I. Introduction The Covid-19 pandemic poses new challenges to society as a whole and to each individual. The rapid spread of the virus is currently prompting political decision-makers to react just as quickly by developing and adopting new measures...

Listen as our panel answer some of the most common questions clients have asked us over recent weeks as well as digging into more detail around how your business should proceed with specific legal and technical challenges. A recording of the session...

The past weeks have seen several pieces of key UK legislation enacted with almost unprecedented speed, as the government and Parliament sought to deal with the rapidly escalating coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus Act 2020 received Royal Assent o...

By Decree No. 206 On Declaring Non-Working Days in the Russian Federation dated 25 March 2020 ("Decree No. 206") the President of the Russian Federation announced that from 30 March 2020 until 3 April 2020 would be considered non-working days in the...

The current COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a range of medical, social and economic consequences around the world. The effects on commerce have already been dramatic and for those of us who advise on global trade, supply chain issues and contractual...

Please click here to download our quarterly financial crime horizon scanning booklet. The booklet summarises key financial crime related legal and regulatory changes expected over the next 18 months to 2 years, as well as providing electronic links ...

Please click here to download our quarterly financial crime horizon scanning booklet. The booklet summarises key financial crime related legal and regulatory changes expected over the next 18 months to ...

As additional EU rules come into force requiring UK credit and financial institutions with branches and subsidiaries in third countries to identify local law conflicts with group-wide AML policies and procedures, Zia Ullah and Ruth Paley of Evershed...

As the three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) publish a new joint opinion on money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) risks affecting the EU financial sector, Zia Ullah and Ruth Paley take a look at the key risks, noting ...

Please click here to download our quarterly financial crime horizon scanning booklet. The booklet summarises key financial crime related legal and regulatory changes expected over the next...

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has encouraged the communication of any OFAC compliance concerns related to COVID-19. As part of this, OFAC has provided the following guidance and contact information. Sanctions Programmes Fact Sheet On 1...

Please click here to download our quarterly financial crime horizon scanning booklet. The booklet summarises key financial crime related legal and regulatory changes expected over the next 18 months to 2 years, a...

As the FCA publishes new information on financial crime expectations for firms’ systems and controls during the coronavirus crisis, Ruth Paley and Hayley Astles of Eversheds Sutherland take a look at the key points for regulated firms to note....

...

In this briefing from our procurement group, Paul James examines the Advocate General’s opinion regarding the treatment of foreign tenderers. Introduction In accordance with the EC Treaty principles, all potential tenderers in the market mus...

In this briefing from our procurement group, Paul James examines the Advocate General’s opinion regarding the treatment of foreign tenderers. Introduction In accordance with the EC Treaty principles, all potential tenderers in the market mus...

As Contracting Authorities will be aware, in circumstances where the Negotiated Procedure is used, they are able to negotiate with tenderers in order that their tenders can be adapted to meet the requirements in the contract notice, the specificatio...

On 2 April 2019, the European Commission issued a press release regarding its State aid investigation into aspects of the UK controlled foreign company (CFC) rules. This press release explains that certain aspects of the CFC rules under investigatio...

The foreign minister asks why the bodies of three Indonesians were thrown overboard.

Iminjan Seydin appeared in a video praising the government after he was missing for three years.

The man’s aunt demands that authorities bring his killers to justice.

An approval would bring the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act a significant step closer to becoming law.

New law requiring vehicles to have license plates led to traffic fine bonanza.

Hackers used Aria-body, an intrusive new tool, to attack computers in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Brunei, report says.

Temporary protection against creditors In these uncertain times, companies are confronted with a severe decline in their turnover, often resulting in cash-flow problems. Through the judicial reorganization procedure, these companies can apply for te...

In these uncertain times, there is a good chance that your company will be confronted with a contracting party that is in the process of judicial reorganization, or that you have initiated this procedure yourself. What are the consequences of this p...

Belgian company law is characterized by an internal and external liability of directors. Internal liability means that directors are liable to the company for any errors committed in the performance of their duties. External liability, on the other ...

Introduction For many years the FCA has considered whether to apply an overarching standard of care that should be applied to authorised firms. In July 2018 they concluded that there was not “a sufficient basis for making changes to primary l...

On Friday 14 February 2020, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”) published the ISDA Collateral Agreement Interest Rate Definitions (the “Collateral Rate Definitions”). The Collateral Rate Definit...

...

In addition to the FCA’s recent guidance (see our note summarising the main points here) on payment holidays and repossession actions addressed to mortgage lenders, mortgage administrators, home purchase providers and home purc...

UK goes into ‘Lockdown’ The current lockdown arises as a result of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020. Broadly, this legislation restricts the movement of people to ‘essential journeys&rsqu...

The Government's proposed changes to the licensing regime established under the Licensing Act 2003 ('the Act') are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill ('the Bill'). The amendments which are expected to be implemented will imp...

...

The parties to a commercial agreement may find that they have assumed contractual obligations that are more onerous than they might appear. The High Court decision in Ryanair Ltd v SR Technics Ireland Ltd illustrates the perils of taking a contract...

A non-recourse agreement between a landlord and an incoming tenant did not affect the liability of a previous tenant under an authorised guarantee agreement. The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (the 1999 Act) applies to contractual ter...

Residential developers need to take great care that they do not jeopardise their recovery of VAT by granting a short–term tenancy. The current downturn is leading developers to let out new properties instead of selling them. Great care is nee...

High value residential property New Tax Rates The 2012 Budget introduced a new charge to stamp duty land tax (“SD...

...

Introduction There has been significant debate amongst key stakeholders including government, mining companies, and environmental lobbyists regarding how mining companies should not only be held accountable for mine closure but also how the often va...

On the 15 October 2019 the government published its consultation on the future trajectory of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for commercial properties under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 ...

HEALTH AND SAFETY In the courts - cameras to broadcast from the Crown Court for the first time The government has announced new legislation which will permit the sentencing remarks of High Court and senior judges in certain criminal cases to be film...

After failing to complete its passage through Parliament at the end of 2019, the Environment Bill (“the Bill”) was back in Parliament on 30 January 2020. Amid widespread concern that the UK will not uphold existing standards of environme...

There have been many examples of high profile health and safety incidents in recent years, including major rail disasters, the serious incident at Alton Towers and of course the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. These have rightly received high profile, wi...

ENVIRONMENT Long Awaited Environment Bill Back in Parliament The UK Environment Bill seeks to deliver “the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth” by setting a “gold standard” for environmental protect...

  HEALTH & SAFETY So what now? Where low occupancy poses water-borne risks Most organisations during this pandemic have rightly focused on the health and safety of employees and the general public in tackling the spread of the virus. Whilst...