By Alex Maschmedt & Rebecca Searle King & Wood Mallesons’ Melbourne office.

As driverless vehicles become more sophisticated and their economic and societal benefits become more widely accepted, competition is heating up between Australia’s State Governments (which are responsible for setting road rules and managing road infrastructure) to attract trials of driverless vehicles on their roads.

If you are developing Autonomous Vehicle technology or infrastructure, or looking to apply it in your business, the success of implementation will rest heavily on your (and your supplier’s) ability to test this piece of innovation. Understanding the legislative regimes that apply to testing in Australia will help you to make sure your tests are compliant and you can maximise the benefits of that testing. 
Continue Reading Driverless vehicle trial legislation – state-by-state

By Richard Mazzochi, Minny Siu and Urszula McCormack King & Wood Mallesons’ Hong Kong office.

On 6 February 2018, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (“HKMA”) published a revised Guideline on Authorization of Virtual Banks (“Guideline”). The Guideline sets out principles that the HKMA will consider when deciding whether to authorise virtual banks to conduct banking business in Hong Kong.
Continue Reading Virtual banking in Hong Kong and China

作者:马绍基 萧乃莹 邬素岚 金杜律师事务所香港办公室

“海外直通车”栏目展现金杜作为立足亚太的国际律师事务所海外办公室风采,由金杜海外办公室合伙人提供不同国家的法律解析。

2018年2月6日,香港金融管理局(“金管局”)发布了《虚拟银行的认可》指引修订本(“《指引》”)。该《指引》列出了金管局在决定是否认可虚拟银行在港开展银行业务时所考虑的原则。

为了推动香港迈向智慧银行新纪元,金管局曾公布了一系列措施和倡议,其中之一就是在香港引入虚拟银行。《指引》中多处使用“欢迎”虚拟银行的字眼即充分证明了这一点。公开征求意见期间截止于2018年3月15日。此后,金管局将考虑在此期间收到的意见,并于2018年5月发布新指引的最终版本。
Continue Reading 香港和中国内地的虚拟银行

By Monique Carroll King & Wood Mallesons’ Melbourne office

Our recent experience shows that a surprising number of Australian companies (big and small) are failing to insert arbitration clauses into their contracts when the counter-party does not have a presence in Australia. In most cases, this means that the contract will not be enforceable against the counter-party should they act in breach of it. If your business has not developed a strategy or understanding for using arbitration clauses in contracts with a cross-border element – please continue reading.
Continue Reading Overseas Express丨AU Insight: Not Using Arbitration? Beware!

By Alex Baykitch AM, Robert Edel and Edwina Kwan.

On 24 January 2018, the senate of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) unanimously passed a bill which, once enacted, will increase taxes on natural resources in the DRC and revoke contract guarantees for existing mining projects across the country.

The bill is likely to have a significant impact on international investors in the mining industry who will be immediately subject to higher royalties and a tax on “super-profits”.  Although the bill will not take effect until President Joseph Kabila signs it into law, this is expected to happen imminently unless miners and lobbyists are successful in convincing the President to suspend the adoption of the bill.
Continue Reading Democratic Republic of Congo set to increase taxes on natural resources and revoke guarantees for mining companies

作者:Alex Baykitch AMRobert Edel and Edwina Kwan 金杜律师事务所澳洲办公室

2018年1月24日,刚果(金)政府参议院通过了一项新的法案,该法案一旦颁布,将提高刚果(金)自然资源税率,并在全国范围内撤回对现有采矿项目的合同担保。

该法案很有可能对全球矿业投资者造成重大影响——投资者不但将面临更高的特许权使用费,还需要缴纳“超额利润税”。该法案在总统约瑟夫·卡比拉(Joseph Kabila)签署后方会生效,但预计除非矿企和说客成功说服总统暂不采纳该法案,该法案将在不久的将来 成为正式法律。
Continue Reading 刚果(金)政府计拟提高自然资源税费并撤回对矿企的担保

By Matthew Austin, Mark Upfold, Katherine Vines and Josh Saville. King & Wood Mallesons

Regulation has often been the tool of choice when it comes to managing water given its status as an important natural resource in Australia. Over the coming years water regulation in Australia is set to continue on a path of further reform, with a wide range of Federal, State and Territory reforms recently announced in a bid to shape the regulatory landscape, provide fresh market opportunities and see new infrastructure projects delivered.

This alert provides an overview of current water reforms and initiatives across Australia.  For more information or to discuss any of the items mentioned in this alert, please contact any one of our KWM water contacts.
Continue Reading Australian Water – A stream of reviews and reforms in the pipeline

作者:Dr. Sandra Link, LL.M. 金杜律师事务所法兰克福办公室

德国汽车产业

德国以其汽车闻名,拥有包括梅赛德斯(戴姆勒)、宝马、奥迪以及大众等汽车品牌。但德国汽车产业不仅仅限于这些大品牌。在汽车供应领域,德国中小企业通常被认为是德国经济的引擎,主导着汽车产业。德国中小企业主要由中小型家庭企业构成,他们有独特的领导模式和强大的区域基础(通常位于大城市之外),同时,他们在该商业领域是全球少有的隐形世界冠军。
Continue Reading 自动驾驶汽车——德国的机遇与挑战

By Prudence Buckland(Solicitor). King & Wood Mallesons

The space industry is abuzz following New Zealand start up Rocket Lab’s successful rocket launch last week. With the Australian Government intending to establish a national space agency, 2018 is shaping up to be a fascinating year for the sector. 
Continue Reading A giant leap forward for the Australian space industry

By Sandra Link King & Wood Mallesons’ Frankfurt group

1. German Automotive Industry

Germany is famous for its cars such as Mercedes (Daimler), BMW, Audi and Volkswagen. But not only the big names characterize the automotive industry in Germany. In the automotive supply sector, the German Mittelstand that is often characterized as the engine of the German economy, dominates the industry. The German Mittelstand is mainly composed of small and medium-sized family companies that have a special leadership style and a strong regional base (often outside the big cities) and are not seldom global hidden champion in their business field.
Continue Reading Autonomous Cars – Opportunities and Challenges in Germany