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ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained. A bank loan is treated as a non-performing loan (NPL) if more than 90 days pass without the borrower making the agreed instalments or interest payments. Banks experienced an accumulation of NPLs in their books when borrowers' inability to repay was intensified by the financial crisis and subsequent recessions. When NPLs are proportionately high, banks' capacity to manage the riskiness of their lending is diminished. NPLs are a supervisory priority for the European Central Bank (ECB), which monitors the overall level of NPLs across euro area banks. Under the supervisory review and evaluation process (SREP), the ECB assesses whether individual banks adequately manage loan risk and whether they have suitable strategies, governance arrangements and processes in place. The ECB also regularly undertakes co-ordinated exercises to review the asset quality of the banks it directly supervises—it works with national supervisors to establish a consistent and effective approach to tackling and reducing bad loans, drawing on best practices as set...
ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained. UCITS is the acronym for undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities. The expression derives from Directive (EC) 85/611 concerning the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (the Original UCITS Directive), which was adopted in 1985. The purpose of the Original UCITS Directive was to establish a single market for open-ended retail investment funds that offered enhanced protection for investors. The UCITS framework has been updated on several occasions, with the Management Company Directive 2001/107/EU adopted in 2002 and the Product Directive 2001/108/EU implemented in 2005 (together referred to as UCITS III); followed by implementation in 2011 of Directive 2009/65/EC (the UCITS Directive, also called UCITS IV), which repealed and replaced the Original UCITS Directive; and Directive 2014/91/EU (UCITS V), which was transposed into national law on 18 March 2016...
The suitability obligation All authorised firms are subject to a suitability obligation, which requires them to take reasonable steps to ensure that any personal recommendations, or decisions to trade, are suitable for their clients. The suitability obligation applies to: firms providing investment advisory services, and firms providing discretionary portfolio management services Firms providing non‑advised investment services will instead be subject to the appropriateness obligation (see Practice Note: Appropriateness). Firms must gather the information ‘necessary’ about their clients in respect of their: knowledge and experience in the investment field relevant to the type of investment or service, financial situation, and investment objectives For more information on the suitability obligation, see Practice Note Suitability. When does the obligation to provide a suitability report apply? In certain circumstances, firms are required to provide suitability reports to their clients under COBS 9.4...
This Checklist is intended for situations where: a leasehold property is being purchased and the tenant (or a predecessor in title) entered into an agreement for lease prior to completion of the lease; or a reversionary interest is being bought and the reversioner (or a predecessor in title) entered into an agreement for lease before completion of an existing occupational lease, or an agreement for lease remains in place pending completion of a lease. In each case, the agreement for lease predates completion of the relevant lease. You should confirm whether any outstanding or continuing obligations in the agreement for lease (eg to rectify defects or undertake works) will bind the purchaser. Any surviving obligations that bind successors in title could adversely affect the property’s investment value. Note that this Checklist is not comprehensive and, depending on the nature of the transaction, other issues may arise from the agreement for lease and require consideration. This Checklist also does not address limitation periods...
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 A deal may fall within the ambit of the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act 2021) and might require notification to the UK Government if it gives rise to potential national security issues. See further: The National Security and Investment Act 2021. This flowchart sets out a decision pathway to assess whether a transaction is captured by the NSI Act 2021. View or print a full-size PDF version...
Flowchart This Flowchart offers a concise reference to decide if an application for a charging order ought to be filed at the Civil National Business Centre (a CNBC case) or submitted somewhere else (a non-CNBC case). For guidance, consult Practice Note: Charging orders—how and where to apply...
Mergers The Commission cleared: Hartree Partners Holdings, LP’s acquisition of exclusive control of Touton S.A. (M.12189), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the establishment of a joint venture by EVH Grüne Energie – Beteiligung GmbH & Co. KG and HSBC Alternative Investments S.C.A. SICAV-RAIF (M.12240), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the setting up of a joint venture by RCL Cruises Ltd....
Mergers Court of Justice dismisses appeals by German energy utility companies regarding Commission’s decision to approve the acquisition by E.ON of the distribution and retail energy business as well as certain general assets of Innogy The Court of Justice has handed down its judgments in joined appeals C-171/24 P, C-172/24 P, C-173/24 P, C-174/24 P, C-175/24 P, C-176/24 P, C-177/24 P, C-178/24 P, and C-179/24 P, brought by German energy utilities against the Commission. These challenges targeted the General Court’s rulings that had rejected actions seeking annulment of the Commission’s decision conditionally authorising a related transaction involving E.ON and RWE’s assets. Each appeal was dismissed by the Court of Justice. The nine appeals concerned the General Court’s judgments in cases T-53/21, T-55/21, T-56/21, T-58/21, T-59/21, T-61/21, T-62/21, T-64/21, and T-53/21, which upheld the Commission’s 17 September 20219 decision conditionally clearing the acquisition by RWE of E.ON’s renewable and nuclear electricity generation assets (M.8870). The Court of Justice dismissed all nine appeals. Background RWE and E.ON are...
Mergers The Commission has authorised Gala Investment SAS and ICG plc to take joint control of Magellan Partners (M.12095) following a phase I investigation—see further, Midday Express The Commission has received an official notification for Banca CF+/Banca Sistema (M.12102) under the simplified merger procedure NOTE—For all current merger investigations before the Commission, see further, EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker State aid Applying EU State aid rules, the Commission has approved an amendment to a German renewable energy scheme first approved in December 2022, increasing the budget for the biomass and biogas support scheme by €7.9bn—see further, Midday Express NOTE—For all active State aid decisions and ongoing formal State aid investigations, see further, EU State aid decisions—ongoing cases tracker Upcoming dates For the full timetable of forthcoming EU competition developments, see further, EU Competition calendar...
This Practice Note examines core aspects of the UK framework for money market funds (MMFs) that stems from Regulation (EU) 2017/1131 (the EU MMF Regulation). It also looks at suggested changes to the framework, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HM Treasury and the Bank of England (BoE) working jointly to bolster its resilience and align it with post‑Brexit regulatory objectives. For background on the EU MMF Regulation, see Practice Note: EU MMF Regulation—essentials. What is an MMF? Money market funds (MMFs) are investment funds that invest in short‑term debt instruments and so play a significant role in the short‑term financing of the economy. In particular, MMFs are open‑ended, liquid investment funds that invest in fixed income through short‑term debt, for example money market instruments issued by banks, governments or companies (including treasury bills, commercial paper and certificates of deposit) which pay interest. They therefore form an important connection between demand for, and the supply of, short‑term debt. Further information on the eligible assets of an MMF is...
Over the course of the past month, annual adjustments have been made to merger control thresholds in Canada, Italy and the Philippines, while Montenegro has revamped its regime, introducing swifter timetables and more adaptable filing provisions. Canada—thresholds remain the same in 2026 On 2 March 2026, the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB) confirmed, after its yearly review, that Canadian merger notification thresholds will stay exactly as they are for 2026. The thresholds remain (in brief): size of transaction test: the target must be, or control, an operating business in Canada with more than CDN$93m (approximately €58.9m/US$66.6m) in Canadian assets (book value) or gross revenue produced by those assets from sales in, from or into Canada (ie domestic plus export sales), and size of parties test: all parties and their affiliates (in aggregate) must together hold over CDN$400m (approximately €253.4m/US$286.3m) in Canadian assets or gross revenues derived from sales in, from or into Canada (ie domestic sales, exports and imports) (this threshold is unchanged and...
CASE HUB See more, timeline, commentary and connected cases. Case facts European Commission merger inquiry under Article 14(1) EUMR into inaccurate or misleading information supplied by KKR during the Commission’s 2024 review of KKR’s acquisition of NetCo. Latest developments On 24 July 2025, the Commission opened its investigation. Parties KKR & Co. Inc (KKR): Headquartered in the US, KKR is a global investment firm providing alternative asset management alongside capital markets and insurance services. NetCo: Based in Italy, NetCo is a newly established company that comprises FiberCop—presently jointly controlled by KKR and TIM—as well as TIM’s primary and backbone fixed-line network...
This Agreement is dated [ date ] Parties [ insert name of the pursuer ], a company registered in Scotland (no [ insert company number ]), whose [ registered office OR principal place of business ] is at [ insert address ] (the Pursuer) [ and ] [ ; ] [ insert name of defender ], a company registered in Scotland (no [ insert company number ]), whose [ registered office OR principal place of business ] is at [ insert address ] (the Defender). Each being a Party and, together, the Parties. Whereas (A) [ Insert details of the background to the dispute eg ‘The Parties entered into a contract for the supply of certain goods etc ]. (B) A dispute has emerged between the Parties regarding [ insert details of the dispute ] (the Dispute). (C) [ Proceedings were raised by the Pursuer against the Defender on [ date ] by way of [ Summons OR...
This Agreement is dated [ insert date ] Parties [ insert name ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] (Assignor) [ insert name ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] (Assignee) Each of the Assignor and the Assignee is a party; together they are the parties. Background The Assignor owns the copyright and database rights in the Database. The Assignee is [ insert description of the Assignee’s background/background to assignment or relevant transaction ]. The Assignor agrees to assign all such copyright and database rights and to migrate the contents of the Database to the Assignee, and the Assignee agrees to accept that assignment and to assist and co‑operate with...
Delete clause 3.6 of Precedent: Consultancy agreement—company and individual—pro-client and replace it with the following clauses 3.6 and 3.7: 3.6 How you organise your work is for you alone to determine, and you shall perform your duties as data protection officer (DPO) (as described in the Schedule) in an independent and self-directed manner at all times. You will not be given (and the Company [ and its Group Companies ] will not attempt to give you) any directions or instructions whatsoever concerning the performance or exercise of those duties. 3.7 Subject to clause 3.6, you shall give proper consideration to the reasonable requests of the [ Board OR Chief Executive ] from time to time and, where reasonably practicable, as appropriate, properly work and co-operate with any employee, worker, agent or other consultant of the Company [ or any Group Company ] in the provision and delivery of the Services. Insert the subsequent provisions in Precedent: Consultancy agreement—company and individual—pro-client as new clauses 3.14 and 3.15...
If an employer appoints a utility co-ordinator to supervise and arrange utility connections with Statutory Undertakers, would this alter status of Statutory Undertakers, as set out in clause 2.26.6 of JCT Design & Build Contract?...
Joint property ownership in England and Wales When property is owned jointly in England and Wales, it is held in two ways. The legal title shows the names under which the property is registered. Those legal owners hold it on trust for the beneficial owners (also called equitable owners). Beneficial owners are often the same as the legal owners, but need not be. Legal title is always held as joint tenants. Accordingly, the registered owners hold the property ‘per muy et per tout’: each owns the entirety rather than fixed shares...
Amendments to the International Tax Compliance Regulations 2015 (2015 regs), SI 2015/878, introduced by the International Tax Compliance (Amendment) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/740, have brought in a compulsory Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) registration obligation for certain trusts treated as ‘specified non-reporting financial institutions’. Under the 2015 regs, SI 2015/878, reg 24(1), a specified non-reporting financial institution is ‘a non-reporting financial institution which is a trust within the meaning of Section VIII(B)(1)(e) of the CRS or paragraph II(D) of Annex II to the FATCA agreement’. Set out below is a concise overview of the components of that definition. Financial institution (IEIM400610) The FATCA and CRS frameworks recognise four common categories of Financial Institution: custodial institution depository institution investment entity specified insurance company Where a private trust satisfies any Financial Institution definition, it will most commonly be treated as an Investment Entity...