Distribution and Franchising

Recent Articles

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  07/05/2025

  Austria

  New Austrian Regulation on the stockpiling of human medicines

  On April 21, 2025, a new regulation of the Austrian Federal Minister of Health on the stockpiling of human medicines came into effect. It aims to prevent drug shortages and ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines to the Austrian population. The regulation will remain in force for three years.Obligations for Marketing Authorization Holders (MAHs)The regulation on the stockpiling of human medicines (“Verordnung betreffend die Bevorratung von Humanarzneispezialitäten”, BGBl II 161/2024) mandates that MAHs who distribute human medicinal products listed in the annex to the regulation...

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  04/03/2025

  Belgium

  Navigating the new repairability index in Belgium: key updates and deadline

  A few months ago, we informed you about the obligation to display a repairability or durability index for certain products. In case you missed our article on the subject, you can read it here.Now it's time to give you a few updates about this obligation, which comes into force on 2 May 2025.Launch of the product repairability platformThe Federal Public Service Health will launch a new product repairability platform and has published a Q&A document recently.The platform will assist professionals, consumer organizations and federal authorities in implementing the repairability index, which...

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  26/02/2025

  Belgium

  Discounters remain liable when selling luxury products outside a selective distribution network

  In an interesting judgment last year, which will be published in the next issue of the Belgian intellectual property journal IRDI, the Enterprise Court of Mons held Kruidvat liable for trademark infringement in a dispute about the resale of Dior perfumes.Kruidvat is a discounter offering a variety of health and beauty products, both online and offline, in about 1,300 stores in Belgium and the Netherlands.Dior is the well-known producer of luxury products and the holder of several DIOR trademarks for, amongst others, perfumes. To protect the exclusivity and reputation of its brand, Dior uses a selective...

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  15/01/2025

  China

  2025 – Topics that may Concern You

  Companies doing business in China constantly have to deal with changes in regulations and new laws. This will also continue in 2025.Topics such as the new PRC Company Law, new PRC Tariff Law, PRC Regulations on Export Control of Dual-Use Items, network data security management, data transfer, opening up capital markets to foreign investment, and raise of statutory retirement age of employees etc. will continue to be a concern for many companies in China in 2025.Complying with regulatory requirements is one of the key challenges for foreign companies and investors in China, not only in terms of...

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  04/12/2024

  Italy

  EU Directive 2024/2853: the new product liability regime for defective products

  Last Nov. 18, 2024, Directive No. 2024/2853 on liability for defective products (“PLD” - Product Liability Directive) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, which EU member states must transpose by Dec. 09, 2026, and will apply to products placed on the market or put into service after that date.This directive responds to developments related to new technologies (primarily artificial intelligence), new circular economy business models, and issues related to the globalization of supply chains.Some of the main changes introduced by the PLD are:the broadening of the...

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  07/10/2024

  Belgium

  The Repairability and Durability Index: a New Challenge for Industry Players

  Inspired by similar initiatives in France and at European level, Belgium is introducing the obligation to display a repairability and durability index for certain products on the market. The Act on the promotion of the repairability and durability of goods was adopted on 17 March 2024 and the first Royal Decrees needed to implement the Act were published last month in the Official State Gazette.The first Royal Decree determines the goods covered by the reparability index, the technical standards for establishing the scores for each of the criteria and the method for calculating the reparability...

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