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On 8 April 2025 ESMA published for consultation the second of its draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) supplementing EMIR 3.0. These draft RTS set out the proposed new clearing thresholds applicable to financial counterparties (FCs) and non-financial counterparties (NFCs).

A new duty to prevent sexual harassment came into force in the UK October 2024, which requires employers to take various proactive steps to protect their staff. Below, we summarise what you need to know, and how to comply with the new duty.

HM Treasury is expected to publish legislation bringing stablecoins into the UK's regulatory perimeter imminently, following growing concern that the UK may be falling behind in this vital market. In this briefing we set out our views on what the legislation must address to avoid the industry being strangled at birth – with lasting impacts on growth and innovation in the UK. 

Our regular round-up of recent and forthcoming developments in law and practice for in-house counsel.

In recent years, corporations have increasingly prioritised ESG issues, often prompting them to collaborate in pursuit of sustainability goals.

The "Stop-the-Clock" proposal to delay sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ("CSRD") and due diligence obligations under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive ("CS3D") was approved by the European Parliament on 3 April, with immediate consequences for many large companies preparing CSRD reports.

On 25 March 2025, Green J handed down judgment in Persons Identified in Schedule 1 v Standard Chartered PLC [2025] EWHC 698 (Ch).

The Competition & Markets Authority ('CMA'), alongside other UK regulators, has been under pressure to align with, and advance, the UK Government's 'pro-growth agenda'. Merger control has, in particular, come under fire - with the Government aiming for a more certain, proportionate, transparent and thus more business-friendly approach.

On 25 March 2025, the UK Financial Conduct Authority published a feedback statement (FS25/2) responding to its earlier call for input on reviewing FCA requirements following the introduction of the Consumer Duty in July 2024 (the Feedback Statement). On the same day, the FCA also published its high-level five-year strategy setting out its key strategic priorities until 2030 (the Strategy Document).

Following its pledge to introduce legislation within its first 100 days, the Government published the Employment Rights Bill on 10 October 2024. Once implemented, this legislation will make a number of significant changes to UK employment law.

Earlier this week, the UK Home Office published updated guidance (the "Guidance") for businesses on how to comply with the letter and spirit of the UK's Modern Slavery Act 2015 ("MSA"). 

All eyes will be on the Supreme Court next week, as appeals in the lead motor finance commission cases, Johnson, Wrench and Hopcraft^[1], will be heard over three days from 1-3 April 2025.  

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The Building Safety Act 2022 ('BSA') gives the Government the power to impose a building safety levy on all new residential buildings in England (the 'Levy'). 

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry.

6 April 2025 has now been confirmed as the "go live" date for most of the consumer law provisions of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ("DMCCA"). These changes will give the UK one of the toughest enforcement regimes in the world, with the prospect of fines of up to 10% of global turnover on B2C businesses for infringing UK consumer law.

On 5 March 2025, the UK Financial Conduct Authority published a report (the Report) containing observations and feedback from its Private Market Valuation Review (PMVR).  This had been trailed during the previous week in the FCA's Asset Management and Alternatives Supervisory Strategy letter as a key FCA supervisory priority for 2025.

The process of investor onboarding is traditionally labour intensive, time consuming and costly. Completing subscription agreements and collating investor KYC materials can be arduous and can incur high costs for work that is largely process driven.