Government Regulation and Public Sector Law

On 16 September 2026 Malta’s Civil Court (Asset Recovery Section) threw out, in its entirety, a claim by the Asset Recovery Bureau and the Commissioner of Police to confiscate more than half a million euro held on trust. It is understood to be the first time a Maltese court has rejected a non-conviction based confiscation claim after an interested third party stepped in to defend the property.

The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) has released draft guidelines on ongoing monitoring of business relationships under the new Anti-Money Laundering Regulation.

The European Union's new Anti-Money Laundering Regulation introduces sweeping changes for the automotive sector, bringing luxury vehicle dealers into the compliance framework for the first time while imposing stricter requirements on leasing companies. With motor vehicles priced above EUR 250,000 now classified as high-value goods, dealers must implement comprehensive AML procedures including customer due diligence, beneficial ownership verification, and mandatory reporting to financial intelligence units

The EU continues its ambitious reform agenda for life sciences regulation, with landmark agreements on pharmaceutical legislation and biotech innovation frameworks. Ireland's Council Presidency is set to drive progress on critical medicines legislation and medical device reforms, while new investment initiatives aim to mobilize billions into Europe's biotech sector.

Il dibattito sulla tassazione dei patrimoni è tornato al centro della scena politica italiana, dividendo l'opinione pubblica tra chi la considera uno strumento di redistribuzione della ricchezza e chi la ritiene un onere incompatibile con la crescita economica. La presente analisi esamina l'approccio di Italia e Svizzera alla tassazione patrimoniale, approfondendo le prospettive divergenti e le realtà fiscali di entrambi i Paesi.

Κάθε δικαιούχος ενοικίου που αφορά ακίνητη ιδιοκτησία εντός της Κύπρου δεν δύναται να αποδέχεται την είσπραξη τέτοιου ενοικίου με οποιοδήποτε άλλο τρόπο, πέραν αυτών που καθορίζονται πιο πάνω

The Belgian Council of State has issued a landmark judgment clarifying the obligations of both contracting authorities and tenderers under the EU's Foreign Subsidies Regulation in public procurement procedures. This ruling addresses a high-value casino concession dispute and establishes critical compliance requirements that could invalidate awarding decisions if not properly followed.

The Belgian Council of State has issued a landmark ruling on the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), clarifying the obligations of both contracting authorities and bidders in public procurement procedures exceeding €250 million. This decision arose from a dispute over Brussels' casino concession and establishes that FSR compliance is mandatory regardless of whether procurement documents explicitly mention it, with non-compliance rendering award decisions unlawful.

Die Europäische Kommission hat einen Vorschlag für einen neuen "Public Procurement Act" vorgelegt, der das europäische Vergaberecht grundlegend neuordnen soll. Die bisherigen drei Vergaberichtlinien würden durch eine unmittelbar anwendbare EU-Verordnung ersetzt, die nicht nur das Vergabeverfahren vereinfachen und digitalisieren, sondern öffentliche Beschaffung stärker für Nachhaltigkeit, Resilienz, Innovation und europäische Wertschöpfung einsetzen soll. Der Vors

The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered a landmark ruling on whether political parties may invoke freedom of expression to justify using reputed trademarks in their campaigns. When Belgian political party Vlaams Belang adopted the IKEA trademark for its immigration reform programme, Inter IKEA Systems challenged the use, forcing European courts to balance intellectual property rights against fundamental freedoms. The judgment establishes a nuanced framework requiring case-by-case assessment

El Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos examina la validez de la renuncia a la motivación del laudo arbitral en el contexto del derecho a un proceso equitativo. ¿Puede una parte renunciar legítimamente a recibir un laudo motivado sin vulnerar garantías procesales fundamentales? La sentencia analiza los requisitos para que tal renuncia sea compatible con el Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos y su relación con la doctrina del Tribunal Constitucional español.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on whether political expression and parody can justify the unauthorized use of a reputed trademark, examining the balance between intellectual property rights and freedom of speech. The case arose from a Belgian political party's immigration campaign that adopted IKEA's branding without permission, prompting Inter IKEA to bring infringement proceedings.