During the last 20 years, we have witnessed the digital transformation of the economy with the rise of digital giants, companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Apple, whose business takes place online. Existing corporate taxation rules, however, have proven to be ineffective for the...

There is a considerable urgency in addressing the impact stemming from the production of certain agricultural commodities on ecosystems and local communities. Forest-risk commodities (FRCs) such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, maize and beef generate negative impacts on deforestation,...

This article is the first that discusses how national enforcement authorities have been using bundling, meaning tying or rolling up a number of things together, to settle with corporations over multiple bribery allegations. These settlements rely on some allegedly illegal acts that defendants...

Water is an exhaustible natural resource. Access to clean, safe and affordable water must be managed nowadays not only to avoid any unnecessary use of water, but also allow for continuous supply of such an important factor of public well-being. In recent years, water-related activities acquired...

Promotion of renewable energy has become one important priority in the political agenda worldwide. However, financing of renewable energy projects, especially the small-scale ones, is not always streamlined and banks may not always be willing to invest in such projects. This fact is accentuated...

Continuous innovation and a growing consumer demand for better and safer products has led to an increase of technical standards in recent years. The World Trade Organization (WTO) exercises a high level of deference towards international standards, requiring their use. However, practice shows...

The conclusion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) constitutes a priority and key component of the new external trade policy of the European Union (EU) and an immediate follow-up to several years of regulatory cooperation between the two global trade powers. In an era of...

European energy consumers who previously had a rather passive, consuming role, and were confronted with top-down determined energy supply options, services, as well as prices, are now assuming a more proactive role, in some cases becoming prosumers of energy. Originally the focus of both...

Services of general interest (SGI) are a key component of the EU economy, accounting for 26% of GDP and 30% of employment within the EU. They cover economic and noneconomic activities alike. They are to be distinguished from services of general economic interest (SGEI), which are economic...

Due to legislative and judicial developments, standard-setting has come to the forefront of public debates. Being for a long time considered as a 'no passing zone' for everyone but engineers and technical experts, standard-setting organizations (SSOs) have produced a rowing solid body of...