2020 TSMA

39 the result of this EU Commission evaluation process to the disadvantage of Taiwan- ese manufacturers and exporters of sporting goods with established business in the geographic area of the European Union and the European Economic area (EEA). AND – important to know: In contrast to an EU Directive, an EU regulation does not leave any room and flexibility for the national legislative bodies for any variation, but will apply directly in any EU member state and within the EEA after it will have come in into force. May 2022 may still sound quite far away, but it is already at the doorstep of entre- preneurial planning, investments and strategies. Be prepared !! About the author: Dr. Jochen M. Schaefer is a German practicing attorney with based in the Munich area. Since numerous years he represents both the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) and the European Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) as their Legal Counsel while he is also chairing the WFSGI’s Legal Committee and co-chairing FESI’S digital working group. At individual client level he represents brands within and beyond the sporting goods sector, including e.g. a well-known Taiwanese bicycle brand. He is a specialist in national and international distribution topics, intellectual property (IP) and risk management issues and in the drafting and negotiation of comprehensive con- tracts at operational level. In case of any questions about this article (and in general) he can be reached at sj@sjlegal.de and on his cell phone at +49-151-(0)16407932.