Government

Article 20 of the new Loi de Programmation Militaire has been described as the “French Patriot Act.” It gives the French administration new surveillance powers, allowing it to request content, data and metadata, including geo-location data. This article provides an overview of the key provisions of this new law.

On 31 August 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed amendments to the Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (the Amended Law), which entered into force on 1 January 2013. The Amended Law strengthens the Chinese arbitration regime in two important respects: narrowing the statutory grounds upon which PRC courts can refuse enforcement of domestic arbitration awards, and allowing parties to arbitration proceedings to apply to the PRC courts for interim measures before the commencement of those arbitration proceedings.

A review of the recent interest and penalties amnesty related to the Brazilian state sales tax on companies importing goods. Includes discussion of how companies can reduce outstanding liabilities and resolve pending litigation.