Japan can find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous talent agencies that often employ anticompetitive tactics, including restricting performers from switching to other managers or beco... (more story)

Financial Crime View More

Landmark appellate decision could kill Tornado Cash co-founder's US criminal case

December 30, 2024 | Samuel Rubenfeld

North America

After losing a motion to dismiss criminal charges of sanctions violations and money laundering, Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm is trying again, armed with an appellate decision involving the cryptocurrenc... (more story)

US FinCEN complies with appellate court order reinstating injunction

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued an alert telling companies they are not required to submit beneficial ownership information due to a court order reinstati... (more story)

US appeals court merits panel reinstates injunction against Corporate Transparency Act

December 26, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: Days after a motions panel on the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a government request for a stay of a nationwide injunction blocking implementation of the Corporate Transparenc... (more story)

Financial Services View More

UK finance bosses optimistic over government's regulatory plans, survey finds

December 30, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: More than two-thirds of 160 financial services bosses surveyed by accounting firm KPMG said they are confident that Britain's plans for regulatory reform and the launch of a Financial Services Co... (more story)

UK financial firms to see red lines drawn over bullying, harassment next year

December 27, 2024 | Phoebe Seers and Martin Coyle

Europe

A recent ban for a company director who lied about a serious violent crime has been a reminder of the UK financial watchdog's drive to act against non-financial misconduct, whether at work or outside. But a la... (more story)

US banking groups sue Fed over `lack of transparency' in stress testing

December 24, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: US banking groups representing large banks such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America sued the Federal Reserve over what they called the "lack of transparency" in the agency's stress-testing proc... (more story)

Trade View More

Upgraded Singapore-China FTA to take effect tomorrow

December 30, 2024

Asia

MLex Summary: An upgraded protocol for the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement will take effect tomorrow, allowing businesses to benefit from greater market access and more liberal rules. The upgraded version... (more story)

USTR asks USITC to investigate trade distribution effects on MSMEs

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The Office of the US Trade Representative asked the US International Trade Commission to investigate the distributional effects of goods and services trade and trade policy on US micro, small, an... (more story)

Cfius won’t see big changes in 2025; China, political influence remain concerns

December 27, 2024 | Curtis Eichelberger

North America

Chinese threats, mitigation agreements and political influence will be among the top concerns for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US next year. But of the three, perhaps the most insidious threat to... (more story)

State Aid View More

Ericsson hit with $3.64 million fine over importation monopoly in New Caledonia

December 25, 2024

Oceania

MLex Summary: Global telecommunications giant Ericsson and its local partner Intelia have been hit by multi-million-dollar fines in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia for having agreed to establish ... (more story)

Germany's aid for operation of floating LNG terminals wins EU approval

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: Germany’s plans to grant Deutsche Energy Terminal 4.06 billion euros of state support to operate four floating Liquefied Natural Gas terminals have been approved by the European Commission. The a... (more story)

EU Ombdusman closes probe into former DG Competition official

December 20, 2024

Europe

MLex Summary: The European Ombudsman has closed an inquiry into transparency around the application of a former member of DG Competition to take up a job at a lawfirm. The ombudsman "regrets" the commission's ... (more story)

Energy View More

Qatar warns EU gas supply at risk over due-diligence rules

December 23, 2024 | Oscar Pandiello

Europe, Middle East

QatarEnergy may halt EU gas exports if the bloc’s due-diligence rules result in fines, Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi said. The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, effective from 2027... (more story)

Court order for Teva to delist junk asthma-inhaler patents lauded by US FTC

December 20, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The Federal Trade Commission welcomed an order by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit which affirmed a lower district court order against pharmaceutical maker Teva requiring it to del... (more story)

FTC says US court order against Teva to delist Orange Book patents vindicates its enforcement

December 20, 2024 | Khushita Vasant

North America

The Federal Trade Commission said a US court ordering Teva Pharmaceuticals today to delist improperly listed drug patents sets the stage for removal of similar junk listings for other critical medications and ... (more story)

Technology View More

Trump asks US Supreme Court to halt TikTok ban law from going into effect to find political solution

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: President-elect Donald Trump asked the US Supreme Court to grant a stay halting the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the law that would ban TikTok if it is... (more story)

TikTok creators urge US Supreme Court to overturn law that would ban app

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex summary: A group of TikTok creators led by Brian Firebaugh urged the US Supreme Court to overturn the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit's decision holding that the Protecting Americans From Foreign A... (more story)

TikTok ban law narrowly tailored to pass First Amendment scrutiny, US says

December 27, 2024

North America

MLex Summary: The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which would force ByteDance to sell TikTok to have the application to continue operating in the US after Jan. 19, is c... (more story)