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DTSTAMP:20260408T052202Z
DTSTART:20251103T193000Z
DTEND:20251103T223000Z
SUMMARY:Hot topics in international commerce\, trade\, franchising and pr
 oduct law
DESCRIPTION:The annual hot topics discussion of the International Commerc
 e\, Trade\, Franchising and Product Law Section\, where we will discuss 
 all the latest and ongoing issues in the world of international commerce
 \, trade\, and product law\, in a roundtable format.\n\n\n\nTopic 1:\n\n
 Navigating the shifting landscape: global trends and enforcement in econ
 omic sanctions and export controls\n\nThis session will explore the rapi
 dly evolving regulatory environment surrounding economic sanctions and e
 xport controls\, with a focus on the growing complexity of multilateral 
 regimes\, divergent national approaches\, and heightened enforcement act
 ivity. Key topics will include the extraterritorial reach of U.S. and EU
  sanctions\, the impact of geopolitical conflicts\, emerging technologie
 s\, and corporate compliance strategies to mitigate legal and reputation
 al risk in an increasingly interconnected global economy.\n\nTable moder
 ators: Sophie Gabillot\, Christophe Rapin\n\n\n\nTopic 2:\n\nTrump tarif
 fs and new trade deals\n\nExploring new trade deals like EU–Mercosur and
  UK-USA\n\nTable moderators: Horacio A Lopez-Portillo\, Riccardo Giorgio
  Cajola\, Dalton James Albrecht\n\n\n\nTopic 3:\n\nNavigating the impact
  of the tariff war on commercial contracts\n\nThe “tariff war”\, whereby
  tariffs are imposed by the US on different countries and whereby some c
 ountries have also imposed tariffs on the US\, brings uncertainty to com
 mercial contracts especially as the tariffs are changing by the day. It 
 would be interesting to discuss the impact hereof on the supply chain\, 
 including how the changing tariff burden should be allocated in new cont
 racts (e.g. via “unforeseen circumstances or change in law” clauses\, vi
 a “MAE clauses”\, “force majeure” etc.) and how to deal with the changin
 g tariff burden in already existing contracts.\n\nTable moderators: Andr
 ada Tiru\, Vanya Chaturvedi\, Javier Canosa\n\n\n\nTopic 4:\n\nAgentic A
 I transforming the practice of law\n\nAgentic AI refers to advanced syst
 ems capable of autonomously performing tasks\, making decisions\, and in
 teracting with environments beyond their initial programming. As busines
 ses integrate agentic AI into product strategies and navigate new EU AI 
 law requirements\, understanding its practical uses is crucial. In the l
 egal sector\, agentic AI can automate document review\, legal research\,
  contract analysis\, and predictive analytics\, allowing lawyers to focu
 s on higher-value work. However\, its adoption raises challenges and eth
 ical considerations. This roundtable aims to provide insights\, share ex
 periences\, and offer practical guidance for effectively integrating age
 ntic AI into legal workflows\, highlighting its transformative potential
 .\n\nTable moderators: Talha Salaria\, Peter Wagner\, Dietmar Huemer\n\n
 \n\nTopic 5:\n\nBest practices for handling customer data and cybersecur
 ity measures in franchise and distribution systems\n\nAll franchise and 
 distribution systems must prioritise the secure handling of customer dat
 a. This roundtable will examine protocols to ensure data confidentiality
 \, integrity\, and availability\, including secure storage\, encrypted t
 ransmission\, and regular security updates. We will discuss routine audi
 ts to identify vulnerabilities and review compliance with data protectio
 n regulations like GDPR. The session will also address cybersecurity mea
 sures such as defending against malware\, phishing\, and ransomware\, im
 plementing multi-factor authentication\, and maintaining regular data ba
 ckups. Finally\, we will explore the importance of a robust incident res
 ponse plan to effectively manage and mitigate potential data breaches or
  security incidents.\n\nTable moderators: Dagmar Waldzus\, Arthur L. Pre
 ssman\n\n\n\nTopic 6:\n\nManaging brand reputational risk arising from p
 olitical or social controversy\n\nBrands today face heightened risks fro
 m political and social controversies due to increased connectivity and r
 apid information sharing. This roundtable will focus on strategies for m
 anaging and mitigating these challenges\, emphasising the importance of 
 protecting brand reputation. Participants will examine real-world case s
 tudies\, exchange best practices\, and discuss proactive steps to addres
 s potential issues before they escalate. The session will also cover how
  to respond effectively when controversies arise\, ensuring clear commun
 ication and maintaining stakeholder trust. By sharing insights and pract
 ical approaches\, the roundtable aims to equip brands with the tools nee
 ded to navigate complex social and political landscapes.\n\nTable modera
 tors: Silvia Bortolotti\, Alan R Greenfield\n\n\n\nTopic 7:\n\nWill the 
 Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) clause remain in effect amid US efforts to di
 smantle it?\n\nThe US has advocated for the removal of the Most-Favored-
 Nation (MFN) clause in certain trade agreements. Recent free trade agree
 ments indicate that MFN treatment is no longer automatically extended to
  other nations but is instead limited to the specific terms of each agre
 ement. What does this shift mean for the future of global trade rules?\n
 \nTable moderators: Martin Ibarra\, Rene Medrado\n\n\n\nTopic 8:\n\nThe 
 future of cross-border e-commerce trade regulations\n\nWith the De Minim
 is scheme ending between the EU and the US in July 2024\, and escalating
  regulatory scrutiny on Chinese shipments\, the US introduced a major ch
 ange on May 14\, 2025: shipments valued at 800 USD or less from China an
 d Hong Kong are now subject to a 54% tariff\, with a fixed charge of 100
  USD remaining in place — what are the implications for global parcel tr
 ade? At present\, parcels account for approximately 20% of global trade\
 , with shipments from China to the US alone valued at US 66 billion USD 
 per year. How will these regulatory changes impact international e-comme
 rce?\n\nTable moderators: Yves Melin\, Emilio Arteaga\n\n\n\nTopic 9:\n\
 nChallenges of product recalls and crisis management in global markets\n
 \nManaging product recalls in an international context involves complex 
 legal\, logistical\, and reputational challenges. This round table will 
 focus on best practices and legal considerations for global recall strat
 egies.\n\nKey discussion points will include:\n\n• cross-border coordina
 tion - harmonising recall procedures across jurisdictions with differing
  rules and timelines\;\n\n• legal Obligations and notification requireme
 nts - understanding mandatory reporting to authorities and consumers in 
 various markets\;\n\n• risk mitigation and liability exposure - balancin
 g transparency with limiting legal exposure and reputational damage\;\n\
 n• consumer communication and trust rebuilding - strategies for effectiv
 e communication during recalls to maintain brand reputation.\n\nTable mo
 derators: Daniele Ferretti\, Edona Vila\n\n\n
LOCATION:Room 714 A+B\, Level 700\, MTCC
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