<p>Filter Knowledge</p>

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.

Potentially significant increases to fines are expected, as Courts are told to impose sentences that have a “real economic impact” on offenders.

Two recent cases have highlighted the dangers of so-called service level "ambushes" in relation to outsourcing contracts and similar agreements.

As indicated in our briefing on penalty clauses in June, the El Makdessi and ParkingEye cases have been reviewed by the Supreme Court, which has now given an important ruling aimed at clarifying the law.

Under new rules, which have just come into force, large organisations operating within the United Kingdom will now need to make a public statement outlining how they keep their supply chains free from slavery and human trafficking.

The European Court has issued landmark judgment on substances in products.

On 1 October 2015 large parts of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 take effect. It changes the law regarding sales of goods and services to consumers, both in store, by tele-sales and on-line.

As the uses to which personal data is put have become greater and more sophisticated, so have the risks of something going wrong.