The best-known application of 'blockchain' technology, which many are now beginning to understand, is notoriously 'bitcoin'. Even with other virtual currencies, it has fluctuating values, but continues to be popular as a payment and financial instrument. Worldwide and also in Italy, case law is constantly dealing with it; the Italian Court of Cassation has recently ruled that anyone who buys bitcoins with financial means of illicit origin commits the crime of self-money laundering. This confirms once again that bitcoin can be considered a financial and speculative instrument and that as such, it can be considered a technically suitable instrument for the commission of the aforementioned crime. All the more so because it allows transactions to be largely anonymous and therefore it is very carefully monitored. For this reason, those who purchase bitcoins must always take care to keep documentation to prove the legitimacy of the funds used. And what about 'NFTs' or non-fungible tokens? They are another practical use of the blockchain technology itself. First and foremost, they are used to make the 'originals' of digital works of art recognisable and marketable, with interestingly different uses, depending on whether they are linked to a tangible work of art or not. But also, in the field of fashion, for example, they are progressively being used in a manner accessible to any consumer, to ascertain the uniqueness and/or belonging to a limited series and/or in any case the authenticity of a specific material product. These and many others are the possible uses, that are gradually becoming more widespread, so it is important for everyone to understand at least the elementary rudiments of this technological tool. update October 2022
This is a subject that was much talked about with Legislative Decree No. 14 of 2019, i.e. the new Code of Business Crisis and Insolvency, at the time of the introduction of the relevant law, which only partially came into force in the same year.
But now there is something new.
As of 15 July 2022, company directors are obliged to equip themselves with tools to prevent and resolve any signs of danger to the company's continuity, in essence to prevent a possible business crisis.
Already since 2019, the new Article 2086 of the Civil Code provided that 'the entrepreneur has the duty to set up an organisational, administrative and accounting structure appropriate to the nature and size of the business, also with a view to the timely detection of the crisis of the business and the loss of business continuity, as well as to take action without delay for the adoption and implementation of one of the instruments provided by the law for overcoming the crisis and the recovery of business continuity'.
Since 15 July, these instruments must objectively achieve specific results and in particular
- ascertain any imbalances of a financial or economic nature;
- verify the sustainability of debts and the prospects of business continuity for at least the next 12 months ;
- obtain the information needed for the check list on the possible pursuit of reorganisation, provided for by the same law.
Specifically, short-term payroll and social security debts, debts to suppliers and to banks and other financial intermediaries, and finally tax debts must be constantly monitored.
The consequence of the entrepreneur's non-performance is an increase in his liability, but above all the loss of the exclusion of his liability in the case of an LLC or joint-stock company.
Those who had taken action in 2019 must therefore now supplement the work done; those who have not yet done so, must equip themselves as soon as possible with these organisational and compliance tools.
after release of this video the deadline of June 30th 2022 has been extended to December 31st 2022!
This is important news for companies, which sell products in the EU, but also for consumers. Packaging is boxes, bottles, jars, baskets and generally all those containers for products bought by consumers.
The origin of the issue comes from the EU Directive 851 of 2018, which has also been transposed into Italian law, defined as the “environmental labelling standard”. The aim of this legislation is to ensure that product packaging is reused as much as possible as part of the so-called circular economy.
For all packaging, therefore, an obligation has been introduced to identify the packaging materials by means of identification markings, as set out in Decision 129/97/EC, and to indicate how they can be recycled. For paper packaging, for example, there will be the abbreviation PAP followed by a number. Given the variety of packaging, the standard takes up the principle of accountability, and it is therefore possible that companies' solutions will vary, but all will be suitable for achieving the intended purpose.
Sometimes products are so small that it is difficult to add other indications on the labels: then the regulation provides that a QR code can be print, with a link to a web page, where all the information is available to the consumer.
These new indications had to be in place on products already on sale by 31st December 2021, but at the end of last year this deadline was extended to 30th June 2022 and then to 31st December 2022. However, even after that date, companies can sell products that are already on the market or that are already labelled on 1st January 2023, even though they do not have the environmental labelling requirements, until stocks are sold out.
Given that the extension came at the last minute, it is quite possible that products bearing the new packaging recycling information are already on the market.
It is important for companies to know that these are mandatory rules and that failure to comply with them will result in heavy fines. But with the deadline being extended to 30th June 2022, it is to be expected that everyone will comply, to take another step in the direction of a greener economy.
Will your social networks be disclosed to your relatives? -
With the widespread use of digital data in the most diverse spheres, the question increasingly arises: if the holder is deceased or has become incapacitated, who can obtain all the digital data of the person in question from the various entities, banks, social networks, health facilities?
The question is not one of mere entertainment, but concerns different and broad spheres of personal rights, economic and property rights as well as personality rights.
A practical solution that I suggest, is to collect access keys and passwords for loved ones in a special document: one can also think of indicating them in the will. This allows family members to access and dispose of the data. But what happens if this is not done? Who has access?
The solution adopted consistently in recent years by the Italian courts is to apply a specific rule, introduced in 2018 and namely Article 2-terdecies, of Legislative Decree 196/2003, according to which a person's rights can be claimed, in his absence, by those who have an interest of their own, or by those acting on his behalf as a proxy, or even by those acting on his behalf for family reasons worthy of protection. Moreover, the same rule prevents these third parties from accessing the digital data, if the person in question has expressly forbidden it.
Starting with the latter statement, it is reassuring to know that any of us can decide not to allow our heirs access to our digital data, especially the most confidential and personal data.
It is equally reassuring that the Italian courts, with the specificities of each individual case, normally grant this right to third parties, relatives or heirs, of the deceased person, in the event that they request not only to have access to, but also to dispose of and keep all the digital data of the person in question. This has important implications, since even after death a relative can for instance obtain the medical records of the deceased. Another case is social security and pension data, held by public and private bodies, which can be used to obtain survivor's pensions or other benefits.
To the question of what to do in this matter, that I was asked recently, I can give the same answer here as well: be aware of your digital identity, data and digital assets and think in advance about what you would like to do with them, when you won’t be around. Like family jewellery.
In order to ensure greater transparency and legality in the economic system, there is a need to identify who are the beneficial owners of companies and other entities, such as foundations, trusts and associations. Above all, there is a need to combat organised crime, money laundering, but also those who commit other serious crimes, such as terrorism. The Register of Beneficial Owners has been introduced also in Italy, the founding regulation of which came into force a few weeks ago on 9.6.2022
All these subjects will have to give the necessary information to the chambers of commerce by electronically sending a self-declaration. All subsequent changes to the beneficial owner must also be reported.
The data of the person in question, his share in the company and the powers concretely exercised must be communicated, for legal persons, whereas the person's tax code and registered office are owed for other entities.
The sanctions for non-compliance are currently limited, but it is well possible that they will be reconsidered over time, to make the rule more effective.
A privacy issue arises, however, regarding the accessibility of data. First of all, the authorities and those obliged to verify actual ownership, such as lawyers, insurance companies and banks, will have free access, albeit regulated by special agreement with the chamber of commerce. But third parties may also request to have a whole set of information, i.e. the surname, month and year of birth, country of residence and citizenship of the beneficial owner and how he qualifies as such. At least in the latter case, however, the beneficial owner may object to the disclosure of the data, although it is not a judge but the chamber of commerce that will actually decide.
This is therefore an important but also delicate instrument; it will be important to see how it is used in practice in the first months of the Register's validity and also to understand how it can be used by everyone, especially businesses and professionals .
Fortunately continues to increase the use of technology in the judicial proceedings. Until now in all civil proceedings the lawyer had to attend the hearing in person, even if they are very far away from its office.
This used to apply to civil trials as well as for the bankruptcy process, that is when a creditor must appear in court to confirm its receivables claim against the bankrupt company.
By Decree Law 59/2016, the situation has changed. The creditors' participation can take place electronically, via Skype or by other means to be decided by the judge. A considerable saving of costs and time, which benefits everyone, especially the justice system.
As we all know, since a few some years there are precise rules on privacy (Legislative Decree 30 June 2003, n. 196), and often we hear that something "must be done for the" or "it’s not allowed because of privacy”.
So far, however, there was no rule on right to be forgotten, namely the right to be deleted from the Internet material or harmful information in violation of the right to privacy.
In 2014 it stepped in the European Court of Justice to establish some principles.
The new European regulation on privacy, which should be approved in the coming weeks, instead will establish for the first time that right to oblivion. The most important aspect is that this can be enforced by a European citizen also in respect of Internet operators who are based outside the European Union, such as multinational companies like Google or Facebook.
This is great news for the privacy rights of all.
But we have to wait two years, as the new European regulation will enter into force only in 2018.
Unitl May of this year there was only marriage for heterosexual couples. For cohabiting couples of all sexual orientation and for same sex couples in fact, of all sexual orientations, there was no protection and no rights. Finally the historical Law was passed n. 76 of May 21st 2016, which shall enter into force on June 5ht 2016
The most important aspect is to have finally introduced civil unions that allow same-sex couples to enjoy civil rights, between them and in the society, substantially equal to those of married heterosexual couples.The other great and interesting new feature is the cohabitation agreements.
They can be used both by heterosexual couples by homosexual couples. These contracts will provide the families a stronger form of protection, particularly regarding the economic and financial aspects. The signature authentication by a lawyer is sufficient for their validity.
We are not yet to “pre-nuptial agreements” or the wedding agreements of the common law, but this could be the great challenge of case law and doctrine in the coming years.
For sure it has become a very topical issue, a solution useful to many people: lawyers with the necessary professional skills and human sensitivity can and must do their part to provide advice and assistance.
