First closing date meaning

In this issue: COP29 Air emissions and climate change Energy efficiency and buildings Energy efficiency of products Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental disputes and proceedings ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Updated Practice Notes Trackers COP29 COP29 round-up—20 November 2024 (Urbanisation, Transport and Tourism) On 20 November 2024, day ten of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) centred on urbanisation, transport and tourism—the first occasion the COP Presidency has dedicated a day to tourism. The Presidency Stocktaking Plenary reviewed a number of matters, including progress towards the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG). In addition, the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, delivered remarks on nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and the COP29 Presidency introduced declarations...

In this issue: Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Networks and network connections Renewable energy Oil and gas Air emissions, efficiency, and climate change International energy Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Latest Q&A Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Ofgem announces energy price cap increase for Q1 2025 The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has confirmed a 1.2% uplift to the energy price cap for the first quarter of 2025 (1 January to 31 March 2025), putting the typical annual bill for a dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit at £1,738. This equates to a yearly rise of £21, yet the level is still 10% (£190) below the cap for January to March 2024 (£1,928) and 57.2% (£2,321) beneath the peak seen during the 2023 energy crisis. Ofgem also pointed to stronger competition, with 1.5 million households switching tariffs...

In this issue: Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Business, investment and non-sponsored employment Long residence and human rights Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Latest Q&As Key developments Future developments—Immigration calendar Our Immigration calendar highlights key upcoming developments for business immigration advisers. Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Labour government’s migration pledges examined The Migration Observatory has refreshed its review of the Labour administration’s migration commitments in light of current figures, highlighting that numerous patterns reflect Conservative‑era measures rather than Labour‑initiated policies. Net migration reached a high of 906,000 in June 2023, then fell by 52% to 431,000 in 2024. This reduction is chiefly attributed to visa curbs brought in by the Conservatives; Labour has kept these in place and set out additional tightening in its Immigration White Paper of May 2025. Its promise to lessen dependence on...

NOTE—to see whether notification thresholds in Malta and throughout the world are met, see further: Where to Notify. 1. Have there been any recent developments regarding the Maltese merger control regime and are any updates/developments expected in the coming year? Are there any other ‘hot’ merger control issues in Malta? Malta introduced the Control of Concentrations Regulations (Subsidiary Legislation 379.08) (the Regulations) in 2003. Other than institutional reforms made in 2019 to remedy unconstitutional shortcomings in the previous public enforcement set-up of competition law, there have been no significant amendments to the Regulations. In 2023, the Director General (Competition) of the Office for Competition (the NCA) announced plans to adjust the jurisdictional turnover test for inflation; however, no formal proposals have been tabled or adopted to date. In 2024, the NCA blocked an international discount retail chain in Malta from buying property intended for a new supermarket. This stands out as the first Phase II prohibition issued by the NCA, and the decision is presently under appeal before...

Why are the SDLT anti-avoidance provisions important? The stamp duty land tax (SDLT) anti-avoidance regime contained in section 75A of the Finance Act 2003 (FA 2003) first appeared in the Pre-Budget Report 2006 and was later put on a statutory footing as primary legislation by the Finance Act 2007 in an expanded form, being FA 2003, ss 75A–75C (referred to collectively in this Practice Note as 's 75A'). The measures were brought in to deter the apparently substantial volume of SDLT planning arrangements deployed across both commercial and residential land transactions in the United Kingdom. They have effect for disposals occurring on or after 6 December 2006, subject to transitional provisions. Instead of closing SDLT planning arrangements one structure at a time through amendments to particular parts of the SDLT code, the chosen policy was to adopt a 'mini general anti-avoidance rule' tailored to SDLT (the SDLT GAAR). A stated rationale for this route was to address not merely the then-current SDLT planning arrangements but also any that might...

NOTE—to check whether notification thresholds in Denmark and worldwide are met, please refer to: Where to Notify. 1. Have there been any recent developments regarding the Danish merger control regime and are there any updates/developments expected in the coming year? Are there any other 'hot' merger control issues in Denmark? From 1 July 2024, amendments to the Danish Competition Act (the Act) took effect, introducing a ‘call‑in’ power akin to the EU’s Article 22 referral mechanism in the Regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings (EUMR). Using this tool, the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority (DCCA) can require a merger filing where the parties’ combined annual Danish turnover exceeds DKK 50m (about €6.7m) and the DCCA considers there is a risk the deal may significantly impede effective competition. The power spans all industries, though the preparatory works signal particular attention to finance, tech, and pharma. The DCCA has 15 days from learning of a potential transaction to decide whether the parties must notify. The DCCA has invoked...