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Also known as 'SAYE Option Schemes' or 'Save-As-You-Earn Schemes'

Company Share Option Plans are the traditional method of giving employees a personal interest in the future success of a company. Options are granted at their current market value and can be tax-advantaged up to £30,000 per person.

Amidst the negative publicity surrounding incentives with 'unacceptable' tax-avoidance features, it is important to remember those plans that can be designed within tax-favourable HMRC rules. Although there are limits on the levels that can be awarded under such plans, the benefits of tax-advantaged status should not be underestimated.

2017 is the year in which many UK quoted companies will, once again, have to put their remuneration policies to a binding shareholder vote. Although the 2017 AGM season is still some way off, early preparation is advisable, especially in light of increasing shareholder interest in executive remuneration.

Travers Smith’s cross-disciplinary ‘Market Impact Group’ is drawn from legal specialists who are all leaders in their fields and have first-hand experience in advising clients in the financial sector at times of market stress.

Following the UK's referendum vote in favour of leaving the EU and the appointment of Theresa May as prime minister, this briefing considers the key legal implications for the commercial real estate sector.

From 1 August 2016, you can transfer personal data from the EU to organisations in the US that have committed to adhere to the principles of the EU-US Privacy Shield. Here we examine what this means for UK and other EU businesses.

The EU Market Abuse Regulation - What does it mean for employee share plans?

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)

In Autumn 2015, the Government carried out a consultation into business energy efficiency taxes. As a result, it announced in March 2016 that it will abolish the CRC from the end of the 2018-19 compliance year and increase the main rate of climate change levy from 1 April 2019.

Following the London Stock Exchange's consultation on the AIM Rules to reflect the introduction of the Market Abuse Regulation ("MAR") (see your briefing), AIM Regulation has, as expected, published some guidance in its newsletter "Inside AIM".

The text of the much anticipated new EU General Data Protection Regulation has finally been voted through just a few hours ago by the European Parliament. All that remains is for its publication in the Official Journal, likely to be mid-May, and the two year implementation period will run from this date.

We refer throughout this note to "listed companies". Readers should note that the relevant rules will affect issuers of securities traded on a range of venues, including the main market and AIM.

The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (the "ODR Regulations") introduced the European Commission's online dispute resolution platform (the "ODR Platform"), with effect from 15 February 2016.