The UK’s new national security screening tool has been in force for over 9 months and its impact on deal making is being felt. Determining whether notification is required can be complex and while the notification process...more
With the EU FDI Regulation close to celebrating its second year anniversary, the European Commission (EC) has published its second annual report on EU FDI screening covering the operation of the mechanism in 2021. In...more
The UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) has been in force for over six months. We know that within the first three months, the UK government received 221 notifications and “called-in” 17 deals for a more...more
UK competition rules are facing unprecedented levels of change. Last month we reported on the UK Government’s intentions for broad reforms to the competition and consumer law regimes. Now, the Government has set out the...more
Following a consultation in summer 2021, which set out a suite of wide-ranging proposals for reforms to UK competition and consumer laws, the UK Government has now confirmed the changes that it plans to take forward.
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The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published for consultation its much-anticipated draft guidance on vertical agreements (Draft Guidance). ...more
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 came into force on 4 January. We look at the implications for the loan markets.
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The UK government is continuing to build up its guidance in preparation for the commencement of the UK’s national security regime on 4 January 2022. ...more
The UK government has taken a further step in preparation for the commencement of the UK’s strengthened national security regime on 4 January 2022. ...more
In a move aimed at driving growth and delivering competitive markets that work for consumers, the UK government has published two consultations on proposals for reform of the UK competition and consumer rules.
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The UK’s strengthened national security regime will commence on 4 January 2022. From that date there will be a dramatic expansion of the UK Government’s ability to scrutinise investments. This will include a power for the UK...more
The UK’s strengthened national security regime will commence on 4 January 2022. From that date there will be a dramatic expansion of the UK Government’s ability to scrutinise investments. That will include a power for the UK...more
This is a focus for antitrust regulators across the globe, which is playing out most publicly in the context of acquisitions and business practices, in particular in the digital sector, that threaten nascent competitors and...more
On 21 May 2021, the UK's specialist competition court, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) gave judgment dismissing Sabre Corporation (Sabre)'s challenge to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)'s decision to prohibit...more
On 5 May 2021, the European Commission (EC) published a draft Regulation aimed at remedying distortions in the EU single market caused by companies receiving subsidies from non-EU entities.
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On 29 April 2021, the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the Act) received royal assent. The Act dramatically expands the UK Government’s powers to scrutinise investments. The regime that the Act puts in place has not...more
The European Commission published on 19 April 2021 a template notification form that EU Member States should use in the context of the cooperation mechanism put in place by the EU FDI Regulation....more
Antitrust authorities remained highly active in 2020, despite the pandemic reducing overall global M&A, according to our latest annual survey of global merger control enforcement trends across 26 jurisdictions....more
The UK Government commissioned John Penrose MP to undertake an independent review of UK competition policy last September. Penrose was specifically tasked with looking at potential reforms to the UK’s competition regime in...more
Since the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its Digital Markets Strategy in 2019 it has completed many of the priority tasks it had assigned itself – including conducting a market study on online...more
Since the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its Digital Markets Strategy in 2019 (see our alert on its 2019 priorities) it has completed many of the priority tasks it had assigned itself – including...more
The end of the Brexit transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020 gives rise to significant changes to the application of antitrust and merger control rules in the UK.
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The European Commission (EC) has published its draft Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will introduce broad reforms to the application of EU competition law to ‘gatekeepers’ in the digital sector. The proposals set out...more
The UK government has finally delivered on its promise to tighten the scrutiny of transactions on national security grounds....more
The table below sets out an overview, based on our current awareness of the position as regards foreign investment control, of the different approaches being taken by authorities around the world in response to the Covid-19...more