The State Bank of Vietnam (the “SBV”) issued Circular No. 42/2018/TT-NHNN dated 28 December 2018 (“Circular 42”) that amends and supplements specific articles of Circular No. 24/2015/TT-NHNN of the SBV dated 8 December 2015 (“Circular 24”) regulating lending in foreign currencies to resident borrowers by credit institutions and foreign bank branches established and operating in Vietnam (the “Lenders”). Circular 42 took effect from 1 January 2019.

With the enactment of Law No. 81 on Protection of Personal Data, the Republic of Panama aims to establish the principles, rights, obligations and procedures that regulate the protection of personal data, also considering their interrelation with private life and other rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens, by natural or legal persons, public or private law, lucrative or not, that process personal data in the terms provided in the Law.

With the support of SwissCham, the Swiss Consulate in Shanghai is planning to organize an economic mission to Hangzhou Municipality, Zhejiang Province, from April 01 to 02, 2019.

With decree 25 March 2019, n. 22 the Italian government outlines the measures that will apply if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. In particular, articles 14 refers to the residency rights of UK nationals and their NON-EU family members living in Italy and article 15 refers to citizenship applications.

The golden visa in Portugal is designed to encourage investment from non-EU/EFTA nationals. The Portuguese golden visa offers a fast-track to obtaining a residency permit in Portugal and other benefits, for non-EU investors who invest a minimum amount as defined by law.

The Ministry of Commerce and Investment (“MOCI”) announced last week the issuance of the Regulations of the Unified Registry for Commercial Pledges (the “Regulations”).

Morgan & Morgan was part of the team of lawyers that represented Electron Investment, S.A. (“EISA”), in an arbitration process filed by Constructora Seli Panamá, S.A. (“SELI”), before the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”).

We are pleased to announce that for the first time under the new, amended UAE procedural law, a foreign arbitration award has been accepted for recognition and enforcement before Sharjah Court.

The United Arab Emirates has issued Federal Law No. 2 of 2019, Concerning the Use of the Information and Communication Technology in the Area of Health (“ICT Health Law”). The ICT Health Law applies to all methods and uses of information and communication technology (“ICT”) in the UAE healthcare sector, including in free zones, and comes into force in May 2019.

In the November 2018 Banking and Finance Update, we provided an overview on the agreement between the Securities and Commodities Authority (“SCA”), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (“FSRA”) (each, a “Regulator”) on the implementation of passporting arrangements to enable the promotion of funds established in each of the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC�...