Member Publications

This edition covers critical updates on Direct Tax, including changes to the ‘Vivad se Vishwas Scheme,’ insights from the GST Council Meetings, significant judicial rulings, and global trade developments. Curated by the International Trade and Taxation practice group, this newsletter is designed to keep you informed about the latest trends and developments. A PDF version of the newsletter is atta…

H-1B Cap Season is quickly approaching.  Registration for this year’s lottery will open in March 2025.  If you are interested in sponsoring your employee(s) in this year’s lottery, please contact SKO to have their case reviewed for eligibility.  WHAT IS H-1B STATUS? H-1B is a professional work visa available to noncitizens for employment in the U.S.  H-1B requires employer sponsorship.  The employ…

On 19 December 2024, the Dutch Ministry of Finance announced its blacklist of low-tax and non-cooperative jurisdictions applicable for the tax year 2025. It was decided to remove Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Seychelles from the list. Tax implications in the Netherlands The Netherlands has a blacklist for jurisdictions without or with a statutory profit ta…

KMK Law welcomes not only another year but also several new disclosure requirements. In this Snapshot, they summarize several developments and best practices for public companies to consider as the 2024 annual reporting and 2025 proxy statement season begins. Further, we consider how the incoming presidential administration is likely to influence the SEC’s rulemaking priorities in the future. Fina…

How Leake Andersson’s International Trade & Business Team Can Help With a new administration on the horizon, businesses across the globe are bracing for potential changes in tariffs, trade policies, and cross-border regulations. These shifts can directly impact supply chains, import/export procedures, profit margins, and day-to-day operations. At Leake Andersson, they understand that navigati…

The infamous Finance Bill, 2024, which led to widespread protests across Kenya, placed immense economic pressure on the Kenyan National Treasury as they sought to come up with additional revenue streams for the government, which would have been made had the said Bill passed. As such, this led to the rise of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Tax Procedures (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2024, …

CJEU on violation of GDPR as an unfair commercial practice The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Lindenapotheke C-21/23 of 4 October 2024 provides important insights into the relationship between data protection and competition law. The case concerned a dispute between two competing pharmacies, where one of them (Lindenapotheke) was selling medicines that were reserved for pharmacie…

Case Study: Employee Trust and Theft The Karnataka High Court recently ruled that an employee found guilty of theft cannot be reinstated, even on compassionate grounds. The case involved an employee of a hotel who was dismissed after being caught stealing. The Court emphasized that theft, regardless of the value involved, breaches the trust essential in an employment relationship, making dismissal…

News in legislation New law on general product safety On 20 November 2024, the Senate of the Czech Republic approved a draft new law on general product safety (the "new law"), which implements Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council on general product safety (the "Regulation"). The aim of the implemented Regulation, and therefore also of the new law, is primarily to …

MERCANTILE Marita Dargallo | Jorge Llevat On October 10, 2024, the European Union officially approved a legislative package reforming the legal framework for design protection. This update affects both EU designs (formerly known as Community designs) and Spanish designs. The new regulations include Directive (EU) 2024/2823 of the European Parliament and the Council (dated October 23, 2024) on the …