Practices
Industries

Changes of Control Criteria on EU Regulation

31 October 2023

On October 23, 2023, the European Commission issued updated Consolidated FAQs on the implementation of Council Regulation No 833/2014 and Council Regulation No 269/2014 regarding the definition of criteria for control of companies.

Restrictions on Transactions with Economically Significant Organizations May Be Cancelled

31 October 2023

On 20 October 2023, the draft law “On Amending Article 13 of the Federal Law 'On Peculiarities of Regulation of Corporate Relations in Business Companies that are Economically Significant Organizations'” was submitted to the State Duma. The Draft Law amends Federal Law No. 470 and cancels some restrictions for transactions aimed at obtaining direct control over ESO by Russian citizens and residents indirectly owning stocks/shares of ESO owned by a foreign holding company.

Russian Courts Began to Invalidate Transactions Made Without the Permission of the Government Commission

23 October 2023

On 14 August 2023 the Tenth Arbitration Court of Appeal invalidated a real estate purchase and sale deal completed without the permission of the Government Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of Foreign Investments in the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the “Government Commission”). On 16 October 2023 the Arbitration Court of the Moscow District upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, confirming the illegality of such transactions bypassing the procedure provided for by current legislation.

The Court Ordered for the First Time a Compulsory License for a Series of Pharmaceutical Patents on the Grounds of Lack of Use in Russia

05 October 2023

By its Ruling of 25.09.2023 in case No. A40-185112/2022, the Ninth Commercial Court of Appeal ordered the pharmaceutical company Vertex, the right holder of a series of patents for the drug Trikafta (INN: Ivacaftor+Tezacaftor+Elexacaftor, Ivacaftor), to grant a simple (non-exclusive) license to the Russian pharmaceutical company MIK under Article 1362(1) of the Russian Civil Code (insufficient use of patents).

Law on Special Economic and Coercive Measures Amended

29 September 2023

Special economic and coercion measures were mentioned in Russian legislation in 2006 with the adoption of Federal Law No 281-FZ “On Special Economic Measures and Coercion Measures” dated 30 December 2006 (“Law”).

Special economic measures are applied when a set of circumstances arise that require an immediate response to an internationally unlawful act or unfriendly action by a foreign state or its bodies and officials that threatens the interests and security of the Russian Federation and (or) violates the rights and freedoms of its citizens.

Lidings Has Successfully Secured Recognition of the Doppelherz Brand as a Well-known Trademark in Russia in a Precedent Dispute

25 September 2023

Lidings’ IP team has successfully secured recognition of the Doppelherz brand as a well-known trademark specifically for dietary supplements, setting a valuable precedent. The interests of the client, the German pharmaceutical company Queisser Pharma, which owns the brand, were represented by Boris Malakhov, Partner, and Vladislav Ryabov, Senior Associate.