Category: 3. Business

Where Clinical Reality Meets Standards

As countries around the world expand their clinical use of ionizing radiation, accurate measurement and calculation remain essential for the safe and effective use of radiation-based technologies. Primary and secondary standards laboratories provide reference measurements that allow medical professionals to trace their results directly to the International System of Units — ensuring global consistency. Dosimetry codes of practice reinforce this traceability and enable the optimized application of ionizing radiation in clinical settings. 

“Recent technological developments — from new diagnostic approaches to cutting-edge computational methodologies that leverage Monte Carlo models and artificial intelligence (AI) — have shaped dosimetry standards, audit practices and quality assurance guidance,” said Mauro Carrara, IAEA Head of Dosimetry and Medical Radiation Physics and one of the symposia’s scientific secretaries. “For medical physicists, radiation metrologists and other scientists and researchers in the field, there is a critical need to comprehensively review innovations while addressing the growing complexity of available tools.” 

“In building on the legacy of previous symposia since 1987, IDOS2026 will provide an international forum to discuss and disseminate the latest advances across radiation dosimetry, radiation medicine, radiation protection and their associated standards,” said Zakithi Msimang, IAEA medical radiation physicist and the event’s other scientific secretary. “Its proceedings and conclusions promise to provide relevant recommendations for the medical and scientific community.”

In 2023, 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in the EU, or 177.8 kg per inhabitant. While this marks a reduction of 8.7 kg per capita compared with 2022, the figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013.

Out of all the packaging waste generated, 40.4% was paper and cardboard, 19.8% was plastic, 18.8% glass, 15.8% wood, 4.9% metal and 0.2% other packaging. 

An average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste was generated in 2023 for each person living in the EU. Out of this, 14.8 kg were recycled. The amount of generated plastic waste decreased by 1.0 kg compared with 2022, while the amount of recycled plastic waste increased by 0.1 kg. Between 2013 and 2023, the amount of plastic packaging waste generated increased by 6.4 kg per capita, while the amount recycled increased by 3.8 kg.

Source dataset: env_waspac

This information comes from data on packaging waste published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on packaging waste.

Increase in plastic packaging waste recycling

In 2023, the EU recycled 42.1% of all the generated plastic packaging waste, indicating an increase in the recycling rate compared with 2013 (38.2%).

Belgium recorded the highest recycling rate at 59.5%, followed by Latvia (59.2%) and Slovakia (54.1%).

In contrast, the lowest rates were recorded in Hungary (23.0%), France (25.7%) and Austria (26.9%).

Source dataset: env_waspac

New China platform information reporting rules require internet companies to submit basic information and the identity and income details of their operators and employees. Before October 31, 2025, these companies must submit employee and operator income data for Q3 2025. Platform companies must immediately prepare to comply with these filing requirements to avoid significant financial penalties and operational suspensions.

Starting October 1, 2025, internet platform companies (“platform companies”) will be required to formally submit the identity and income information of their operators and employees to the tax authorities for the first time.  

These obligations arise from the Provisions on the Submission of Tax-Related Information by Internet Platform Enterprises (the “Provisions”), issued by the State Council on June 20, 2025, which set out new tax-related reporting requirements for platform companies. 

The deadline for the first round of quarterly reporting obligations by platform companies – covering operators’ and employees’ identity and income information – is October 31, 2025.

To support the rollout of the new reporting regime, the State Taxation Administration (STA) released STA Announcement [2025] No. 15, which provides detailed implementation rules. The announcement specifies reporting obligations, technical requirements, and compliance timelines applicable to a wide range of digital platforms.

According to the General Office of the STA, as of October 15, 6,654 domestic and international platforms had already submitted the required basic information, which was due by July 20, 2025, for companies established before the Provisions’ implementation. In addition, over 4,100 platforms had already submitted tax-related information on their operators and employees, which must be submitted before October 31, covering over 60 percent of affected platforms. This group includes major platforms such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, and Didi Chuxing. 

On September 28, 2025, the STA, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), issued a notice providing further guidance on implementing the Provisions. The notice clarified rules on administrative penalties, suspension of operations, and other related matters.

Tax-related reporting requirements for platform companies 

Under the Provisions, internet platform enterprises are required to report certain tax-related information to their competent tax authorities. These obligations apply to e-commerce platform operators under the Electronic Commerce Law of the PRC, as well as other organizations that provide profit-making services such as online transaction venues, transaction matching, or information publication. Individuals providing services on these platforms in a personal capacity are considered “platform employees”. 

Reporting requirements

Platform companies must submit information related to the identity and income of platform operators and employees. The types of information and documents that must be provided include at different timeframes, namely:

1. Within 30 days from the implementation date of the Provisions (June 20, 2025) or within 30 days of commencing internet-based business operations, the following information must be reported:
   1. Platform domain name
   2. Business type
   3. Unified Social Credit Code and name of the relevant operating entity
2. Within the month following the end of the quarter (October 31 for the third quarter of 2025), the following must be reported:
   1. The identity information of platform operators and employees
   2. The income information of platform operators and employees for the previous quarter 

Note that companies are not required to submit income information on employees who provide delivery, transport, domestic, or other convenience services through the platforms if they are legally exempt from taxation or enjoy tax incentives. Additionally, companies are not required to resubmit tax-related information when handling withholding declarations, tax returns, and other tax-related matters for platform operators and employees.

Platforms are not required to report information on operators and employees prior to the implementation of the Provisions. 

Foreign platform companies (such as Amazon) providing for-profit services in China must report tax-related information in accordance with regulations issued by the State Council tax authorities. 

Required cooperation with tax authorities 

When conducting tax inspections or identifying tax risks, tax authorities may request that platform companies and related parties provide supporting information, including: 

• Contracts and orders of platform operators and employees
• Transaction details
• Financial account records
• Logistics and delivery information

Companies and related parties must provide this information truthfully and within the timeframe, manner, and scope requested by tax authorities. 

Waiving of penalties and clarification of “serious circumstances” 

The September 28 notice states that platform companies that commit certain tax reporting violations outlined in the Provisions will not be penalized if they correct the violations within the time limit set by the tax authorities. 

These violations are: 

1. Failure to submit or provide tax-related information within the prescribed time limit;
2. Concealing, falsely reporting, or omitting tax-related information, or causing the tax-related information to be untrue, inaccurate, or incomplete through the fault of the platform company; and
3. Refusing to submit or provide tax-related information. 

Under the Provisions, failure to rectify these violations within the prescribed timeframe may result in fines ranging from RMB 20,000 to RMB 100,000 (US$2,740 to US$13,700), or from RMB 100,000 to RMB 500,000 (US$13,700 to US$68,500 in “serious cases”. In serious cases, companies may also be ordered to suspend operations. 

What constitutes a “serious case” 

The September 28 notice also clarifies what constitutes a “serious case” under the Provisions. Specifically, a platform company will be considered to have committed a “serious case” and be subject to the higher penalty bracket if it fails to correct a violation within the timeframe ordered by the tax authorities, and any of the following conditions are met: 

1. Failing to submit or provide tax-related information, or omitting required tax-related information, for a cumulative total of two or more times within a single year;
2. Concealing or falsely reporting tax-related information for a cumulative total of two or more times;
3. Illegally guiding or assisting platform operators or employees to convert the nature of income or split income, through means such as mass registration, changing store unique identifiers, or other methods, resulting in tax-related information being submitted inaccurately, untruthfully, or incompletely;
4. Forging or tampering with the tax-related information of platform operators or employees, or assisting platform operators or employees in forging or tampering with such information, resulting in tax-related information being submitted inaccurately, untruthfully, or incompletely;
5. Refusing to submit or provide tax-related information in accordance with regulations through violence, threats, or public boycotts; and
6. Other serious violations of Article 10 of the Provisions. 

Suspension of operations

The notice clarifies that when, as may happen in serious cases, an internet platform is ordered to suspend operations, the competent tax authority is responsible for penalizing the platform for failing to submit tax-related information in accordance with the Provisions. 

In such cases, the tax authorities may: 

• Restrict the company’s issuance of invoices;
• Issue early warnings on the company’s acceptance of invoices; and
• Report penalties and request that relevant regulatory authorities take legal action.

If the platform rectifies its violations during the suspension period and actively mitigates any negative impacts, the tax authority that issued the suspension may, upon confirmation, coordinate with regulatory authorities to promptly lift the related punitive measures. 

Key takeaways for platform companies

As the October 31 deadline approaches, platform companies should ensure they are fully prepared to submit the required identity and income information for their operators and employees in a timely, accurate, and complete manner. Companies that have not yet reported should immediately coordinate with local tax authorities to avoid delays or errors that could trigger penalties. Attention to the accuracy and completeness of submitted data is critical, as platform companies are responsible for verifying the information they provide, even though errors caused by operators or employees themselves are not penalized if proper verification measures were taken.

Find Business Support

Companies should make full use of the guidance and support provided by tax authorities, including training sessions, online tutorials, and secure reporting portals, to streamline submissions and ensure compliance with the Provisions. Understanding the scope of reporting obligations, including exemptions for certain employees who are legally exempt from taxation or enjoy incentives, is essential to avoid unnecessary duplication or misreporting. 

Platform companies should take particular care to avoid prohibited practices outlined in the September 28 notice. According to the General Office of the STA, some platforms have been found to help employees register en masse as individual businesses in the platform’s location, attempting to convert personal labor income into business income to take advantage of preferential tax treatment and reduce or avoid tax payments. Other platforms or intermediaries have allegedly encouraged operators and employees to split income, register abroad, or change entity identifiers in order to conceal income and evade supervision, impeding normal tax procedures.

Related Reading

Overseas internet platforms that provide for-profit services to operators in China should also note that they are also required to report relevant tax information to Chinese tax authorities. Amazon, for example, issued a notice to sellers on October 13, 2025, announcing that it will begin quarterly reporting of Chinese sellers’ identity and income information to China’s tax authorities. The first submission, covering transactions from July to September 2025, is scheduled for completion by October 31. 

Domestic operators who attempt to evade obligations through offshore registration or other means are subject to the same enforcement measures. The September 28 notice details the penalties for illegal practices by platform enterprises, emphasizing that compliance with these reporting requirements is a legal obligation and that violations will be rigorously enforced.

Wolf Bussian, managing partner for Germany at A&O Shearman, added: “In a multipolar world, reliability is everything: power is shifting, responsibility is growing, and technology, trade, and security are inseparable. Those who build smart partnerships will create sustainable prosperity.

“Multipolarity isn’t a risk in itself, but a mandate to shape outcomes—de-risking, not decoupling; rules, and not bloc-building is how we will secure stability and growth.”

A&O Shearman leaders on the BGD stage

A&O Shearman partners will contribute to five high-profile sessions across the program, bringing legal, regulatory and strategic perspectives to discussions at the intersection of markets, policy and technology.

October 23, 1:30pm–2:45pm

Shaping a multipolar future: a conversation with the BGD Young Voices

Hervé Ekué, global managing partner at A&O Shearman will join fellow panelists to discuss ways to strengthen democratic culture, rebuild institutional trust and align economic decision-making with long-term societal goals to address the expectations of emerging generations who are calling for bolder leadership rooted in climate responsibility, democratic values, accountability, and trust.

October 23, 4:45pm–6:00pm

War speed: scaling technology under pressure

Magdalena Nasilowska, partner at A&O Shearman, will moderate a panel examining how Europe can reform procurement, accelerate deployment, and build a defense innovation ecosystem fit for today’s security landscape.

October 24, 10:30am–11:45am

The end of predictability? Adapting enterprises to the geopolitical age

Hervé Ekué, global managing partner at A&O Shearman, will also join a discussion about how companies are rethinking cross-border operating models—from supply chains and legal entity structures to innovation strategies—to build resilience and secure their global footprint, as globalization gives way to fragmentation.

October 25, 09:30am–10:30am

The future of the China-Europe relationship

Xin (Lorna) Chen, partner at A&O Shearman, will moderate a discussion about how China and Europe can rebuild trust, deepen cooperation, and pursue sustainable growth amid global geopolitical change.

October 25, 09:30am–10:30am

The pivotal role of middle powers in a multipolar world

Dirk Arts, partner at A&O Shearman will join a panel debate to discuss how middle powers are reshaping the operating environment for business and investment, and the role they are playing in forging strategic partnerships, shaping regional dynamics, and championing the emergence of competing institutions.

BGD: bringing decision-makers together to effect change

BGD brings together established leaders and the next generation of decision-makers to promote dialogue in four key areas shaping the future of the global economy:

• Geopolitical shifts
• Climate change
• Technological advances
• Global inequality

With a strong focus on the realities of a multipolar world—from supply chain resilience and defense innovation to digital governance and the evolving role of middle powers—BGD equips enterprises, investors and policymakers with the insights needed to navigate an era defined by uncertainty and reinvention.

If you plan to attend BGD 2025, please reach out to Ulrich Horstschäfer at ulrich.horstschaefer@allenovery.com to arrange a meeting.

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota, GR (Gazoo Racing) and Lexus vehicles and parts and accessories, as well as Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly employs over 26,000 people and has invested over EUR 12 billion in Europe since 1990. Its eight European manufacturing plants are located in Portugal, the UK, France, Poland, Czech Republic and Turkey. Today, there are approximately 14.7 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles on European roads, whose drivers are supported by a network of 28 National Marketing and Sales Companies and around 2,800 retail sales outlets in 53 countries (EU, UK, EFTA countries , Israel, Turkey and other Eastern European countries). In 2024, TME sold 1,217,132 vehicles in Europe for a 7.1% market share. For more information, visit www.toyota-europe.com.

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. In the pursuit of “Mobility for All”, Toyota aims to create safer, more connected, inclusive and sustainable mobility to achieve its mission of producing “Happiness for All”. In Europe, TME launched the KINTO mobility brand which offers a range of mobility services in 20 countries, and is growing its business-to-business sales of zero-emission fuel cell products and engineering support. Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Toyota is working to achieve carbon neutrality in its entire business across Europe. A historic leader in CO2 reduction in Europe, TME aims to achieve 100% CO2 reduction in all new vehicles in Western Europe by 2035 and will continue to offer a full range of electrified powertrains to customers across the region with its hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery and fuel cell electric vehicles.  

TAMPA, Fla. — Lynk Global plans to merge with Omnispace to upgrade its direct-to-device (D2D) services with globally coordinated S-band spectrum, joining SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile in shoring up satellite frequencies after initially relying on cellular partnerships.

Luxembourg-based multi-orbit operator SES, which has invested in both companies, will become a major strategic shareholder in the combined group, they announced Oct. 22 in a joint news release that offered few details.

The merged entity would combine Omnispace’s 60 megahertz of S-band spectrum with Lynk’s D2D platform, which is currently providing intermittent messaging and alert services in a handful of island nations with five small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Omnispace had planned to use the spectrum for a D2D constellation of more than 600 satellites, after deploying experimental spacecraft in low and medium Earth orbits.

However, the Washington, D.C.-based venture’s efforts stalled amid its claims of interference from SpaceX’s D2D service.

The interference issue was specific to the United States, Omnispace vice president of strategy and marketing George Giagtzoglou said via email, where part of the T-Mobile cellular spectrum used by SpaceX overlaps with Omnispace’s S-band frequencies. He said a recent regulatory request from SpaceX to the Federal Communications Commission could help ease the conflict by aligning its frequency use with international S-band allocations.

“This merger unlocks the full potential of our global S-band spectrum assets and positions us at the forefront of D2D,” Omnispace CEO Ram Viswanathan said in the announcement.

Ramu Potarazu, CEO of Falls Church, Virginia-based Lynk, said: “We now have the right mix of technology, spectrum and leadership to extend mobile connectivity where and when it’s needed most. 

“This merger will enable us to accelerate our efforts in delivering seamless, reliable messaging, voice and data services — serving [mobile network operators (MNOs)], as well as consumer, commercial and industrial vehicles, and government and utility sectors worldwide.”

The deal comes months after Lynk abandoned an attempt to raise capital for its constellation by merging with Slam Corp., a publicly listed shell company led by former MLB star Alex Rodriguez.

Potarazu outlined plans last month to instead lean on SES and the operator’s network in geostationary and medium Earth orbit to provide a global, continuous D2D service by 2027.

The company plans to launch a pair of satellites in February to validate new technology, including a multi-orbit relay capability with SES.

The companies expect to close the merger late this year or early next, pending regulatory approvals. Potarazu would serve as CEO of the combined entity, with Viswanathan as chief strategy officer.

The spectrum pivot

Meanwhile, SpaceX is awaiting regulatory approval to acquire S-band spectrum from geostationary broadband operator EchoStar in a deal worth more than $17 billion. 

SpaceX leverages more than 650 Starlink D2D satellites in LEO to provide services that are currently limited to text messaging, emergency alerts and certain apps in the U.S., New Zealand and Japan.

In the U.S., the company is using about 10 megahertz of similarly situated terrestrial spectrum from T-Mobile, but plans to boost its D2D capacity twentyfold with a second-generation service that would integrate 50 megahertz of EchoStar’s spectrum.

AST SpaceMobile only has five BlueBird satellites in LEO, but it aims to deliver continuous coverage in the U.S. and other key markets after ramping up launches over the next 18 months.

The Texas-based venture has partnered with AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. and is seeking approval to access L-band spectrum in North America from bankrupt satellite operator Ligado Networks. 

Alongside a deal for global S-band spectrum, subject to country-by-country approval, AST says satellite frequencies are key to its plan to enable broadband speeds of up to 120 megabits per second from space.

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Refocusing programmes for addressing new challenges and opportunities and accelerate implementation / Moderator by Tudor Constantinescu – DG ENER

Tour de table and presentations from Member States: EMA members will intervene in a tour the table for updating on the latest developments and challenges on the implementation of energy Specific Objectives under cohesion policy and submitting the modified programs according to the new priorities and conditions from Mid Term Review.