Following the Enron and Worldcom scandals, the US responded by passing the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) law in July 2002, which requires inter alia CEOs and CFOs of companies listed in the US to certify the accuracy of their accounts with the SEC. It increases penalties for violations by up to 25 years in prison, by flouting [...]

Summer brings fresh crop of labor reforms to France… France made front news (see editorial of 14 August) as the government announced that effective immediately small companies could hire staff in France on an “employment at will” principle for up to two years, or in other words to terminate without cause staff hired under such [...]