08:30 – 09:00

Registration. Welcome coffee

09:00 – 09:20

Conference opening, Welcoming words 

Elena Balbekova, Head of International Law Committee, UBA

Margarita Karpenko, Managing partner, DLA Piper, Kiev

Tatyana Slipachuk, Partner, Vasil Kisil & Partners 

Fabio Bortolotti, President International Distribution Institute (IDI)

Session 1

09:20 – 10:40

Moderator – Tatyana Slipachuk, Vasil Kisil & Partners

09:20 – 09:40

General information on IDI: history, its role, functions and the IDI Website 

Silvia Bortolotti, Buffa Bortolotti & Mathis, Torino; Secretary General IDI

09:40 – 10:00

Organizing international distribution contracts: the various options 

Choosing the best solutions for organising a distribution network. Occasional intermediaries, agents, distributors, franchising and selective distribution. Main differences between these solutions; advantages and disadvantages  

Fabio Bortolotti, Professor of Law, University of Torino; Buffa Bortolotti & Mathis, Torino; President IDI

10:00 – 10:20

Negotiating international agency agreements. The main issues to deal with when drafting the contract 

The IDI principal-friendly model. Definition of territory and products. Exclusivity and non-competition. Right to commission. Principal's trademarks. Term and termination

Gustav Breiter, Viehböck Breiter Schenk & Nau, Vienna

10:20 – 10:40

Discussion

10:40 – 11:00

Coffee break

Session 2 

10:40 – 12:30

Moderetor - Margarita Karpenko, DLA Piper

11:00 – 11:20

Drafting distributorship contracts: analyzing the critical clauses 

Defining the distributor as a buyer-reseller. Exclusive and non-exclusive distributorship. The non-competition obligation. The buyer-seller relationship: obligation to supply; rules governing the sales contracts; the problem of payment conditions.  

Olga Sztejnert, Drzewiecki, Tomaszek & Partners, Warsaw

11:20 – 11:40

Terminating agency and distributorship agreements: the hot issues 

Termination with notice: what is the right period of notice? Termination for cause: in which cases is it justified? Contractual clauses (non-attainment minimum purchase obligation) which may justify earlier termination. New trends regarding goodwill indemnity for distributors.  

Jaap Van Till, Van Till Advocaten, Amsterdam

11:40 – 12:00

Negotiating agency, distribution and franchising contracts with Ukrainian counterparties

The issues of major concern in relations with Ukrainian counterparties. Ensuring effectiveness and enforceability of the contracts in Ukraine. Negotiating strategies.

Nataliya Mykolska, Vasil Kisil & Partners, Kiev

12:00 – 12:30

Discussion

12:30 – 13:30

Lunch

Session 3

13:30 – 15:00

Moderator - Fabio Bortolotti, International Distribution Institute (IDI)

13:30 – 13:50

Organizing a franchising network: the main options 

When is recourse to franchising advisable and when not. The first steps. Setting up standard conditions which conform to the needs of the franchisor while complying with the local law. Managing and expanding the network.

Marco Hero, Tigges Rechtsanwälte, Monaco

13:50 – 14:10

Regulatory aspects of distribution and franchising contracts (antimonopoly compliance requirements)

The clauses of distribution and franchising contracts which may raise concerns from antimonopoly law perspective. Regulation of vertical agreements under Ukrainian antimonopoly laws. Relevant exemptions from the general prohibition.

Natalia Pakhomovska, DLA Piper, Kiev

14:10 – 14:30

Tax aspects of an efficient operational model

An overview of tax issues to keep in mind when designing a distribution or a franchising structure. Transfer pricing requirements. Issues associated with discounts, price adjustments and bonuses.  Permanent establishment exposure and withholding taxes. Applicability of VAT under different contractual models. Critical customs issues; recent developments in the treatment of cross-border royalties.

Svitlana Musienko, DLA Piper, Kiev 

14:30 – 15:00

Discussion

15:00 – 15:20

Coffee break

Session 4

15:20 – 17:00

Moderator - Elena Balbekova, UBA

15:20 – 15:40

Choice of the applicable law and its effectiveness 

The freedom of choice. Rules applicable in the absence of choice. Effectiveness of the choice: to what extent should mandatory rules of the agent's or distributor's law be considered, if another law is chosen.  

Silvia Bortolotti, Buffa Bortolotti & Mathis, Torino; Secretary General IDI

15:40–

16:00

Dispute resolution: choice of forum and arbitration clauses in contracts with Ukrainian counterparts 

The legal framework: effectiveness of choice of forum and arbitration clauses in the relations with Ukrainian parties  

Dr. Tatyana Slipachuk, Vasil Kisil & Partners, Kiev

16:00 – 16:20

Strategies for a joint choice of the applicable law and jurisdiction. Which are the appropriate solutions? 

Defensive position of the principal (agency contracts); need to enforce judgment (distribution contracts). Cases where arbitration is preferable to national courts. Most chosen arbitration institutions in international agency, distribution and franchising contracts

Fabio Bortolotti, Professor of Law, University of Torino; Buffa Bortolotti & Mathis, Torino; President IDI

16:20 – 17:00

Discussion and Closing remarks

17:00 – 19:00

Wine and brief session

Franchising Association