Clifford Chance

This publication explores some of the key ESG trends to watch in 2021.

2021 will be an important year in international trade. States continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. A new US administration has just taken office. Questions remain about tensions in the US-China relationship. High on the agenda are also digital services trade, trade and the environment, and the future of multilateralism.

This publication explores the changing discourse of leadership (both political and corporate), how such discourse presents opportunities in finance, and how legislative action may force the hand of holdouts in industry, all with a view of producing tangible milestones to measure progress of ESG initiatives.

From sustainable fintech and CBDC developments to greater scrutiny of data and increased antitrust enforcement, we predict five developments for key fintech areas including AI, data, payments and crypto.

On 24 December 2020, after roller-coaster negotiations, the United Kingdom and the European Union announced they had agreed a post-Brexit "EU-UK Trade and Cooperation" Agreement. This briefing examines what it covers, what it doesn't, and what happens next.

The European Commission has announced far-reaching proposals for regulation of digital platforms and online intermediaries.