Wirecard AG – Investigations on suspicion of market manipulation
The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office has conducted a search of Wirecard’s head office in Aschheim near Munich on suspicion of market manipulation. The raid that took place at Wirecard’s head office on June 5, 2020 appears to have been in response to a criminal charge lodged by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) – Germany’s Federal …
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Scale of Wirecard AG accounting scandal grows
The scale of the accounting scandal besetting Wirecard AG continues to grow. Wirecard’s running assumption is that 1.9 billion euros supposedly held in escrow accounts likely never existed. The company has experienced a dramatic drop in the value of its shares.
Wirecard AG files for insolvency – Options available to investors
The accounting scandal facing Wirecard AG has ended in insolvency for now. Those who invested in Wirecard stocks and bonds find themselves faced with the question of whether they can claim damages.
New attempt to establish Unified Patent Court
There is a desire for the process of issuing patents within the EU to be made more efficient. The idea of establishing a Unified Patent Court is seen as a positive step in this direction. The Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz (BMJV) – Germany´s Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection – has submitted …
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BGH upholds trademark protection for square design
In rulings from July 23, 2020, the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH) – Germany´s Federal Supreme Court – confirmed that three-dimensional forms, including the shape or packaging of goods, are capable of benefiting from trademark protection (Az.: I ZB 42/19 and I ZB 43/19).
BFH: Interest on the deferral of compensation for forgoing the statutory share subject to taxation
In the event that an heir waives their right to the statutory share in the estate and opts to defer claiming compensation, the deferral interest is subject to income tax. That was the verdict of the Bundesfinanzhof, Germany’s Federal Fiscal Court (Az.: VIII R 22/17).
COVID-19 & Protective Masks – Distributors Left With Outstanding Invoices
People wearing protective masks have become a common sight since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Yet the quality of some of these masks and the outstanding invoices are becoming a source of frustration.
COVID-19 – Substandard Quality of Masks and Other Protective Equipment
COVID-19 – Substandard Quality of Masks and Other Protective Equipment The coronavirus pandemic is not over. Respiratory masks and other protective gear remain vital. However, the issues of quality and outstanding invoices are also increasingly taking center stage.
FG München: Stock splitting does not give rise to capital gains tax
Investors who acquire new shares in the course of a corporate spin-off are not required to pay withholding tax on this. That was the verdict of the Finanzgericht (FG) München, the Fiscal Court of Munich (Az.: 8 K 981/17).
Commercial Agency Law: COVID-19, Commission & Contract Design
The coronavirus crisis marks the beginning of difficult times for many commercial agents. It also raises a number of legal issues in connection with commission payments, claims for compensatory adjustment, etc.