Dutch regulations
Regulations in other jurisdictions
products and the grading and commercial acceptance of
produce shipments from our vendors.
Money order and wire transfer services offered by our stores
are subject to regulations promulgated under the USA
PATRIOT Act, which is administered by the U.S.
Department of the Treasury. Our lottery, alcohol and tobacco
sales and operations are regulated at the federal and state
level.
We and our products are also subject to state and local
regulation through such measures as the licensing of our
facilities, enforcement by state and local health agencies of
state and local standards for our products and facilities and
regulation of our trade practices in connection with the sale
of our products. Our advertising, weights and measures of
products, as well as other marketing, labeling and consumer
protection issues, are regulated by state agencies and state
attorney general offices, which have jurisdiction over state
consumer protection statutes and antitrust statutes.
Our pharmacy operations are subject to federal, state and
local regulations and licensing, including state pharmacy
boards, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement regulations
and third-party insurance regulations, as well as the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and regulations
promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health Human
Services. Our premises are generally inspected at least
annually by federal and/or state authorities. These facilities
are also subject to inspections and regulations issued
pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act by the
U.S. Department of Labor, which require us to comply with
certain manufacturing, health and safety standards to
protect our employees from accidents and to establish
hazard communication programs to transmit information
about the hazards of certain chemicals present in certain
products we distribute.
We are also subject to regulation by numerous federal, state
and local regulatory agencies. Our store operations and real
estate operations are subject to zoning, environmental and
building regulations, as well as laws that prohibit
discrimination in employment on the basis of disability,
including the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other
laws relating to accessibility and the removal of barriers.
Our workers' compensation and workers' compensation self-
insurance are subject to regulation by state regulatory
agencies. In addition, our captive insurance company, The
MollyAnna Company ("MollyAnna"), which insures our
operating companies for losses relating to self-insurance, is
regulated by the Insurance Division of the State of Vermont.
Because our securities are publicly traded in the U.S., we
are also subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by
the SEC, including those promulgated under the Sarbanes-
Oxley Act. In addition, we are subject to the provisions of
the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act relating to the
maintenance of books and records and antibribery.
As in other jurisdictions, we are subject to various legislative
provisions in the Netherlands relating to our products,
facilities, health and safety of our employees, antitrust
matters, privacy matters, our relationship with franchisees,
taxation of foreign earnings and earnings of expatriate
personnel and use of local employees and vendors, among
others.
We are subject to Dutch zoning regulations, which restrict
retailers from opening large retail outlets just outside of
towns or in rural areas in order to protect retailers in town
centers, thereby preserving the traditional retail structure
in these towns. Similar regulations apply in certain other
European countries in which we have operations.
As an employer in the Netherlands, we are subject to various
labor laws that set employment practice standards for
workers, including occupational health and safety standards.
The legislative provisions relating to privacy matters impose
certain obligations on us and restrict us in the use of
personal data (for example, in the use of customer data for,
and obtained in the context of, customer loyalty programs
or in direct marketing activities).
We operate our business in the U.S and in a number of
countries in Europe and accordingly, are subject to a wide
variety of national and EU laws and regulations governing
standards for our products and facilities, health and safety
of our employees, currency conversions and repatriation,
taxation of foreign earnings and earnings of expatriate
personnel and use of local employees and vendors, among
others. Within the EU, our business is also subject to and
restricted by EU rules, including directives and regulations.
To the extent these rules have "direct effect," they must be
applied by the authorities of the member states even if they
have not yet been implemented in national law.
EU regulations set minimum standards that must be applied
by all EU member states. In many cases, the authorities of
the member states are free to set higher standards to the
extent these apply equally to all products and producers
from all EU member states.
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