For more than two decades, the United Kingdom's (U.K.) foreign direct investment regime remained fairly untouched. Then, in mid-2021, amidst pressure from its allies, particularly the United States, the U.K. overhauled and...more
Three Key Takeaways - There was, and remains, strong parliamentary consensus for reform to the UK’s foreign investment screening laws, stemming from sharpening geopolitical and strategic threats and the growing national...more
On 11 November 2020, the UK Government (the “Government”) published the draft National Security and Investment Bill (the “Bill”), heralding the dawn of a new era through the proposed introduction of the UK’s first standalone...more
The UK government has introduced proposals for extensive new rules and review powers governing foreign direct investment across the UK’s critical infrastructure and defence industries. The new regime will introduce tougher...more
Despite political and economic uncertainties, markets and deal activity were resilient in 2019, and strong fundamentals remain in place heading into 2020. Companies continue to face a challenging litigation and enforcement...more
The UK currently uses the Enterprise Act 2002 to review mergers on national security and other public interest grounds alongside the competition regime. Following the Chinese investment in the Hinckley Nuclear power...more
The expansion of the UK government’s foreign investment review powers will require additional scrutiny of potential deals for the early identification of additional steps in the regulatory approval strategy. Key Points: ...more
Recent developments show the UK Government’s desire to expand their powers to block foreign takeovers. We explore the nature and scope of the proposed legislation and assess its likely consequences....more