Worldwide: Compliance

The European Commission has released a detailed Staff Working Document outlining the evidential basis for the European Biotech Act, revealing how the EU plans to address its biotechnology innovation...

The European Union has adopted a targeted "mini" sanctions package against Russia, introducing 87 new designations across multiple regimes while creating a specific derogation for transactions with Chinese chip trader Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. This rolling sanctions approach marks a shift in EU strategy, targeting entities across eight jurisdictions including China, UAE, and Turkey, while addressing supply chain disruptions caused by previous designations.

The introduction of Public Country-by-Country Reporting in Malta imposes new obligations on multinational groups, representing a significant shift towards enhanced corporate tax transparency across the European Union. This EU transparency measure requires certain multinational groups to publicly report specified tax and business information for each jurisdiction in which they operate, with the first publication expected in 2026.

New mandatory workplace safety training regulations under State-Regions Agreement No. 59/2025 introduce comprehensive reforms affecting employers, managers, and supervisors across Italy. The provisions establish stricter requirements for training credits, periodic refresher courses, and immediate onboarding training while expanding the scope of obligations throughout organizational hierarchies.

Foreign residents in Cyprus face specific requirements when converting their driving licences, governed by EU residence rules and recognition agreements between countries. The process involves proving usual residence through documentation like registration certificates and utility bills, submitting applications through the Department of Road Transport, and navigating different pathways depending on whether the licence originates from an EU or non-EU country.

From June 19, 2026, all online traders active within the EU are required to provide a “withdrawal button” on their websites and apps.

The European Commission has adopted new implementing technical standards under the Market Abuse Regulation, fundamentally changing how issuers must maintain insider lists.

The EU's new withdrawal button requirement will fundamentally reshape how online traders interact with consumers across member states. From June 2026, businesses offering digital contracts must implement a two-step withdrawal function that allows consumers to exercise their 14-day cooling-off period with unprecedented ease. What technical, operational, and legal changes must traders implement to meet these obligations, and what are the consequences of non-compliance?

The French Competition Authority has opened a public consultation to evaluate its two-year-old informal guidance framework that helps organizations determine whether their sustainability initiatives comply with competition law. Since its introduction in May 2024, the framework has issued five guidance letters covering diverse environmental projects, from carbon footprint platforms to retail sector sustainability commitments.