Recent Articles

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  18/06/2025

  Hungary

  Hungary proposes change to “Mall Stop” decree: new restrictions on transfer and lease of retail units

  The Hungarian Government has submitted for public consultation a draft amendment to Government Decree No. 143/2018. (VIII. 13.), which sets out the detailed rules for change-of-function permitting procedures applicable to retail units with a gross floor area exceeding 400 m². The consultation process concluded on 10 June 2025.Key elements of the proposed amendmentAccording to the government, the purpose of the amendment is to incorporate practical experience gained since the decree’s introduction, clarify certain provisions, and better define when a change-of-function permit is required....

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  18/06/2025

  Ukraine

  Ukraine extends Bolar provision paving the way for faster access for generics

  Section 1: Extension of Bolar ProvisionOn 5 June 2025, the Law on Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Implementation of the Bolar Provision, which the Ukrainian parliament adopted in May came into force.The Bolar provision is defined as legislative norms enabling faster access to the market for generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars by allowing manufacturers to conduct R&D using the original patented medicines and apply for marketing authorisation of their generic alternatives or biosimilars before the expiry of the patents protecting the original reference medicine. This means...

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  18/06/2025

  Belgium

  Launch of new portal for data breach notification by the Belgian Data Protection Authority

  The Belgian Data Protection Authority (BDPA) has just launched a new portal for data breach notification, which went live on 10 June 2025 (see announcement in French or Dutch). This significant development aims to streamline the process of notifying data breaches in Belgium. We provide an overview of the key changes and requirements introduced by this new portal and offer practical guidance to ensure compliance.What are the key changes and requirements?The new portal consolidates the notification process, requiring data controllers to use a single platform for all data breach notifications. This...

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  18/06/2025

  Germany

  "AI systems" within the meaning of the AI Act: Term and definition

  Two ways of better handling and defining the term "AI system" within the meaning of the AI Act and its distinction from "artificial intelligence".The Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence ("AI Act"), which came into force on 1 August 2024, is the first legislative attempt to establish uniform rules for the use of artificial intelligence systems.Probably the most important term in the regulation is "AI system". It determines the material scope of application and thus the programme of obligations to be fulfilled by those who develop, distribute, put into...

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  17/06/2025

  United Kingdom

  The Media Act 2024: One year on

  A year ago on 24 May 2024, the Media Act 2024 (the “Act”) became law, constituting the biggest overhaul of the UK’s media regulatory landscape in over twenty years. Designed to modernise the framework for public service broadcasters (“PSB”), video-on-demand (“VoD”) services, and commercial radio and other media services, the Act aims to align UK regulation with its evolving digital media environment. A year on from its enactment, we examine the progress of the Act’s implementation and what to expect in the coming months.What has been achieved one...

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  17/06/2025

  England and Wales

  Advertising under scrutiny: How LC International fell short of ASA standards

  IntroductionThe Advertising Standards Agency (“ASA”) has upheld two complaints made against Ladbrokes related to TV and video on demand (“VOD”) advertisements promoting  its “Ladbucks” rewards programme (the “ads”). The ads promoted the betting platform of LC International Ltd (trading as “Ladbrokes”) by outlining that users could collect “Ladbucks” when playing certain games on the betting platform which could be redeemed and used for free bets and spins. The ASA ultimately deemed that the ads, and the name “Ladbucks”,...

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