#White collar crime:
Nicolas Sarkozy definitively sentenced to three years in prison, including one year to be served for the wiretapping case
On 18 December 2024, the French Supreme Court upheld the final sentence of Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling in the context of the wiretap case (also referred to as the Bismuth case), in which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, including one year under an electronic bracelet. According to his lawyer, the former Head of State will comply with the sentence while appealing to the European Court of Human Rights to “obtain the guarantee of the rights that French judges have denied him”. This case is based on a “corruption pact” between Nicolas Sarkozy, his lawyer Thierry Herzog and magistrate Gilbert Azibert, for the latter to intervene in the Bettencourt case in exchange for an honorary position in. > Read article
Corruption holds back the Chinese army
Corruption within the Chinese army illustrates the systemic excesses of the regime, where the Communist Party dominates institutions, hampering their effective control. Despite an anti-corruption campaign launched by Xi Jinping since 2012, financial offences proliferate, as evidenced by the recent dismissal of Admirals Miao Hua and Dong Jun for “serious breaches of discipline”. These cases are part of a wider context where bribery and graft compromise the transparency and integrity of strategic institutions. These dysfunctions expose the regime’s structural flaws and raise major issues of governance and criminal responsibility. > Read article
#Export Control & International Sanctions:
Russia’s War of Aggression Against Ukraine: EU Adopts Its 15th Package of Restrictive Measures
On 16 December 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted its 15th package of economic and individual sanctions aimed at curbing Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine. These measures target 54 individuals and 30 entities. The Council also expanded trade restrictions to include third-country entities involved in technological support for Russia’s defense sector, notably in the drone and missile industries. To protect European operators, the Europea Union has prohibited the enforcement of Russian court decisions imposing anti-suit injunctions and extended deadlines to facilitate the withdrawal of assets from Russia. Specific exemptions have also been introduced to release frozen funds held by European central securities depositories. > Read article
#Dispute resolution & regulatory investigations:
The French Competition Authority fines twelve manufacturers and distributors of household appliances 611 million euros for price-fixing
In a decision dated 19 December 2024, the French Competition Authority imposed a fine of 611 million euros on twelve companies in the household appliances sector. Ten suppliers and two distributors were sanctioned for having established, between 2007 and 2014, a general agreement to directly or indirectly fix the retail prices of products. The Authority identified selective distribution practices, the communication of recommended retail prices, and control over their enforcement by manufacturers and distributors, in violation of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which prohibits agreements that may distort competition. These violations are also penalized under Article L. 420-1 of the French Commercial Code. The highest fines were imposed on SEB (189 million euros), Darty (109 million euros), and Boulanger (84 million euros). > Lire l’article
