Search results for: Xella
The ECJ’s Judgment in Xella – Judicial Cherry Picking?
By Alexia Crivoi, Vienna University of Economics and Business Introduction In the much-discussed Xella judgment of July 13 2023, the Court of Justice decided two things: that the scope of the EU FDI Screening Regulation does not extend to ‘indirect FDI’, rejecting arguments relating to the company structure of an EU-based but foreign-owned investor…
Read More ...CELIS Webinar CJEU Judgment in Xella: What will FDI Screening Look Like in the Future?
Join us for our Webinar on “CELIS Webinar CJEU Judgment in Xella: What will FDI Screening Look Like in the Future?” On 13 July 2023, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Hungary’s decision to prohibit under their national FDI rules an investment by a foreign-owned Hungarian company aiming to acquire a…
Read More ...National Interest and Freedom of Establishment: The CJEU’s Judgment in Xella
By Bálint Kovács In its judgment[1] published on 13 July 2023, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Hungary’s decision to prohibit an investment by a foreign-owned Hungarian company aiming to acquire a Hungarian company violated the freedom of establishment. The prohibition involved the use of the novel foreign direct investment…
Read More ...Introducing: The Foreign (Direct) Investment Screening Regulation – A blog series on the revision of FDI Screening Regulation 2019/452
Authors: Lena Hornkohl (University of Vienna)[1], Andrew Hill (AmCham EU, Brussels), Floor Doppen (University of Antwerp). After years of preparations and negotiations, the European Commission, Council, and Parliament convened on Tuesday, 17 June 2026, in Strasbourg to hold the inaugural trilateral talks on the revision of the EU’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening framework (Regulation…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening and Economic Security – May 2025
by Helene Schramm INVESTMENT SCREENING MECHANISMS European Union – European Parliament approves proposal for a wide framework for screening of foreign direct investments On 8 May 2025, the European Parliament adopted the proposal of a major reform of the Foreign Investment Screening Regulation, aimed at protecting strategic EU sectors from foreign threats. The…
Read More ...Clarifying The Cooperation Mechanism? Exploring DG Trade’s FDI Screening FAQ
By John Kay and Floor Doppen Over the past six years, the EU cooperation mechanism on foreign direct investment (FDI) screening has progressively advanced under the EU FDI Screening Regulation (Regulation 2019/452, henceforth the ‘Regulation’). Institutionalization of the cooperation process (through e.g. the expert group), setting up coordination cells in all EU Member States (MS)…
Read More ...The ECJ and Investment Control – Intensified Investment Screening
By Juliane Kokott, Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union The European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the Commission very much influence the investment climate in Europe. They have been very successful in abolishing all kind of direct and indirect impediments to the free movement of people, goods, services and capital.…
Read More ...The Stony Road to de-fragmentation of EU Foreign Direct Investment Control
By Oliver Geiss This blog was first published on the Squire Patton Boggs Trade Practitioner Blog On 9 September, Mario Draghi published a report on ‘The Future of European Competitiveness’ highlighting the need for the EU to strengthen its Investment Screening Mechanism. The report was part of a broader effort to assess and…
Read More ...Some Reflections on the Investment Control Regime in Sweden: Unnecessary Obstacles to Legitimate Financing?
By Alexander Tham and Maja Kristiansson-Gran The Swedish Act on Screening of Foreign Direct Investments (the “FDI Act”) entered into force on 1 December 2023. The FDI Act is the first of its kind in Sweden, at least in the modern legislative landscape. (Pouya Ghotbi 2023 has given an overview, not only of the FDI Act…
Read More ...FDI And FSR Enforcement Trends in Europe: July and August 2024 – Hard Times For Chinese Investments In Europe?
Note from the Editors This post was first published on the Baker McKenzie Blog. By Paul Johnson, Pavlo Prokhorov and Beau Maes, all Baker McKenzie This summer was marked by a particular focus and scrutiny by authorities on transactions involving investors from China, which is typically considered a “risk” jurisdiction from an EU FDI and…
Read More ...Towards a centralisation of FDI screening in the EU? On the functioning and effects of the cooperation mechanism in the Commission’s proposal for a revised screening regulation
By Steffen Hindelang and Jan Philipp Huth[i] A. Introduction To those arguing, before the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tension, in favour of a security-oriented European industrial policy, it may seem like a relic of bygone times. However, Art. 63 para. 1 TFEU – still – provides for free movement of capital between the EU and…
Read More ...The First Court (Interim Reliefs) Decision on the Dutch FDI Screening Regime: Setting the Boundaries
By Najibullah Zamani, Radboud University Introduction In recent years, mostly due to geopolitical developments, the perception of FDI by states has changed fundamentally. FDI is used increasingly as a tool to pursue geopolitical and security interests rather than as an objective in itself. As a consequence of this geo-politicization and securitization of FDI, more and…
Read More ...The New Significant Investments Review Act of Singapore – Some Insights and Lessons for Europe
By Philipp Reinhold, Saarland University Singapore is known for a legal framework and public policies which are generally favourable towards foreign investors.[1] The country is one of the most open economies in the world. For 2023 as a whole, net inflows of direct investment rose by S$17.6 billion (around US$13 billion) to S$151 billion…
Read More ...The notion of “security” in foreign trade law – Theory and Practice
By Dr. Carsten Bormann, Oppenhoff & Partner* 1. Introduction: All about security? The screening of foreign direct investment has gradually evolved from the traditional protection of vital national security interests through the prevention of outsourcing and the drain of specialized technological capabilities to the protection of geostrategic interests and the enforcement of industrial strategies. The…
Read More ...FDI Screening Regulation 2.0: Towards Greater Regulatory Convergence?
By Sophie Bohnert, Vienna University of Economics and Business/College of Europe Background The current Regulation on the Screening of Foreign Direct Investment into the Union (the “FDI Screening Regulation” or the “Regulation”) has sometimes been described as a first step towards a more comprehensive Europeanisation of investment control legislation and possibly even a supranationalisation of…
Read More ...CELIS Webinar on the new EU Economic Security Package
On February 8, 2024, CELIS will host a lunchtime webinar on the new EU Economic Security Package. Following our last lunchtime webinar on the Xella judgment, this time we will discuss the new EU Economic Security Package with renowned expert. Moderated again by Jonas Fechter and Janosch Wiesenthal, the package will be discussed by Christian…
Read More ...The EU Commission’s Economic Security Package: Scale Up and Revamp
By Sophie Bohnert, Vienna University of Economics and Business/College of Europe and Kilian Wagner, University of Vienna Introduction: Long Awaited, Much Longed-For! Over the past six months, the EC has been gradually releasing bits and pieces of information about possible initiatives to scale up and revamp the EU’s foreign trade and investment policy toolbox, creating…
Read More ...Looking Into the Crystal Ball: What Does 2024 Have in Store for Investment Screening?
By Sophie Bohnert, Vienna University of Economics and Business/College of Europe A 2024 Kick-Off Message from the Editors The CELIS Blog is back after its winter break! The Editorial Team wishes all readers, supporters, and partners a Happy New Year! The Editors would like to thank the CELIS Institute and its Board of Directors for…
Read More ...Marking a New Investment Era in Sweden: Enter the Swedish FDI Regime
By Pouya Ghotbi, Wistrand Advokatbyrå Background In 1916, the Swedish government introduced a piece of legislation restricting the right of foreigners to invest in Sweden. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the legislation was further tightened, making it difficult for foreigners to acquire businesses in Sweden without government scrutiny. The Act was abolished 1991,…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening – November 2023
Ireland – Introduction of a new FDI screening regime on 31 October 2023 On 31 October 2023, the Screening of Third Country Transactions Act 2023 was signed into law. Since the initial draft was published on 2 August 2022, the Act has undergone a series of amendments during the course of 2023,. Therewith, for the…
Read More ...Taking due process seriously – The Administrative Court of Berlin doubles down on FDI procedural rules
By Jonas Fechter, University of Münster / CELIS Deputy Assistant Director I. Introduction Investment screening is infamous for the low number of judicial proceedings that have challenged the legality of the prohibition and mitigation measures imposed by governments. As a result, there is, as yet, no strong body of case law clarifying how investment screening…
Read More ...‘A Chain Works Just as Well as its Weakest Link’ – CFIS Keynote and Roundtable on the Review of the EU FDI Screening Regulation
By Ass.-Prof. Dr. Lena Hornkohl, University of Vienna / CELIS Deputy Director The annual conference of the CELIS Institute dealt with the pivotal question of Investment Screening and Economic Security and its current challenges. CFIS 2023 was held in Prague from 11 – 13 October 2023 and consisted of a private and a public part.…
Read More ...Economic Security in the EU: Key Takeaways from CFIS 2023
By Dr. Roland Stein, LL.M. Eur., BLOMSTEIN / CELIS Deputy Director The CELIS Forum on Investment Screening (CFIS) 2023 conference in Prague provided valuable insights into the multifaceted realm of economic security in the European Union (EU). The discussions centered on critical issues such as the screening of foreign inward direct investments, outward investment controls,…
Read More ...It’s that time of year again: The European Commission’s Third Annual Report on FDI Screening is out!
By Sophie Bohnert, Vienna University of Economics and Business/College of Europe Introduction On 19 October 2023, the European Commission (“EC”) published its Annual Report on the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union (“Report”), covering the year 2022. This Report is accompanied by the usual Staff Working Document. This is the third report…
Read More ...CELIS Update on Investment Screening – July 2023
Spain – Spanish FDI Regulation enacted on 4 July 2023 Over the past three years, Spain has significantly strengthened its FDI regime. On 4 July 2023, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree 571/2023 of 4 July on foreign investments and therewith amended and developed a number of rules that had been introduced…
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