The Trump Administration is considering multiple proposals to raise revenue from patent holders, including direct assessments on patent holders, changes to the existing patent fee schedule, and potentially a new mechanism for sharing profits from university-owned patents obtained through federal research funds. Patent Tax First, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is reportedly considering assessing a charge... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
On September 18, 2025, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a civil False Claims Act (“FCA”) settlement against a New Jersey shipbuilder to resolve allegations that it improperly employed unauthorized aliens to work on Navy ships. The settlement, which exceeded $4 million, is the second this year involving government contractors alleged to have employed unauthorized... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
The war in Ukraine, and other recent geopolitical conflicts, has underscored the need for EU-based defence capabilities to scale up to face these challenges. Several EU initiatives which have sought to stimulate investment are starting to bear fruit, as the European Defence Agency recently reported record high defence spendings in the EU (€350bn for 2024, a... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
Germany has taken another step to improve the conditions for pharmaceutical research & development in Germany. Now, the Federal Government has adopted the “Standard Contractual Clauses” for pharmaceutical clinical trial agreements. In this blog, we discuss what the new standard clauses cover and how they will affect clinical trials in Germany. I. Background In... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
On September 15, 2025, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (“ODNI”) issued the first public exclusion and removal order (the “Order”) under the framework established by the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 (“FASCSA”). The Order applies to all products and services produced or provided by Acronis AG as well as... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
On September 19, 2025, the IRS published proposed regulations to implement and provide guidance regarding new Section 224, enacted as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21). The proposed regulations define qualifying payment methods, jobs that customarily receive tips, and exclusions from the deduction. Section 224 would allow single filers who earn... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
Ahead of the July 2026 “joint review” of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), the United States, Mexico, and Canada have each launched public consultation processes to solicit input from stakeholders on the operation of the USMCA, and possible changes those governments should seek to the Agreement as part of the review. In the United States, the Office... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ” or the “Department”) announced that, effective September 11, 2025, it is withdrawing several dozen Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRMs”), Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking, and Supplemental Notices of Proposed Rulemaking. The Department explained that it is “withdrawing these actions as part of the Federal Government’s deregulatory initiative and because... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
On September 16, 2025, the European Commission launched a call for evidence to collect feedback and best practices on simplifying several key areas of the EU digital rulebook, ahead of its planned Digital Omnibus package. This initiative targets legislation related to data, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce administrative burdens and compliance costs for... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
In this increasingly growing digital landscape, companies are entrusted with vast amounts of sensitive personal information. From names and email addresses to browsing habits and location data, companies routinely collect users’ personal data all to enhance convenience and functionality, advertise products, personalize experiences for consumers, and improve services. Plaintiffs’ law firms, however, have been looking... Continue Reading| Covington Blogs
On September 9, President Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, chaired by HHS Secretary Kennedy, released its “Make| Covington Blogs
The Spanish Ministry for Ecologic Transition and Demographic Challenge (“MITECO”) has launched a public consultation on a Draft Royal Decree| Covington Blogs
Recently, a California federal judge dismissed a suit challenging the use of third-party email marketing pixels by clothing retailer Gap, Inc., concluding| Covington Blogs
On August 7, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced a $45 million settlement with online lead generator MediaAlpha, Inc. and its| Covington Blogs
The Sixth Circuit in In Re FirstEnergy Corp. Sec. Litig., No. 23-3940, 2025 WL 2331754 (6th Cir. Aug. 13, 2025) recently reversed and remanded the| Covington Blogs
On February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a declaratory ruling stating that Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)| Covington Blogs