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In Covid-19

United Kingdom: UK Government lowers intervention thresholds for public health and national security related transactions

by , and 6 Mins Read

On Monday (22 June 2020), changes to the Enterprise Act 2002 merger control thresholds were published regarding (i) UK businesses critical to combating COVID-19 and public health emergencies, and (ii) certain UK businesses and technologies deemed important to national security. These changes are being implemented in advance of the forthcoming National Security and Investment (“NS&I”) Bill, which is anticipated to be published shortly and will establish a standalone UK foreign investment review regime. They also follow 2018 amendments when the UK Government materially reduced the jurisdictional thresholds for businesses engaged in military or dual-use goods, computer processing unit or quantum technology activities. In the case of national security, the changes are intended to safeguard the UK ahead of more comprehensive powers to be introduced in the NS&I Bill.

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In Covid-19

United Kingdom: COVID-19 – Government guidance for employers updated to reflect further easing of lockdown rules

by , and 3 Mins Read

The UK government has announced that further businesses will be allowed to reopen from 4 July, including pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, hotels and guest accommodation, cinemas and outdoor gyms.  Non-essential retail businesses have been permitted to reopen since 15 June.

While the message continues to be that those who can work from home should continue to do so, more employees will be returning to the workplace.  The government has published updated workplace-specific guides (available here) for employers to enable them to operate safely (known as being “COVID secure”).

Employers should check the appropriate guidance for the types of workplace they operate as they make their plans, but check back regularly to see if updates have been made.

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In Anti-Corruption

United States: This Week in Government Enforcement

by 1 Min Read

Please join us for a new weekly video series, hosted by Baker McKenzie’s North America Government Enforcement partners Tom Firestone and Jerome Tomas.

This weekly briefing is available on demand and will cover hot topics and current enforcement actions related to white collar crime and criminal investigations in the US and abroad to arm you with the information you need to start your business week.

As one of the largest global law firms, we will call upon our exceptionally deep and broad bench of white collar experts throughout the world and particularly in the commercial hubs of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America to join our weekly discussion series.

These briefings will cover:

High-profile DOJ case updates and implications
SEC enforcement developments
CFTC enforcement developments
Other white collar defense industry developments

In Antitrust / Competition

International: COVID-19 Global guide on public contracting

by and 1 Min Read

In light of the global pandemic, governments across the globe are faced with urgent needs whose immediate coverage is a matter of life and death. Hence, these unusual and uncertain times call for rare and exceptional measures, and without much ado, governments around the globe have provided them. Common to all approaches is the will to enable public contractors to procure the urgently needed supplies to save lives and contain the pandemic without major bureaucratic hurdles.

In Asia-Pacific

Singapore: Public consultation on proposed licensing scheme for collective management organisations

by , and 5 Mins Read

On 3 June 2020, the Ministry of Law (“MinLaw”) and Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”) launched a public consultation on “Proposed Licence Conditions and Code of Conduct for Collective Management Organisations” (the “Consultation Paper”). The proposed amendments follow from the responses received during the Copyright Collective Rights Management Ecosystem Public Consultation 2017, and forms part of the ongoing review of Singapore’s copyright regime. It seeks to implement a regulatory framework for Collective Management Organisations (“CMOs”), which are currently unregulated.

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