Category: MEA

Regulatory Watch News

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  Europol and partners track down 45 forcibly transferred Ukrainian children

  Europol

  April 20, 2026

  On 16 and 17 April 2026, Europol together with the Netherlands hosted a coordinated effort to identify and trace children forcibly transferred or deported to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. In total, information about 45 children was uncovered and shared with Ukrainian authorities to assist their ongoing investigations. This initiative saw 40 experts from 18 countries, the International Criminal Court as well as non-governmental partners working together in The Hague. The participating open-source intelligence experts compiled 45 reports which include valuable information potentially leading to the locations of deported children

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  First indictment in investigation Nimmersatt: Car traders charged in scheme to smuggle hazardous salvage vehicles from US

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  April 20, 2026

  (Luxembourg, 20 April 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Berlin (Germany) has filed an indictment against three car traders, following an investigation into a criminal organisation importing salvage vehicles from the United States (US) and reselling them after cosmetic repair, while evading custom duties and VAT. The criminal scheme also poses serious dangers for road safety in Europe. 

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  SFC unveils new regulatory framework to allow secondary trading of tokenised SFC-authorised investment products

  Securities and Futures Commission

  April 20, 2026

  The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) today launched a new regulatory framework to pilot the secondary trading of tokenised SFC-authorised investment products (tokenised products) in Hong Kong, aiming to boost trading activity in the city’s expanding digital asset ecosystem over time. Set out in a circular, the SFC’s new guidance aims primarily to facilitate secondary trading of tokenised SFC-authorised open-ended funds on SFC-licensed virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs), not least broadening access to regulated trading services for retail investors. However, the SFC may also consider over-the-counter secondary trading arrangements on a case-by-case basis.