The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt across the global business community.
Over the last 4 weeks, in the face of COVID-19 the worldwide economy has experienced the sorts of pressures not seen since the Great Depression. Businesses around the world have been forced to close their doors; we have seen government interventions which, only 3 months ago, would have been unthinkable; and terms such as "social distancing" and "furloughing" have become common parlance.
This briefing was updated on 13 May 2020.
HMRC have introduced temporary procedures for the payment of stamp duty on, and the stamping of, stock transfer forms and other instruments of transfer. Under the usual procedure, stock transfer forms are physically stamped using a specialised machine located at one of HMRC's offices.
Airbus's recently-concluded Deferred Prosecution Agreement ("DPA") with the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and regulators in France and the United States ended a long-running corruption probe with a record-breaking €3.6bn global settlement, of which €991mn relates to fines and costs in the UK.
Whilst it is a trite observation to make, the immense impact that COVID-19 is having on our daily lives has left us all increasingly looking to the environment for comfort.
This briefing was updated on 29 April 2020.
This week, in what is very much a sign of the times we find ourselves living in, the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited judgment in the high profile Morrisons data breach litigation via live stream.
A guide to future employment and immigration law.
This briefing was updated on 23 April 2020.
Richard J Brown, Ingrid Rogers and Stephen Whitfield of the Competition Department recently wrote an article for the Competition Law Journal on the impact of data on EU merger control.
There have been increasing concerns in recent weeks that UK insolvency law does not accommodate the short-term impact of COVID-19 on many businesses. In response, the Business Secretary announced on 28 March that the UK's insolvency rules would be amended as part of the Government's wider business support package.
Finance partners Ed Smith and Donald Lowe and Knowledge Counsel James Bell recently wrote a chapter on Private Equity Restructuring.
With a global pandemic in full vigour, it may be tempting to put the protection of the environment on the back burner. However, the environment still needs us all to play our part.
Ofwat and Ofgem has published guidance (see Ofwat/ MOSL COVID-19 guidance update Ofgem's COVID-19 guidance webpage) to consumers and industry which gives insight into the approach the regulators are taking in response to COVID-19.
This briefing was updated on 22 June 2020.
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has taken a significant toll on both the aviation and maritime sectors. Regulators in both areas have taken measures both voluntarily and involuntarily to try and mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 and have implemented guidance on the implications on both sectors resulting from the dramatic downturn in customer use and restrictions on non-critical trade routes.
On 17 March, the Government announced that the changes to the Off-Payroll rules (the 'New Rules'), due to come in on 6 April 2020, would be delayed by one year as part of a package of measures to ease pressure on businesses in light of the coronavirus outbreak. In these challenging times, the news was welcomed by clients and contractors concerned about the financial impact the changes would have on them.
The ever increasing restrictions on movement and forced physical closures of businesses as a result of COVID-19 are a serious challenge to businesses. Understanding the risks in each part of your business is key to ensuring continuity in times of severe disruption like this.
The UK Government has just updated its guidance for Employers, Employees and Businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19). This is aimed at assisting employers and businesses in providing advice to their staff on how to help prevent spread of COVID-19, what to do if someone has symptoms of COVID-19 in a business setting and eligibility for sick pay. Employees are also given guidance on relevant information such as statutory sick pay and absence from work.
The Government has published its list of "key workers" whose work is considered critical to the COVID-19 response. The guidance is directed at schools, childcare providers, colleges and local authorities in England, and is intended to provide clarity, following the widespread closure of schools, as to which workers are considered sufficiently "key" for their children to be afforded continued care at school.