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AmCham Norway Healthcare Position Paper

AmCham Norway’s Healthcare Working Group – comprised of directors of the leading international pharmaceutical companies in the country – works to improve Norwegian patients’ access to the most effective, innovative, and timely treatments available. The working group contributes to a wide range of healthcare policy discussions, providing policymakers and relevant stakeholders with genuine industry information and insight. This position paper summarizes the group’s positions on healthcare innovation, market access, and the pursuit of enhanced collaboration with the public sector, positions that reflect the group’s unyielding commitment to improving patient outcomes and building an improved, more sustainable healthcare system in Norway.

Starbucks: Tomorrow Will be Spring: One Global Company’s Steps to Navigate COVID-19 in China – and the Lessons Learned

Shortly before the Chinese New Year, Belinda Wong hung up the phone after a series of calls with her team. Alone in the quiet of her home, she contemplated everything they’d discussed. They were wrestling with a decision that would become one of the most momentous in Starbucks history.

As chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks China, she’s lived and breathed the company’s mission to “Inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” She took pride in the role of Starbucks stores across the world as a third place, a place for human connection. But now, as she considered reports of an alarming new coronavirus outbreak, she knew she had to make a decision quickly whether to close thousands of stores across China to try to quell the spread.

Read entire article HERE.

The Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten): Norway Introduces Transitional Provisions to Ease April 1st VAT Compliance for Foreign E-Commerce Sellers

Transitional provisions

In recognition of the short timeframe until 1 April 2020, Norway will introduce transitional provisions to ease compliance in the implementation period. Online stores and marketplaces may on request be given time to make necessary technical system adjustments needed to provide necessary shipment information with the VOEC consignments and to calculate and collect VAT on the following conditions:

 

1. The online store or marketplace must register in the VOEC scheme. Online stores and marketplaces do not need to be fully compliant by 1 April 2020 to register in the scheme; partial compliance is acceptable in a temporary period. (The registration is already open.)

2. The online store or marketplace must confirm an exemption is needed due to technical facilitation etc., and on request, provide documentation that they have taken reasonable steps to comply with the VOEC scheme.

3. The online store or marketplace must inform the tax authorities about the estimated date of final compliance with the VOEC scheme.

Thus, if online stores and marketplaces follow the steps above, they may benefit from the transitional provisions. Requests can be sent by either using the “Comments”-section in the registration form, or after registration, by e-mail to voec@skatteetaten.no with reference to the VOEC identification number. Important note: Only consignments where the VOEC-registered online store or marketplace has collected the VAT shall be marked with VOEC number, in accordance with the Guidelines section 9 / the document “how to mark consignments to Norway” / the informational brochure.

World Oil: Coronavirus case reported on Equinor’s Martin Linge field offshore Norway

OSLO – Norwegian energy producer Equinor reported one person at the Martin Linge field in the North Sea has tested positive for the coronavirus. The person is not seriously ill.

Equinor is in dialogue with the Norwegian health authorities about further measures. The infected person has been in isolation in his cabin since March 9th. Measures to prevent further contamination for offshore installations has been introduced. It has not been decided when the person will be brought ashore.

The person arrived at the field just before noon on March 4th. The person had recently been to Austria. When Austria was listed as a high-risk destination, the person was quarantined on board and a test was conducted.

Read entire article HERE.

Forbes: Why US 30 Day Travel Ban On Europe May Ruin Your Trip (All US Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, and Their Families Members Are Exempt)

The U.S. is banning most travel from Europe to the United States for 30 days due to the coronavirus outbreak. The travel restrictions do not apply to US citizens returning home from Europe, only to foreign nationals present in 26 European countries over a two week period ahead of their forecast arrival in the US.

This as actor Tom Hanks and his wife both test positive for the disease in Australia, and as the number of cases in the U.S. continues to rise to over 1,200–up tenfold in a week–with at least 38 deaths.

Neither the UK nor Ireland are included in the travel ban, which begins at midnight Friday March 13. It applies only to residents of the border-free travel Schengen zone of Europe.

Read entire article HERE.

The White House: Proclamation—Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus

On January 31, 2020, I issued Proclamation 9984 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk).  I found that the potential for widespread transmission of a novel (new) coronavirus (which has since been renamed “SARS-CoV-2” and causes the disease COVID-19) (“SARS-CoV-2” or “the virus”) by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security.  Because the outbreak of the virus was at the time centered in the People’s Republic of China, I suspended and limited the entry of all aliens who were physically present within the People’s Republic of China, excluding the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, subject to certain exceptions.  On February 29, 2020, in recognition of the sustained person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Islamic Republic of Iran, I issued Proclamation 9992 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), suspending and limiting the entry of all aliens who were physically present within the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, subject to certain exceptions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services, has determined that the virus presents a serious public health threat, and CDC continues to take steps to prevent its spread.  But CDC, along with State and local health departments, has limited resources, and the public health system could be overwhelmed if sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus occurred in the United States on a large scale.  Sustained human-to-human transmission has the potential to cause cascading public health, economic, national security, and societal consequences.

The World Health Organization has determined that multiple countries within the Schengen Area are experiencing sustained person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2.  For purposes of this proclamation, the Schengen Area comprises 26 European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.  The Schengen Area currently has the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases outside of the People’s Republic of China.  As of March 11, 2020, the number of cases in the 26 Schengen Area countries is 17,442, with 711 deaths, and shows high continuous growth in infection rates.  In total, as of March 9, 2020, the Schengen Area has exported 201 COVID-19 cases to 53 countries.  Moreover, the free flow of people between the Schengen Area countries makes the task of managing the spread of the virus difficult.

The United States Government is unable to effectively evaluate and monitor all of the travelers continuing to arrive from the Schengen Area.  The potential for undetected transmission of the virus by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States from the Schengen Area threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security.  Given the importance of protecting persons within the United States from the threat of this harmful communicable disease, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.  The free flow of commerce between the United States and the Schengen Area countries remains an economic priority for the United States, and I remain committed to facilitating trade between our nations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions.  I therefore hereby proclaim the following:

Section 1.  Suspension and Limitation on Entry.  The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Schengen Area during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.

Sec2.  Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry.

(a)  Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:

(i)     any lawful permanent resident of the United States;

(ii)    any alien who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;

(iii)   any alien who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;

(iv)    any alien who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;

(v)     any alien who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or who is a prospective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications;

(vi)    any alien traveling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus;

(vii)   any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any alien otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew;

(viii)  any alien

(A)  seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas:  A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee’s immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or

(B)  whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;

(ix)    any alien whose entry would not pose a significant risk of introducing, transmitting, or spreading the virus, as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the CDC Director or his designee;

(x)     any alien whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee;

(xi)    any alien whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees; or

(xii)   members of the U.S. Armed Forces and spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

(b)  Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to affect any individual’s eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the regulations issued pursuant to the legislation implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, consistent with the laws and regulations of the United States.

Sec3.  Implementation and Enforcement.  (a)  The Secretary of State shall implement this proclamation as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish.  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this proclamation as it applies to the entry of aliens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.

(b)  Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any alien subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States.

(c)  The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.

(d)  An alien who circumvents the application of this proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or illegal entry shall be a priority for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.

Sec4.  Termination.  This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President.  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall recommend that the President continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation as described in section 5 of Proclamation 9984, as amended.

Sec5.  Effective Date.  This proclamation is effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 13, 2020.  This proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 13, 2020.

Sec6.  Severability.  It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, public safety, and foreign policy interests of the United States.  Accordingly:

(a)  if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and

(b)  if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing law and with any applicable court orders.

Sec7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.

DONALD J. TRUMP

See orignial proclamation HERE.

GPS World: Raytheon awards Kongsberg contract for GPS-guided missiles

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract with Raytheon Missile Systems to deliver Naval Strike Missiles under a contract worth $21.36 million. The missiles are for the United States Navy’s Over-The-Horizon Weapon System (OTH WS) program. Raytheon is the prime contractor.

The Naval Strike Missile is a GPS-guided long-range, precision strike weapon that can find and destroy enemy ships at distances up to 100 nautical miles. The stealthy missile flies at sea-skimming altitude, has terrain-following capability (it banks to turn) and uses an imaging infrared seeker for precise targeting in challenging conditions. The missile employs a semi-armor-piercing warhead optimized for anti-surface warfare.

Read the entire article HERE.

Reuters: Aon buys Willis for $30 billion in world’s largest insurance deal

(Reuters) – Aon Plc (AON.N) said on Monday it would buy Willis Towers Watson Plc (WLTW.O) for nearly $30 billion, in an all-stock deal which will make it the world’s biggest insurance broker and give it more pricing power, but also attract regulatory scrutiny.

The acquisition, the insurance sector’s largest ever, unifies the second and third largest brokers globally into a company worth almost $80 billion, overtaking market leader Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (MMC.N). It comes at a time when insurers are facing rising claims and new threats from the global outbreak of coronavirus and climate change.

Read entire article HERE.

Sport Business: Discovery and Telia strike carriage agreement following blackout

Telia and international media group Discovery have agreed a new carriage agreement in the Nordic region following a six-day blackout of Discovery channels on the telco’s platform.

The new deal will give Telia customers access to 11 Discovery-owned channels, including Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2. The agreement will also give the telco the ability to resell Discovery’s OTT streaming service Dplay to its customers later this year.

Telia’s customers lost access to Discovery’s channels in the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) on March 3, after the pair failed to reach an agreement before the previous deals expiry date.

Stein-Erik Vellan, chief executive officer at Telia Norway said: “There have been some tough negotiations, but we are now looking forward to a long-term collaboration with Discovery. The collaboration will give viewers even more high-quality content, greater choice and, not least, the freedom to enjoy the entertainment the way they want.”

Read entire article HERE.

March 16 AmCham Transatlantic Business Assembly POSTPONED / AGM as scheduled, via Webex

March 16 AmCham Transatlantic Business Assembly POSTPONED / AGM as scheduled, via Webex

In light of recent COVID-19 developments impacting us all, we have elected to postpone our March 16 Transatlantic Business Assembly until such time as deemed prudent for a large gathering of our international member representatives. This is a first for AmCham, and the decision has not been taken lightly. We and hosts DNV GL regret any inconveniences that this may cause.

Apart from US Ambassador Braithwaite, who will likely depart Norway prior to our eventual new Assembly date, all guest speakers have confirmed their eagerness to join once rescheduled.

AmCham’s 15:00 Annual General Meeting will, however, take place as scheduled – though via Webex. Members and partners can contact us at amcham@amcham.no for meeting information and to register.

This condensed AGM agenda is expected to be concluded by 15:45. Members and partners must let us know if they plan to join by COB Wednesday, after which meeting materials and Webex login details will be shared.

Many thanks for your understanding, and please do not hesitate to contact us for anything further.