The international public health emergency caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and the Portuguese authorities recently announced of a state of emergency across the country. Against this background, the authorities have been approving various packages of exceptional and temporary measures to respond to the spread of the virus ...
In some areas, intellectual property will experience a period of slowdown in activity, at least in the near future. We look at this in more detail below. However, this does not mean mandatory registration of industrial property will come to a halt because, with many bodies, including the Portuguese INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property), registration is done online ...
A global public health emergency was declared by the World Health Organization on 30 January 2020 as a result of the spread of the new virus COVID-19. The virus was later classified as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As a result, it is important guard against any negative impact of the events relating to COVID-19 on ongoing energy licensing processes and on the energy market as a whole, particularly in the light of Decree-Law 172/2006 of23 August (“DL 172/2006”) ...
The Coronavirus, COVID-19 has raised numerous important legal issues. However, one issue has assumed an even higher profile with the recent classification of the virus as a pandemic. This is the question of what claims can be made under the different insurance products on the market to cope with the losses, whether direct or indirect, that Portuguese businesses have been facing ...
UK law firm Shoosmiths has been mobilising its legal advisors and support staff to keep its clients up-to-date on the many potential impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. Its free, online COVID-19 hub is already packed with a wealth of information on topics that might have both short and long-term effects on business ...
Current status: March, 30, 2020 Corona-related sales slumps in many industries are leading numerous companies to experience short-term liquidity bottlenecks. To cover these shortages quickly, the federal government adopted theKfW Special Program 2020, which is available for commercial enterprises and members of the independent professions with immediate effect. Loan terms were improved and standardized yet again to make it easier for companies to access favorable loans ...
In the new economic reality, businesses that took out loans may be asking themselves many questions. Will existing loans still be paid out? Will an expiring credit line be extended? And will the state of epidemic justify not repaying debt already incurred? COVID-19 and the related restrictions introduced overnight by country after country have shifted businesses into anew reality. Among the challenges is ensuring the continuity of bank financing and the capacity to repay existing debt ...
A system for supporting taxpayers struggling with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic is being developed at the government level and will probably soon take effect. But taxpayers in difficulty may already draw on existing support instruments. One of them is reduction of income tax advances ...
The main points of the “Economic and social anti-crisis shield to protect businesses and employees in connection with the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic” was presented by the President, the Prime Minister, agroup of other ministers, and the president of the National Bank of Poland at apress conference on 18 March 2020 ...
In the tough times of battling the coronavirus, many tenants are seeking ways to reduce their rent, release themselves from the obligation to pay rent, or avoid other obligations under their existing leases ...
The Minister of Health is issuing successive anti-export lists covering an increasingly wide catalogue of products at risk of shortages. This is to ensure access to drugs and medical devices for patients in Poland, especially during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic ...
One of the more serious consequences of the pandemic will be awave of business litigation. However, strong arguments and credible evidence are not enough to win adispute. It also takes resources to pursue alawsuit, and soon that may be particularly difficult to come by. The whole economy under pressure is preparing for the consequences of the pandemic and drastic steps taken by states to combat it ...
Among many problems facing businesses now is efficient management and decision-making when members of the company’s governing bodies cannot appear in person at headquarters for various reasons. Technology ensures efficient communications, but the possibility for corporate bodies to take resolutions remotely has been debatable in some situations ...
Considering the state of emergency declared in the Republic of Latvia as a result of the spread of the Covid-19 infection, we have summarized the most important matters to be considered by employers at this time ...
The British government has adopted stringent measures to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus effective from 23 March 2020[1], including a nationwide lockdown, closure of non-essential shops and public venues and mandatory social distancing. The general rule is that people should stay at home, but workers can travel to and from work if they cannot perform their work from home[2] ...
Covid-19 makes it difficult for shareholders and members to attend annual general meetings in limited liability companies and other legal forms of association. Shareholders might belong to a risk group or having difficulties to travel to the place where the meeting is held. A limited liability company or association may not refrain from holding the annual general meeting or to postpone further than the last permitted date (six months after the end of the financial year) ...
Even such unusual circumstances as apandemic donot overthrow the general principle that contracts should be performed (pacta sunt servanda). But this does not mean that the current situation has no impact on the substance or performance of contractual obligations. Two main situations should be considered here: As aresult of the circumstances, performance of acontractual obligation has become impossible ...
Note on how the national courts will reason upon the requests for additional evidences in appeal when the Suspension of civil procedures due to COVID-19 crisis will cease and the activity in courts will be resumed. Good news from the High Court of Romania! Even though most of the civil cases are suspendedex officiothroughout the state of emergency instated by the Decree no. 195/16.03 ...
In Poland, the National Appeal Chamber upholds the effectiveness of the rules guaranteeing transparent and non-discriminatory access to public procurement contracts within the EU. Member states are required to ensure contractors the consideration of review procedures concerning the award of public contracts, as is clear from the Remedies Directive. The task of the National Appeal Chamber (KIO) is to effectively and quickly eliminate infringements in public procurement cases ...
Public procurement is one of the biggest driving forces of the economy. Contract performance during the epidemic may be impeded, but ongoing public procurement proceedings should not be stopped just because people are currently working mainly at home ...
Since 15 March 2020, Poland has had aban on civil aircraft landing on international passenger flights. Since 16 March, domestic passenger flights have also been banned, except for flights in the public or state interest. Dopassengers whose flights have been cancelled as aresult of this ban have the right to compensation from the air carriers that were to operate those flights? Right to compensation for cancelled flights Under Art ...
M&A deals are one of the tools for pursuing business. For some they are amethod for expanding their scale of operations or generating synergies, and for others allow them to exit investments or raise capital. Thus the turbulence now felt by businesses is impacting their activity in the M&A market. While refraining from evaluating the economic impacts of the current situation, we focus on analysing selected legal aspects ...
In view of the current and imminent economic challenges, many companies are asking to what extent cooperation and concerted practices with competitors are able to ensure the supply of goods, thus cushioning the threat of an economic downturn. While the antitrust authorities have been keeping quiet on this issue for some time, several official statements have now been issued which we would like to comment on briefly below ...
