Juridique et Administratif

📝 Adrien PEDRAZZI, President of UMIH 47, addressed a letter to the leadership of the UMIH, questioning the compatibility of Thierry Marx's advertising commitments with his syndicate obligations. Marx, the confederal President of UMIH, has campaigned for companies such as Picard, Lidl, Intermarché, and SNCF. Concerns were raised about potential conflicts of interest and the transparency of Marx's financial engagements, emphasizing the necessity to uphold the UMIH's mission to defend independent restaurateurs. A call for clarification was made, particularly from the Commission Confédérale des Finances.

🏦 Premier ministre François Bayrou invoked article 49.3 for PLF and PLFSS 2025 budgets. UMIH warns of political instability affecting businesses, with over 20,000 companies experiencing failure in the past 2 years, according to Insee. Hospitality is essential to France's economy and cultural heritage but faces crises. Imperfect laws limit investment and recruitment but are necessary for business planning.

📝 The Italian Council of Ministers approved a bill to regulate online reviews, enforcing strict rules to ensure authenticity. Users must post comments within 15 days of using a service or product, and reviews should be precise and based on actual experience. Hotels, restaurants, and spas can reply to reviews and request the removal of those deemed false or misleading. Sale or purchase of reviews and any manipulation through incentives is strictly prohibited. Italy's competition watchdog (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) will oversee review authenticity, and online platforms must adopt conduct codes to verify service or product usage. The initial requirement for identity confirmation to post a review was dropped due to implementation challenges.

🏦 Led by Géraud de Franclieu, Clémence Corpet, and Carole Ducler, Sekri Valentin Zerrouk's M&A team advised Turenne Hôtellerie on the sale of the 4-star Hôtel Cardinal de Rohan (35 keys) in Strasbourg to a family-owned hotel group. Additionally, GATE Avocats, represented by Thomas Verdeil, provided supplementary legal and tax advice. Sekri Valentin Zerrouk is a French business law firm established in 2004, with over 60 lawyers specializing in various legal domains.

🚨 The former director of Brive's tourism office was sentenced to ten years in prison for gang rape on February 1st, at the Eure-et-Loir criminal court. The crime dates back to 2013 in Chartres. Two others received twelve and eight years respectively. The victim, a 38-year-old woman, stood by her testimony throughout the eight-year process. Brive's tourism office, with 60 employees and 120,000 annual visitors, is shocked; measures are planned to protect the team.

📖 Thierry Marx, Chef and President of UMIH, angrily responded to a letter accusing him of potential conflicts of interest during a surreal podcast. Marx threatened Adrien Pedrazzi, the president of Umih Lot-et-Garonne, and alleged undisclosed financial malpractices within the organization, stating, "They all got money." Legal repercussions may follow his contentious statements.

💰 The French Directorate for Social Security announced a new "Employee Savings" section in the "Other Compensation Elements" block on January 24, 2025. This section includes a chapter on the Profit-Sharing Bonus (PPV), detailing the allocation of PPV to savings or retirement plans. Companies must amend their savings plan rules to include PPV by June 30, 2025, and outline potential employer matching contributions. The PPV affects the beneficiaries' reference tax income regardless of plan allocation. The new section takes effect on February 1, 2025, moving PPV from "Exceptional Measures" to reflect its permanence, and the FAQ on PPV remains accessible for amounts paid before January 1, 2024.

📌 Montréal's mayor proposes new regulations: adding inspectors to detect illegal rentals with fines up to $1,000 for first-time offenses and $2,000 per day for repeat offenses. Rental period restricted to June 10 - September 10, allowing only registered commercial residences year-round operation, targeting speculators bypassing "principal residence" rules.

🏀 France's government chose GL Events for exclusive concession negotiations for Stade de France management, sidelining current concessionaire Vinci-Bouygues since 1998. The selection began in October, amidst desires to involve sports federations in stadium governance. Vinci-Bouygues challenges the decision, citing GL Events' incomplete bid, lacking a constructor for the €100 million renovation. They claim unequal negotiation terms with football and rugby federations, and question Paris Entertainment Company's (PEC) role, despite GL Events presenting evidence of PEC's involvement in their technical team.

🏦 Caroline Krass named Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Hilton, reporting to CEO Chris Nassetta. Krass, former Senior Vice President at AIG and legal adviser at the DoD, joins Hilton's executive committee on March 17, 2025. Her career includes managing global teams and complex legal matters in public and private sectors. Nassetta highlights her ability to provide thoughtful legal counsel and drive strong stakeholder results.