A legacy of excellence

On 25 February 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) answered preliminary questions in a long-awaited ruling in a case between BSH Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH) and Electrolux AB (Electrolux). The ruling clarifies certain aspects regarding cross-border patent injunctions against defendants domiciled in an EU member state and seems to broaden the possibilities of cross-border injunctions.

On 21 February 2025, in a long-awaited ruling in preliminary proceedings, the Dutch Supreme Court delivered answers to the ongoing issue of how to assess the employment status of workers (in this case, Uber drivers). In its ruling, the Supreme Court confirmed once more that no hierarchy exists among the factors relevant in determining if a legal relationship qualifies as an employment agreement existing under article 7:610 Dutch Civil Code. These factors are set out in the Deliveroo ruling.

In the first month since the inauguration, the Trump administration issued a series of executive orders and memoranda that direct the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to pause enforcement under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and that put a strong emphasis on fighting cartels and transnational criminal organisations (TCO). While the directives clearly represent a dramatic break from past DOJ priorities and several issues remain as "known unknowns," it bears emphasizing that they do not change the validity and enforceability of the underlying laws, including the FCPA, sanctions, export controls and terrorism offenses.