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Trade Law and Sanctions

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In an increasingly challenging international business world, our inter-disciplinary team helps companies to remain compliant and keep supply chains moving. With sanctions regimes often lacking clear guidance, even seemingly routine business transactions can pose substantial risks, both financial and reputational. Our team assists clients in navigating rapidly changing and complex financial and trade sanctions and embargo rules at national and EU levels, which in the UK concerns the regime enforced by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). As part of our trade practice we assess potential risks associated with business relationships, conduct due diligence, draft contractual protections and advise on compliance measures. As part of our White Collar practice we advise on criminal risks, provide support for applications for waivers/derogations, reporting sanctions breaches and enforcement matters. We have strong relationships with lawyers in numerous other jurisdictions, such as the US, and can provide a fully integrated multi-jurisdictional service to clients. 

The wider CMS network also advises clients in trade related disputes and trade defence matters such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy proceedings and export controls. Our Brussels-based lawyers have supported clients in numerous EU trade defence matters, in original investigations or the various review proceedings, before the European Commission or subsequently before the Courts of the European Union. Our Brussels team also regularly advises clients on the impact of trade agreements and WTO law on the cross-border movement of goods and the provision services and leverage the expertise of our highly regarded tax and customs teams.

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19/01/2024
CBAM: Just over a week to comply
As the deadline for the first Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) report approaches on January 31st, it is crucial for undertakings engaged in importing relevant goods into the European Union to...
17/01/2024
Reform of UK Furniture Fire Safety Regulations
The UK Government is currently reviewing responses to the recent consultation on the proposed regulatory framework for domestic furniture and furnishings, which is quite the change from the current fire...
24/11/2023
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism transition in effect since 1 October...
On 1 October 2023, a two-year transitional period began for implementation of Regulation (EU) 2023/956, which introduces the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). CBAM levies punitive CO2 charges...
30/08/2023
CBAM Implementing Regulation and Extensive Additional Reporting Guidance...
Earlier this month, the European Commission (“EC”) adopted an Implementing Regulation (“IR”) and released extensive Guidance Documents (“Guidance”) on the practicalities of reporting requirements...
17/07/2023
Resource Nationalism in Battery Metals: Risks and Mitigation
With continued warfare in Ukraine, conflict in Sudan and tensions between the U.S. and China, the state of international relations appears increasingly volatile. This fractious landscape sits abreast...
05/07/2023
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: An Overview
IntroductionThe EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (“CBAM”) entered into force on 5 June 2023. It aims to reduce carbon emissions and also discourage producers from moving their production outside...
27/06/2023
New EU sanctions against Russia (11th package)
On 23 June 2023, the EU adopted its 11th sanctions package against Russia. After weeks of internal negotiations EU Member States agreed on a set of additional measures which tackle circumvention and extend...
02/05/2023
Addressing carbon leakage: EU CBAM is adopted as UK consults on future...
On 25 April, the Council of the European Union formally adopted the regulation establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (the “CBAM Regulation”). The CBAM Regulation is a key component of...
21/04/2023
Key changes for companies related to the new General Product Safety Regulation
On 30 March 2023, the European Parliament adopted the General Product Safety Regulation for consumer products, which replaces the General Product Safety Directive of 2001 (2001/95/EC). The Council must...
28/02/2023
New EU sanctions against Russia
On 25 February 2023, one year after Russia started its invasion of Ukraine, the EU adopted its tenth sanctions package against Russia. Together with the existing sanctions the European Commission considers...
20/02/2023
Sunrise period of the Unified Patent Court to begin 1 March
After the final version of the UPC Rules of Procedure had been adopted and the judges of the UPC had been selected and appointed, the start of the Sunrise Period, originally planned for 1 January 2023...
15/11/2022
Twenty's Plenty: Freedom of Information reform, twenty years on?
Twenty years since the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 was introduced, a consultation based on a proposed Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill has been launched (closing on 02 February...