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Insights & News / Ori  Rodriguez

"Buy-Sell" Model (Reseller) Activity Exempt from Payment Services Licensing

The Israel Securities Authority recently published a staff legal position addressing the licensing requirements for businesses operating in the "Buy and Sell" or "Reseller" model in online marketplaces.

Price tagging requirement continues to be a mandatory obligation

Recently, the issue of price tagging in supermarkets and grocery stores has gained attention. This follows a public consultation issued by the Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority seeking input on transitioning to digital price displays as part of the "What’s Good for Europe is Good for Israel" reform.

New Regulations Ahead: Reporting Obligations for Payment Companies and License Holders

The Israel Securities Authority recently published a draft of a new directive for payment companies and holders of basic initiation licenses or approvals regarding reporting to the Authority. According to the Draft, payment companies and holders of basic initiation licenses or approvals are required to submit annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and immediate reports on various topics, such as audited or reviewed financial data, operational data, compliance with capital requirements, technological measures, corporate governance, compliance etcetera.

The Consumer Protection and Fair-Trade Authority: businesses are required to disclose changes to product characteristics or components.

Recently, the Consumer Protection and Fair-Trade Authority issued a position paper regarding the disclosure obligations businesses must meet when making changes to product characteristics or components. According to the position paper, any material change in a product's characteristics or components must be clearly and prominently displayed on the product itself, allowing the consumer to make an informed decision regarding the product. This is because consumers typically do not recheck a product’s features or ingredients, when they purchase it regularly.

Regulatory highlights for small and medium-sized businesses

There has been a growing outcry recently against the ease at which class actions alleging a variety of offenses are being filed against small and medium-sized business-owners. Almost every week since October 7, news media have been reporting about business owners who were called up for reserve duty, spent months defending the country, and who, upon returning home after completing their tour of duty, are then forced to fight in the courts because a warning letter was waiting for them with a demand for high sums of compensation. Much has been written about this and about the impacts that such demand letters have on reservists – personally and at the business level. And as reported, this issue should be examined by the legislative authorities.

Israeli Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority Issues New and Revised Circulars

This year, the Israeli Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority issued a series of new and revised circulars regarding proper management and corporate responsibility by financial service providers.

Israel: Opening Access to Payment Systems and Allocation of Identification Codes to Payment Service Providers

The Bank of Israel’s Payment Systems Oversight Division recently published an access guide to supervised payment systems for Israeli and foreign applicants.

Israel: Increased Enforcement of Packaging Law

The uptrend in warning letters, enforcement proceedings, and motions to certify class actions against manufacturers and importers obligated to achieve defined recycling targets by virtue of the Processing of Packaging Law is likely to intensify, inter alia, because filing such motions does not involve paying a fee.

Barnea: Advising Summa Technologies on Obtaining Financial Services License

We represented Summa Technologies, which operates in the field of open banking, in obtaining a financial information services license from the Israel Securities Authority. Summa is the seventh company in Israel to receive this license. Anat Even-Chen, Elad Reshtick, and Ori Rodriguez represented the client in this matter.

Categories: Financial Regulation | Regulation

Foreign Direct Investments in Israel

It is surprising to realize Israel does not have a general regulatory binding framework for the approval of such transactions as they pertain to national security, like CFIUS in the United States , the recent UK National Security and Investment Act 2021, or similar bodies in developed countries. As a result, there are no broad cross-sector consolidated controls on foreign investments.

2022: Developments in Financial Service Providers Regulations

This article summarizes the regulatory developments imposed on financial service providers, including of non-bank credit and financial asset services, and the key measures companies engaging in this sector should take in preparation for 2023.

Is the Era of Unsolicited Telemarketing Coming to an End in Israel?

An amendment to the Israeli Consumer Protection Law, also known as the “Do Not Call Me Law,” is about to enter the enforcement phase on January 1, 2023. Inter alia, the law imposes liability on a business telemarketing its product or service, even if a third party is actually making the call.

New Regulations Exempt Credit and Financial Service Providers from License Requirement

To make it easier for fintech companies to operate in Israel, the Knesset Finance Committee has passed regulations to exempt several types of credit providers and financial service providers from a licensing duty.

New Israeli Directives on Cyber Risk Management and Risk Management for Regulated Financial Service Providers

CMISA recently published two new risk management circulars for financial service providers, including small entities.

Doing Business in Israel: Fintech

International companies and individuals seeking to expand into a new area of business or expand their international business into Israel must understand the relevant legal landscape and how it may shape their operations. In this article, we will focus on international companies in the fintech sector considering offering services in Israel or to Israeli clients.

Amendment to Israeli Competition Rules – RPM Arrangements

The block exemption for non-horizontal arrangements recently underwent a significant change. Beyond changing the name of the block exemption to “Rules of Economic Competition,” a significant amendment was introduced relating to the issue of price restraints in vertical arrangements.