Key Public Policy Developments Around the World
On 23 April 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted a new package of economic sanctions against Russia, marking the twentieth sanctions package introduced since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Click here to read the full alert on cov.com.
Continue Reading EU Adopts Additional Sanctions Against Russia and Belarus & UK Adopts Sanctions End-Use ControlsSection 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (“Section 232”) authorizes the President to “adjust” imports—including through application of tariffs, quotas, tariff rate quotas, and license fees—where the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) determines imports threaten to impair U.S. national security. Since February 2025, President Trump has invoked Section 232…
Continue Reading Current and Forthcoming Section 232 Actions by the Trump AdministrationIn an increasingly global economy, sophisticated foreign companies are seeking strategic and cost‑effective ways to establish or expand their presence in the United States, enter new product lines, or acquire strategic assets at attractive valuations. One frequently overlooked pathway is acquiring assets through a U.S. bankruptcy case.
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Continue Reading Section 363 Sales Provide Strategic Opportunities to Acquire Assets in the U.S.On 4 March 2026, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published its proposal for a regulation establishing a framework for the acceleration of its industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors (“Proposed Industrial Accelerator Act”, or “Proposed IAA”), accompanied by four annexes. The initiative is intended to strengthen the EU’s industrial base while accelerating decarbonisation in key manufacturing sectors considered strategically important (i.e., energy-intensive industries, net-zero technology manufacturing, and the automotive manufacturing ecosystem). These sectors currently represent less than 15% of EU GDP, and the Commission’s objective is to increase this share to 20% by 2035. The Proposed IAA was delayed three times before publication and underwent significant rewriting, which reflects both internal debates within the Commission and diverging reactions from Member States. It also reflects the challenges posed by the broader geopolitical context, as the Commission aims to address economic security concerns through industrial policies whilst navigating international trade relationships and commitments.
The Proposed IAA introduces a regulatory framework combining three policy tools. First, it establishes demand-side measures designed to create “lead markets” for low-carbon and “Made in EU” industrial products through public procurement and certain public support schemes. Second, it introduces conditions for allowing certain foreign direct and indirect investments (“FDI”) in strategic sectors, aimed at maximising the industrial benefits of such investments within the EU. Third, it includes measures to streamline permitting procedures and facilitate industrial clustering, with the objective of accelerating the deployment of manufacturing projects.
This blog summarises the key aspects of each tool and their potential implications for companies active in the covered industries or looking to invest in the covered industries.
Continue Reading European Commission Publishes the Proposed Industrial Accelerator ActJanuary brought several significant, long-awaited developments in the U.S. semiconductor policy space, marking an inflection point in how the Administration is deploying trade tools to advance national security and industrial policy objectives.
On January 14, 2026, the White House issued Presidential Proclamation 11002 (the “Proclamation”) and an accompanying Fact Sheet adopting …
On January 13, 2026, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued a final rule, titled Revision to License Review Policy for Advanced Computing Commodities (the “BIS Rule”), that implements a more favorable license application review policy for exports from the United States of certain advanced computing…
Continue Reading U.S. Commerce Department Revises License Review Policy for Exports of Certain Advanced Computing Commodities to China and MacauAfter passing the House the preceding week, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026 NDAA) passed the Senate on December 17 by a vote of 77-20 and was signed into law by President Trump the following day. As is frequently the case, this annual “must pass”…
Continue Reading New Sanctions Authorities in the FY 2026 NDAAOn 3 December 2025, the European Commission adopted the RESourceEU Action Plan, signaling that Europe’s industrial competitiveness will increasingly depend on its ability to secure and diversify critical raw material (“CRM”) supply chains. For companies, inside and outside the EU, RESourceEU is more than a technical update: it marks a policy shift toward a more interventionist and security-driven approach to CRM governance.
The analysis below outlines the drivers behind the initiative, its main components, and the implications for multinationals trading into the EU.
Continue Reading RESourceEU Action Plan – Strengthening the EU’s Access to Critical Raw MaterialsOn 3 December 2025, the European Commission unveiled the next phase of its economic security agenda. Building on the 2023 Economic Security Strategy and the 2024 European Economic Security Package (see our prior blog), the new communication sets out a more assertive and coordinated approach to managing risks linked to trade, investment, technology and critical infrastructure.
The EU intends to remain open to trade and investment, but that openness will increasingly be conditioned on economic security objectives. For businesses and investors, this translates into more scrutiny, more due diligence, and a more integrated interplay between the EU and Member States.
Continue Reading Strengthening EU Economic Security – More of the Same or a New Approach?On November 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear the Trump Administration’s appeal of lower court decisions holding the imposition of certain tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) unlawful. If the Supreme Court rules that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs, the government would no…
Continue Reading Don’t Count on Immediate IEEPA Refunds: What President Trump Might Do If SCOTUS Throws Out IEEPA Tariffs