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Travers Smith LLP’s Operational Risk and Environment team is delighted to be hosting this year’s International Environmental Lawyers Network Conference on 9 June.

In its recent report on UK Corporate Governance, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee made recommendations for reforms that could, if adopted, mark a change in the structure of executive remuneration packages.

Concern has been expressed from several quarters about a perceived lack of transparency, at the point of sale, about the fees and other financial arrangements contained in leases of housing in two segments of our current new-build residential market; specialist retirement accommodation and leasehold houses.

Article 50 has been triggered and in March 2019 the UK will formally exit the European Union (EU). The status of EU nationals has been identified as an early priority for negotiations on the UK's exit. It is widely anticipated that controls will be introduced to limit the rights of EU nationals to live and work in the UK post Brexit.

Parties have settled the EMI guarantor assignment case. The controversial High Court decision still stands - a tenant cannot assign its lease to its guarantor.

The 2016/17 tax year ended on 5 April and any company operating employee share incentive arrangements (whether tax-advantaged or not) will need to file online returns by 6 July 2017. Failure to file on time leads to automatic penalties (initially £100 even if a return is just one day late) so we encourage you to submit your returns as early as possible.

1 year to go until the "game-changing" new EU data protection law comes into force

The new EU General Data Protection Regulation will come into force in the UK on 25 May 2018 and, for various reasons, the Regulation (or something like it) is likely to remain a part of English law regardless of Brexit. The new UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, was quoted in January saying "make no mistake, this one's a game changer for everyone".

Day one compliance is required.

The Government has been considering updating UK limited partnership law for some time and, following a consultation period, has introduced reforms with a view to simplifying the pre-existing law, reducing uncertainty and administrative costs and burdens, and ensuring that the UK remains an attractive and competitive location for private investment funds in comparison to other jurisdictions.

The UK's competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has urged online sellers and suppliers of automated re-pricing software to learn from the example of a seller on Amazon Marketplace which was fined £160,000 for engaging in illegal price-fixing.

Welcome to the latest edition of our Anti-Bribery Newsletter, our regular review of developments in the UK's fight against bribery and corruption. The Bribery Act 2010 has been in force for over 5 years and the UK's Serious Fraud Office is now beginning to see the results of some of its long-running bribery cases.

With total fines for competition law infringements imposed by EU and UK competition authorities now regularly exceeding £1 billion a year, the cost of failure to comply has never been higher. Individuals, particularly directors, are also increasingly at risk.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (DBEIS) published guidance for landlords of non-domestic private rented property on the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (the Regulations) on 23 February 2017 (the Guidance).

On 20 February 2017, Travers Smith organised a debate on the future of UK energy, focussing on the likely balance between traditional and renewable energy sources along with related direct and indirect environmental, social and geo-political consequences.

What can businesses do to ensure that their commercial contracts are "Brexitproof"? Despite the continued uncertainty over the nature of the UK's future relationship with the EU, there are steps that you can take now.