Law360: The EU General Court can make preliminary rulings in cases involving the EU's common system of value-added taxes, effective on 1 October 2024, as part of an expansion of the court's jurisdiction.

MLex: The trade mark fight over George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ has reached the EU General Court, where judges are asked whether a famous book title can become too culturally familiar to function as a brand. The appeal follows a separate court challenge over the EU Intellectual Property Office’s (EUIPO’s) refusal to register ‘George Orwell’ as an EU trade mark.

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. This Practice Note tracks the historical progress of the European Commission’s proposal for a new EU General Product Safety Regulation replacing Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety, also known as the EU General Product Safety Directive (EU GPSD). The EU General Product Safety Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/988) has been adopted on 10 May 2023 and published in the OJEU on 23 May 2023. It entered into force on 12 June 2023 and starts to apply on 13 December 2024. For more information about the EU General Product Safety Regulation, see Practice Note: The EU General Product Safety Regulation. Background The EU GPSD sets out a general product safety requirement, which requires producers to only place products that are safe on the EU market. For more information on the EU GPSD, see: • Practice Note: Conducting a product recall in the EU—general consumer goods [Archived] • Practice Note: The EU General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC, and • Conducting a product recall in

The EU glossary pulls together and explains terms commonly used in EU law. Blue economy The European Union's blue economy encompasses all industries and sectors related to oceans, seas and coasts, whether they are based directly in the marine environment (eg shipping, seafood, energy generation) or on land (eg ports, shipyards, coastal infrastructures). Call for evidence As part of its Better Regulation process, the European Commission may publish a call for evidence when preparing a significant legislative or policy initiative, evaluating an existing law or policy, or carrying out a fitness check of a group of related laws and/or policies. Calls for evidence generally set out the issue being considered and the objectives of the initiative, explain the case for EU action, outline possible policy options and provide information on stakeholder consultation. Calls for evidence replaced roadmap and inception impact assessments. Circular Economy Action Plan In March 2020, as part of the EU’s European Green Deal, the European Commission has adopted a Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). The CEAP aims to: • make sustainable products common in the EU

Ireland-Banking & Financial Services analysis: This article was written by Phil Cody, partner (Structured Finance and Securitisation), Aisling Kelly, partner (Structured Finance and Securitisation), Helen Berrill, director (Stock Exchange Listings and Fund Registration), Sinéad Cantillon, senior professional support lawyer (Debt Finance) and Katherine Quirke, of counsel (Structured Finance and Securitisation), of Arthur Cox LLP. It examines the end of the transitional regime for external reviewers under Regulation (EU) 2023/2631, the EU Green Bond Regulation (the Regulation). It outlines the move to mandatory European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) registration and supervision, the secondary legislation supporting the new framework, the operation of the third-country regime, and the practical implications for issuers, external reviewers and investors using the European Green Bond (EuGB) label.

MLex: Realising the European Green Deal in full is crucial but the EU needs economic competitiveness, heavy industries and citizens' support too, Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo has said 12 April 2024.

Key information Groundwater Directive Title Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the prevention and control of groundwater pollutionNote that this title reflects changes made by Directive (EU) 2026/805, as published in the Official Journal on 20 April 2026 Entry into force 16 January 2007 Transposition deadline 16 January 2009 National transposition measures See Eur-Lex information on national transposition measures, as provided by Member States Amendments —Directive 2014/80/EU of 20 June 2014 amending Annex II of Directive 2006/118/EC. In force: 11 July 2014. Transposition deadline: 11 July 2016—Directive (EU) 2026/805 amending Directive 2000/60/EC (the Water Framework Directive), Directive 2006/118/EC (the Groundwater Directive), and Directive 2008/105/EC (the Environmental Quality Standards Directive). In force: 10 May 2026. Transposition deadline: 21 December 2027 Subject Groundwater, water quality Purpose and objective The EU Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC is also known as the Groundwater Daughter Directive owing to its close relationship to the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD), which covers various aspects

Key information Habitats Directive Title Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora of 21 May 1992 (Habitats Directive) Entry into force 10 June 1994 National transposition measures See Eur-Lex information on national transposition measures, as provided by Member States Amending documents —Council Directive 97/62/EC of 27 October 1997 adapting Annexes I and II of Directive 92/43/EEC to reflect technical and scientific progress—Regulation (EC) 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 September 2003 adapting to Council Decision 1999/468/EC the provisions relating to committees which assist the Commission in the exercise of its implementing powers laid down in instruments subject to the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the EC Treaty—Council Directive 2006/105/EC of 20 November 2006 adapting certain directives in the field of environment, by reason of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania—Council Directive 2013/17/EU of 13 May 2013 adapting certain directives in the field of environment, by reason of the accession of the Republic of Croatia Subject Wildlife;

Law360: French pharmaceutical giant Servier is back on the hook for all but €2.4m (US$2.57m) of a more than €300m EU antitrust fine after the European Court of Justice reversed a lower court decision that had reduced the penalty by over €100m.

The EU Home Affairs Ministers endorsed on 5 March 2025 a revised timeline for implementing the Entry/Exit System (EES) and European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). The EES will become operational in October 2025, with ETIAS following in Q4 2026. Ministers approved a General Approach allowing for progressive EES implementation across 29 European countries over six months. The systems will digitise border management for non-EU nationals travelling for short stays, with EES handling border crossings and ETIAS providing pre-travel authorisation for visa-free travellers.

Why harmonisation is needed The divergence between various countries’ insolvency laws has an impact on: • the recovery rates of creditors in different jurisdictions • investment decisions, and • the restructuring of groups of companies A more coherent approach should not only improve returns to creditors and the flow of cross-border investment, but also have a positive impact on entrepreneurship, employment and innovation. The World Bank has in the past produced substantial reports to show improved insolvency laws promote greater investment in that country (see Practice Note: Table of advantages and disadvantages of restructuring in various jurisdictions worldwide and News Analysis: Coronavirus (COVID-19)—A nucleus for significant reform), and discrepancies between national frameworks lead to increased costs and uncertainties in assessing the risks of investing in another country (as noted by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB); see: LNB News 12/05/2025 17). The Regulation (EU) 2015/848 (OJ L141 5.6.2015 p 19), Recast Regulation on Insolvency [EU Recast Regulation on Insolvency] (which applied to England in

Under Article 20 of the IDD, the manufacturer of a non-life insurance product, such as a motor insurance or home contents policy, is required to draw up an Insurance Product Information Document (IPID), that insurance distributors must provide to customers prior to the conclusion of the insurance contract. This Practice Note describes the IPID requirements set out in Directive (EU) 2016/97, the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), which replaced the Insurance Mediation Directive (2002/92/EC) (IMD) effective 1 October 2018. For more information on the IDD, see Practice Notes: • EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD)—essentials • EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD)—scope, registration, passporting and sanctions • EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD)—organisational and conduct of business requirements, and • EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD)—insurance-based investment products Requirements of the IPID Article 20 of the IDD Prior to the conclusion of a contract, whether or not advice is given and irrespective of whether the insurance product is part of a package, the insurance distributor must provide the customer with the relevant information about the insurance