On 4 January 2022, the new UK foreign investment review regime under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 came into force. The new rules require businesses and investors to submit mandatory notifications for certain acquisitions of, and investments in, companies active in 17 key sectors of the economy. They also grant the Government extensive powers to investigate and impose conditions on a wide range of transactions (including both corporate investments and asset transactions) on national security grounds.

This series of ESG-focused thought leadership webinars will share insights and practical guidance for businesses considering what ESG means for them. Set out are details of our forthcoming demystifying ESG webinar series for 2022 including: regulations, executive pay, climate change, strategic initiatives and corporate responsibility.

On 20 July 2021, the UK Government announced that the National Security and Investment Act will enter into full force on 4 January 2022. To help businesses prepare for commencement of the regime, the Government also published alongside this announcement a series of further guidance notes and materials.

Since the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, there has been significant uncertainty regarding the practical application of the UK’s international commitments on subsidy control. However, on 30 June 2021, the Government outlined its main legislative proposals for a new UK subsidy control regime. It introduced its long-awaited Subsidy Control Bill to Parliament, published a number of policy papers and provided a response to the public consultation that ran from 3 February to 31 March this year.

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc with the global economy, disrupting all manner of business throughout the world. Stock markets have plummeted and many companies are having to grapple with the economic damage. There is a great deal of uncertainty in the transactional space, with many potential investors taking a cautious…

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched its Digital Markets Strategy and, linked to this, an online platforms and digital advertising market study (“Market Study”). This alert sets out the key points of the Market Study for our technology clients to consider. This is recommended reading for any…

On 7 September 2018 the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) upheld an infringement decision of the UK Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), confirming that a blanket restriction on online sales imposed by Ping Europe Limited (Ping), a leading manufacturer of golf equipment, was a restriction of competition by object.  Ping…

As companies consider their strategies for life in a post-Brexit world, our study reveals the projected impact of hard Brexit in four sectors that are key to UK manufacturing and our clients: the automotive, consumer, healthcare and technology industries.

The EU has proposed a new EU framework for screening foreign investment that raises security or public order concerns for the EU or its Member States.

Eturas runs the e-commerce back-end of 30 travel agents in Lithuania. An administrator message to each member informed them that the e-commerce functionality allowing each travel agent to grant discounts would be capped at 3 per cent. That message appeared in part of the system relating to information messages. The Court of Justice found that administrator messages could be the basis of illegal cartel type conduct.