Finance & Trade

Ukraine Responds to Biden Administration’s Pressure over Nord Stream 2

July 27, 2021

Ukraine has responded to recent pressure given by the Biden administration to go along with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany with Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the chief of the Ukrainian presidential administration repeating Ukraine’s fierce criticism of the Nord Stream 2 project and insistence that Washington prevent its completion.
EU Adopts New SCCs For Transfers of Personal Data

July 14, 2021

The European Commission adopted a new set of standard contractual clauses (SCCs) for transfers of personal data from the EU to the U.S. or other countries that are not deemed to ensure adequate protection for personal data taking into consideration the July 2020 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Schrems II that declared the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework for data transfers invalid.
First News: Polish PM hails potential of Three Seas Initiative

July 05, 2021

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has praised the Three Seas Initiative, a project to enhance infrastructure between the countries lying between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas, noting the importance is due not only the shared common history of the 12 countries in the region but also their geopolitical location.
EU Adopts New Standards for International Data Transfers

June 30, 2021

The European Commission (EC) published its final Implementing Decision adopting new Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCCs”) for the transfer of personal data outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”), creating new steps to be followed by Businesses and organizations that collect, process, or otherwise handle any EEA personal data.
EU Summit Exposes Clash of Views on Russia

June 28, 2021

Politico reports that lines were clearly drawn between EU Countries on the subject of Russia this past weekend during the EU’s Summit, as French President Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed for a new Russia policy which was rebuffed by leaders of Central and Eastern European Nations.
TownHall: How the EU Could Force America into the ‘Great Reset’

June 22, 2021

The Great Reset’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards that were once considered voluntary, are now becoming mandatory and due to a provision in a recent European Union (EU) resolution that requiring EU companies to adopt ESG metrics, essentially every U.S. company working with the EU must comply as well.
France Plans to Revive the Use of the French Language during EU Presidency

June 09, 2021

France will take over the EU’s rotating Council presidency this year and the French government is making plans to use the occasion to revive the use of the french language including earmarking money to offer more French classes to EU civil servants, potential French-language debates, and key meetings of the Council conducted in French.
Europe gives U.S. Ultimatum for Data-Transfer Deal

June 02, 2021

European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová has stated that the United States must pass new legislation to limit how its national security agencies access Europeans' data if Washington and Brussels are to discuss a new deal on transferring people's digital information across the Atlantic.
Italy Fines Google $123 million for Blocking an App from Android Auto

May 17, 2021

Italy's competition regulator has ordered Google to pay over €100 million ($123 million) for abuse of its dominant position, citing that Google has shut out an electric vehicle recharging app from its Android Auto infotainment platform for cars for over two years.
VOA: EU Suspends China Trade Deal over Human Rights Concerns

May 12, 2021

EU Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis announced that efforts to get the trade deal with China ratified by lawmakers in the European Parliament has been halted, citing that the EU sanctions against China and the Chinese counter-sanctions create an environment that is not conducive to the ratification of the agreement.