The focus of the trade practice of the firm is on multilateral trading arrangements, preferential trade agreements, and regional or bilateral trade relations between the EU, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement), ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) and third countries. Lawyers at FratiniVergano regularly advise Governments, international organisations, multinational corporations and/or private clients on a variety of issues related primarily to market access opportunities and regulatory barriers to trade in goods and services.
Industries
FratiniVergano is particularly active in relation to a number of products and commodities, where we have acquired unparallel knowledge of the industries and of their needs. The following are the main industries that the firm represents:
- Palm oil;
- Tobacco;
- Sugar;
- Selected fruits and vegetables (e.g., pistachios, bananas, kiwi fruit);
- Hemp - CBD (cannabidiol);
- Herbal substances (e.g., kava);
- Meat (e.g., beef, bison, poultry, cultured meat);
- Fisheries;
- Forestry and timber; and
- Pharmaceutical products (e.g., generics, biosimilars)
FratiniVergano provides tailor-made monitoring and advisory services on selected commodities and/or products of particular interest to its clients.
Geographic coverage
FratiniVergano’s expertise mainly covers the EU, ASEAN, CEFTA and ACP areas, both at the regional and national instances.
Our lawyers are ideally placed to assist clients in safeguarding their interests at both EU and EU Member States’ levels.
In particular, we have long-standing experience in working within the ASEAN region, where we have presence in Jakarta and Singapore.
Within the ACP group of countries, the firm has particularly strong links with Pacific countries.
FratiniVergano offers country-specific or global monitoring services to its clients.
Academic engagement
In relation to international trade and food law and regulation, like in all other areas of activity, the firm strongly believes in the importance that its lawyers be constantly at the forefront of the intellectual and academic debates surrounding trade policy and the development or interpretation of its rules and procedures.