Spain Will Raise "An Anti-piracy Generation"

Rudy Gaines, our client services director attending the International AntiCounterfeitingCoalition’s spring conference sent us this pic from the keynote address given by Inigo Mendez de Vigo, Spain’s Minister of Education, Culture and Sport. Mendez de Vigo told the crowd Spain will raise “an anti-piracy generation” and reiterated his nation’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights.

Womble in Spain with IACC

Rudy Gaines, one of our intrepid client service directors, was in Barcelona this week for the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition’s spring conference and before you think it’s all paella and fandangos, check out the most exciting photo he sent us.

All work and no play. We’ll be sharing some of Rudy’s major takeaways from the conference when he returns. 

The IACC was created to help fight global product counterfeiting and piracy. This year’s conference included discussions on tackling counterfeiting in Africa and what rights-holders can do to identify and target counterfeit shipments within the supply chain. 

What To Look For When Prime Minister Theresa May, President Donald Trump Meet

By Peter Snaith and Jim Kearney

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has secured the coveted first meeting between President Trump and a foreign head of government.  Among the goals of each leader in this meeting will be setting a course for a future UK-US trade deal.  The policies of each of Prime Minister May and President Trump will be on the line in this first meeting, with Prime Minister May seeking to demonstrate the UK’s ability to strike favorable trade arrangements in the post-Brexit era and President Trump seeking to establish the viability of his “America First” policies on the global economic stage.  The fortunes of businesses and investors in both countries are also on the line, and as the details of any bilateral trade understanding begin to take shape they will need to understand how their commercial interests will likely be affected and how they can position themselves to protect their interests and capitalize on new opportunities.

The two leaders begin in broad agreement on their preference for bilateral rather than multilateral trade deals, and the UK will undoubtedly be keen to be at the front of the queue for trade talks with the Trump Administration.  However, to benefit from any Trump-led tide in favor of bilateral deals the UK may have to consider steps that would conflict with its continuing obligations as a member of the European Union and increase the risk of a "hard" Brexit.

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Swiss-US Privacy Shield Will Replace Swiss-US Data Protection Safe Harbor

By Ted Claypoole

Ted Claypoole

On January 11, 2017, the Swiss Federal Council announced that a new framework will govern the transfer of personal data from Switzerland to the US. According to the Federal Council, the Swiss-US Privacy Shield Framework “will apply the same conditions as the European Union.” The International Trade Administration stated that the US Department of Commerce will begin accepting certifications on April 12. Certification will allow companies to comply with Swiss data protection requirements, facilitating transatlantic commerce.

The Federal Council made note of several changes from the Swiss-US Safe Harbor to the Swiss-US Privacy Shield, including:

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Extension of Furniture Anti-Dumping Duties a Preview of Bigger U.S. Trade Protections to Come

Randy Hanson

By Randy Hanson

Furniture Today is reporting the U.S. International Trade Commission voted this week to keep anti-dumping duties in place for another five years on wooden bedroom furniture made in China.

Parties active in the furniture industry are aware of longstanding and ongoing efforts among U.S. domestic producers to combat what they consider to be unfair pricing by Chinese manufacturers, claiming many foreign goods are priced below cost.  Such efforts to fight unfairly priced imports by turning to the ITC have gained periodic but passing notoriety, such as with the publication in 2014 of Beth Macy’s book about John Bassett III called “Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local, and Helped Save an American Town.”  Bassett was described by National Public Radio as “a determined owner who fought back against the foreign onslaught — both by filing anti-dumping charges with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Chinese firms and by making his own company more competitive”.

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Hilco Buys Staples' UK Business

Hilco Capital announced today it has acquired the U.K. office supply business and operations of Boston headquartered Staples, Inc. Our good friends at Bond Dickinson advised Hilco, their long-standing client, on the deal.

Follow this link to read more about the deal.

Womble Carlyle and Bond Dickinson formalized a transatlantic strategic alliance in June after working together for several years. The Alliance aims to provide clients of either firm experienced local counsel on both sides of the Atlantic.

Are Austrian, U.S. Real Estate Restrictions A View Of What's To Come?

By Joe Foltz

Joe Foltz

Recently an American client asked me to assist with the acquisition of real estate in a mountain lake region of Austria. As I began the process I was surprised to learn that a U.S. entity or U.S. citizen may not own real estate in Austria (with an exception for people who have dual citizenship). This is not an ad hominem obstacle to U.S. investors.

With certain exceptions for treaty countries, the same prohibition applies to all non-Austrian persons or entities. These restrictions vary from province to province but as a region of natural beauty and tourist interest this province is particularly restrictive.

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