All Legal & Institutional articles
-
ArticleSkechers loses infringement case against HandsFree Labs in EU court
On Oct. 16, the Unified Patent Court, a European court whose rulings apply across 18 European Union countries, ruled in favor of HandsFree Labs (HFL), the parent company of Kizik and the affiliate company, Fast IP, in a patent case against Skechers regarding hands-free footwear. ”Skechers had argued it did ...
-
News briefs
Roots obtains clearance for its takeover by Marquee Brands
The Canadian outdoor lifestyle brand Roots Corporation has obtained clearance for its proposed acquisition by US brand management company Marquee Brands. The company secured shareholder approval, Canadian competition clearance and ultimately, on Oct. 15, the final order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the plan of arrangement allowing ...
-
Article
European shoemakers find that over a third of shoes sold on 3 online sites do not comply with EU rules
The European Footwear Confederation (CEC) claims that more than a third of shoes sold on three Chinese e-commerce platforms did not meet chemical compliance requirements and called on European Union authorities to ensure effective enforcement and clear accountability across the e-commerce supply chain. The confederation coordinated between February and May ...
-
ArticleBequem-Schuh files for self-administration weeks after being taken over
The footwear retailer Bequem-Schuh GmbH has entered self-administered insolvency proceedings just weeks after being acquired in early September by Berlin-based investor Steffen Liebich through his investment firm Goal Beteiligungsgesellschaft, according to German media reports. The reason for the filing was not immediately clear. Liebich has been Bequem-Schuh’s Managing Director ...
-
ArticleAndré goes into liquidation after 130 years of existence
After 130 years of existence, André is being liquidated. The downfall of the French footwear chain has accelerated since 2019, with the business going into receivership four times over the past six years. A Paris-based court decided to open on Sept. 9 a procedure to liquidate André, after the banner ...
-
ArticleBally’s German subsidiary enters insolvency proceedings
Bally’s German retail subsidiary has become insolvent as the Swiss luxury shoemaker continues to restructure its business and close stores under the ownership of Regent LP. Munich’s Local Court ordered preliminary insolvency proceedings for B. D. Retail Deutschland GmbH, which is based in the Bavarian city. Until recently, ...
-
News briefs
Birkenstock wins a copyright case against Lidl in the Netherlands
The Dutch District Court of Gelderland, located in Arnhem, ruled in favor of Birkenstock in a copyright case concerning the lookalike of the German company’s classic sandals by the retailer Lidl. ”The court issued an injunction prohibiting Lidl from selling unauthorized copies of Birkenstock’s iconic Arizona, Madrid, Gizeh, Boston ...
-
ArticleKybun moves part of shoe production to Italy amid dispute over "Swissness" rules
The Swiss comfort shoe manufacturer Kybun Joya is moving part of its production from Sennwald, in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, to its factory in Montebelluna, northern Italy, amid controversy over the Alpine country’s new “Swissness” regulations. Around 40 jobs are affected by the relocation. At a press conference ...
-
News briefs
CEC welcomes two new members
The European Footwear Confederation (CEC) announced two new associate members: Trade Partners Sweden and CAST Trade Platform for the Footwear, Sports & Fashion Industry in the Netherlands. ”Their accession reflects CEC’s ambition to broaden its community and strengthen cooperation across the entire footwear ecosystem,” the CEC said. ”In 2026, CEC ...
-
News briefs
EU imposes anti-dumping duties on Chinese nylon yarn
The European Commission has imposed anti-dumping duties ranging from 60 percent to 67.6 percent on imports of polyamide yarn (nylon) from China into the European Union. The move follows an investigation that found imports of polyamide yarns from China were entering the EU at dumped prices, harming domestic manufacturers. According ...
-
News briefs
US introduces new tariffs for 60 trading partners
As the temporary 10 percent global tariff imposed under Section 122 reaches its 150-day legal limit, the US administration is replacing the levy with new duties of 10 percent or 12.5 percent on selected imports from 60 trading partners. The new tariffs, effective July 24, are imposed under Section 301 ...
-
Article
Genesco wins a proxy battle as shareholders re-elect all 9 board nominees
Genesco has won a proxy battle against activist investors as shareholders re-elected all nine members of the board during an annual general meeting held on July 21. Based on preliminary voting results provided by its proxy solicitor following the meeting, the US footwear group said that its shareholders voted to ...
-
News briefs
Google fined €890 mln by EU for Digital Markets Act breaches
The European Commission has fined Google a total €890 million for breaches of the Digital Markets Act. A first fine of €460 million was imposed for the preferential treatment that the European Commission found that Google reserved for its own services in search engines. A second fine of €430 million ...
-
News briefs
US imposes 50% tariff on Canadian imports
The US administration has imposed a 50 percent tariff on a wide range of goods imported from Canada. The tariff however will not be applied to some key imports such as energy, potash, fish and critical minerals. On July 20, the US President, Donald Trump, signed three proclamations pursuant to ...
-
News briefs
German market regulator ends Zalando probe
Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, has ended its investigation into Zalando’s financial statements for 2025 without imposing a fine. BaFin began its review on June 19 on the grounds that Zalando may have omitted information regarding a related-party transaction as part of its acquisition of About You, which was completed ...
-
News briefs
India, UK free trade agreement comes into effect
On July 15, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK came into effect. According to the Indian government, 99 percent of Indian exports to the UK will benefit from zero duty thanks to the free trade agreement. “We expect to double India-UK trade in ...
-
ArticleUS imposes 25% tariff on Brazilian goods
The US will impose a 25 percent tariff on most imports from Brazil starting July 22, after a yearlong investigation into what the US administration calls unfair trade practices, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The decison, taken under Section 301 of the Trade ...
-
ArticleBally placed under court supervision amid financial distress
Weeks after announcing a wave of store closures and the end of shoe production in Switzerland, the Swiss luxury shoemaker Bally has been placed under court supervision amid deepening financial difficulties, with the company’s liabilities standing at around CHF 20 million (€21.6 million). A Swiss court has appointed an external ...
-
ArticleEU considers gradual access to social media platforms for children
The European Commission is considering a “phased and gradual access” to social media platforms to protect children. “Childhood is a period of extraordinary and delicate brain development. During this stage, our children need time in the real world. Time to play, to build friendships face-to-face, to make mistakes. Time ...
-
ArticleGenesco board receives support against activist investors
Genesco’s management has received support from a leading US proxy advisory firm in its battle against the activist investors Bradley Radoff, Jumana Capital Investments and Christopher Martin, who collectively owned 9.1 percent of the US footwear’s capital on July 1. The activists, collectively referred to as the Radoff-Jumana Group, are ...
