The UK has published a draft of its new National Security and Investment Bill, together with explanatory notes, heralding the introduction of a new regime for reviewing investments in the UK. The new regime would introduce,...more
On 11 November 2020, the UK Government announced its long-awaited and far-reaching proposed reforms to its existing powers to scrutinise foreign investment in the UK, especially in relation to sectors deemed to be...more
The UK government’s long-awaited National Security and Investment Bill (the Bill), which paves the way to significant changes in the UK’s regime for screening foreign investment, was laid before Parliament on 11 November...more
The UK has outlined the details of its new National Security and Investment Bill, heralding the introduction of a new regime for foreign direct investments in the UK. The new regime would introduce, for the first time, a...more
On 21 June 2020, the UK Government announced that it is introducing emergency legislation that will bolster its powers to scrutinise, and potentially block, foreign takeovers on new public interest grounds, namely: ..to...more
The UK government has tabled changes to the Enterprise Act 2002 to expand the circumstances in which the government will be empowered to review foreign takeovers of UK companies. The new rules will allow the government to...more
The coronavirus pandemic has weakened European economies and companies. EU and national governments have expressed concern that foreign investors may opportunistically take advantage of the crisis to acquire domestic...more
The UK will no longer be a Member State of the European Union (the “EU”) as of 11 p.m. on 31 January 2020 (“Exit Day”). A ‘transition period’ will run from Exit Day until 11 p.m. on 31 December 2020 (the “Transition Period”)....more
The Conservative Party’s conclusive win in the U.K.’s recent general election paves the way for long-anticipated and decisive reforms to the country’s national security screening regime. The government first outlined its...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
This week the UK Government enacted two new orders which change the UK merger control thresholds under the Enterprise Act 2002. The legislation extends the jurisdiction of the Competition & Markets Authority (“CMA”) and the...more
• The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published a Green Paper consulting on amendments to UK merger control and public interest intervention legislation to cover gaps in the current framework for...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