The latest news and analysis about legal developments, policy makers and associations.
EU to decide on Essilux's takeover of GrandVision on April 12
The European Commission has set April 12, 2021 as the latest deadline for the end of an in-depth investigation into EssilorLuxottica’s proposed €7.2 billion takeover of GrandVision. The deadline has been postponed several times.
EU Commission calls to ‘strongly discourage’ intra-EU travel
The European Commission has proposed the European Council to discourage non-essential travel between European Union member states amid high Covid-19 infection rates and concerns about new virus variants, while avoiding border closures or blanket prohibitions that would impede the functioning of the internal market and supply chains.
Italy’s Anfao and unions reach labor contract agreement
The Italian eyewear trade association Anfao reached an agreement with trade union representatives on the terms of a new contract affecting the roughly 18,000 workers in Italy’s eyewear industry, including those at Luxottica, which exited Anfao in 2019.
U.K. signs free trade agreements with Turkey, EU
The U.K. and Turkey have signed tariff-free trading arrangements and are committed to reach a ”more ambitious” agreement in the future, according to the British Department for International Trade .
EU, China reach in principle an agreement on investments
After seven years of talks, the European Union and China have agreed in principle on a investment agreement after their leaders met on a conference call on Dec. 30. The parties had set the end of 2020 as the deadline to strike a deal.
Kering investigated by French financial prosecutor
Kering said that the French financial public prosecutor (Parquet National Financier) has opened a preliminary inquiry concerning the company in February 2019.
The U.K. reaches trade accord with Vietnam, but deal with EU unlikely
The U.K. has finalized a free trade agreement with Vietnam, which is scheduled to become effective from Jan. 1.
EU agrees on common rules for travel restrictions due to Covid-19
The European Council has adopted a recommendation on a coordinated approach to travel restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The council comprises the heads of state or government of the countries forming the European Union, as well as the president of the council and of the European Commission.
Global talks on digital tax prolonged to 2021
The 137 countries involved in talks on base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) due to the digitalization of the economy have agreed to keep working towards an agreement on the taxation of digital companies by mid-2021, thus acknowledging that they will fail to strike a deal by the end of ...