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Last week the Quoted Companies Alliance (the "QCA") published its revised Corporate Governance Code (the "Revised Code"). The Revised Code will apply in respect of financial years beginning on or after 1 April 2024 and there will be a 12-month transition period (from 1 April 2024) during which companies will have additional flexibility to adjust to the provisions of the Revised Code.
Welcome to the inaugural edition of our investigations newsletter, bringing you up-to-speed on the latest trends and developments in this ever-evolving area.
On 10 November 2023, the text of an Amending Directive that will make amendments to the EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (EU AIFMD) was published. This set of changes is referred to as "AIFMD II".
In this edition, we highlight the key regulatory and policy developments this Autumn which will impact investors in and operators of energy and infrastructure assets in the UK. Please get in touch if you'd like to discuss any of the issues discussed below.
Key employment and business immigration developments for employers.
A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry.
On 16 March 2023, the EU Commission announced plans for the "Critical Raw Materials Act" (the "CRMA"): a "comprehensive set of actions" designed to ensure long-term access in the EU to a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. The proposal forms part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, adopted in February 2023, which aims to create a regulatory environment which supports the net-zero transition.
Our "Smart AI Regulation?" series of briefings looks at emerging regulatory frameworks for AI in the EU and the UK and AI's intellectual property and data protection implications.
On 1 October 2023, the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism ("CBAM") regulation officially entered into its transitional period, which will run until 31 December 2025. The CBAM is effectively an import tax on carbon-intensive products, such as cement, steel, iron, aluminium and electricity.
This Briefing sets out the headline changes that UK incorporated main market and AIM listed companies should be aware of from the past year and a timeline of key upcoming developments. This Briefing also covers, at a high level, some topics which are not specific to listed companies.
The law on workplace sexual harassment is changing. Below, we summarise what you need to know, and how to prepare for the changes.
Read and listen to "What’s Happening in Pensions", our regular news briefing covering topical pensions law developments.
There's a new way for UK businesses to transfer personal data compliantly to the US. A newly established data bridge, an extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF) adopted in July 2023, enables organisations in the UK to transfer personal data to organisations in the US that have certified to the DPF, without putting in place further safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses (SCCs), or carrying out a transfer risk assessment.
As many companies take the first steps towards understanding the impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ("CSRD") on their organisations, a series of seemingly impactful changes to the regime, and corresponding alarming headlines, have emerged. However, while these changes and headlines might make businesses worry that they will need to pivot their plans and processes as a reaction, in practice, many of those currently preparing for CSRD reporting may find that recent developments do not move the dial significantly and they may well still be on the right path towards CSRD compliance.
The EU continues to pursue a rapid and ambitious legislative programme around environmental regulation. Its regulations in the product space have in many respects and for many years been viewed by multinational manufacturers as the "gold standard" and therefore the de facto rules to which all products destined for international sales must adhere.
A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry.
Data is often described as AI's "lifeblood" but there's widespread concern about personal data being unlawfully exploited or processed using AI tools. While the future approach to regulation of AI is still being heavily debated, existing data protection legislation, such as the GDPR and its UK equivalent, is likely to play an influential role – not least because regulators already have powers which they can use to oversee the new technology.
On 2 October 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a trends, risks and vulnerabilities (TRV) risk analysis report on ESG names and claims in the EU fund industry (the report). While undoubtedly of interest, it should be noted that this is not the reply to ESMA's 2022 fund names consultation – we are still waiting for that (see below for details).