Non-geographic number meaning

When assessing an outsourcing arrangement, a number of competition law considerations arise. From a competition viewpoint, the principal questions are: whether the deal constitutes a notifiable transaction under merger control regimes, and whether the prohibitions on anti-competitive agreements are engaged. Overlooking these points can have serious outcomes, from agreements being void and unenforceable to substantial financial penalties. This Checklist offers a high-level summary of key issues and how competition law may affect outsourcing arrangements. An outline of an outsourcing The hallmark of outsourcing is that one or more external suppliers provide the customer with services for business processes previously handled in-house. Companies frequently move non-core functions—particularly IT, finance and HR—to specialist suppliers, sometimes offshore, who can offer cost-effective delivery due to: lower labour costs more modern technology, and sharing technology and infrastructure to support multiple customers. The scope of services transferred is often sizeable and may constitute a significant part of the customer’s...

This Checklist explains the actions to take in collective consultation in relation to proposed redundancies. It highlights practical points for deciding whether a redundancy situation exists, whether collective consultation duties are triggered, how to set an appropriate timetable for the process, and the duty to notify the Secretary of State of proposed redundancy dismissals. For broader guidance on collective redundancy consultation obligations, see Practice Notes: Redundancy—fair procedure: collective consultation and How to carry out collective redundancy consultation. The guidance in this Practice Note reflects the Acas non-statutory advisory booklet entitled This booklet has been archived and is no longer maintained by Acas. Identify redundancy situation The Acas non-statutory guidance advises that, before commencing a redundancy programme, an employer should examine all possibilities to reduce or avoid redundancies—that is, consider alternatives to compulsory redundancy, such as: adjusting working hours reducing the number of temporary or contract workers limiting overtime implementing a recruitment freeze...

This Checklist sets out the principal jurisdictional aspects of the UK merger control regime and provides practical direction for assessing whether to voluntarily notify a transaction to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), or alternatively, whether a tactical decision might be to proceed without notification in the hope of ‘flying under the radar’. Characteristics of the UK merger control system The merger control system of the UK diverges from most other jurisdictions in a number of respects: the UK’s merger control regime is voluntary by virtue of its non-suspensory nature...

Fujifilm Corporation v Kodak Holding GmbH and others, UPC_CFI_355/2023 Case background Fujifilm Corporation has brought proceedings against a number of Kodak entities, alleging breaches of multiple European patents covering offset printing technology. Two suits were commenced in the UPC’s Mannheim Local Division, and a further action (ACT_578607/2023; UPC_CFI_355/2023) was lodged with the Düsseldorf Local Division concerning the purported infringement of EP3594009. In that latter matter, Kodak responded with a counterclaim seeking revocation. At the time, the European patent was effective in Germany and the UK, and all litigants were domiciled in Germany, a UPC contracting member state. Decision of the Düsseldorf Local Division Ruling on the dispute, the Düsseldorf Local Division held the European patent invalid under the European Patent Convention (EPC), after refusing Fujifilm’s proposed amendments. It acknowledged it lacked competence to set aside the UK part of the patent—so that portion remains in force—whereas the German part of the patent was revoked...

We outline the FCA’s key messages from 2025, alongside predictions and practical tips to help you stay on the right side of the FCA in 2026. Fewer, faster investigations A refreshed stance on enforcement has been anticipated since Therese Chambers and Steve Smart assumed leadership of the FCA’s enforcement division in 2023, and the June 2025 update to the FCA Enforcement Guide made it official. The policy statement released with the revised guide confirmed that the FCA has raised the threshold, effectively raising the bar, for commencing an investigation and bolstered its pre-investigation assessment procedures. Addressing the City & Financial Global FCA Investigations and Enforcement Summit in October 2025, Therese Chambers, the FCA’s Joint Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight, underscored the point, stating the FCA is running fewer investigations, at a faster pace. This reflects a 2025 objective to shrink the open caseload and bring ongoing investigations to a conclusion more quickly within a shorter time frame. Signs that this recalibrated enforcement strategy is...

In this issue: Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Sponsored work Family routes Long residence, discretion and human rights EU law rights and EU Settlement Scheme Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Preventing illegal working Citizenship applications 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. UK immigration control: how it works Home Office confirms eVisas will replace all vignettes in 2026 The Home Office has amended its eVisa guidance to state that from 12 January 2026, most recipients of visit visas and some other routes will get both an eVisa and a vignette. Those issued a valid UK vignette before that date will be able to retrieve their eVisa through their UK Visas and Immigration account. The guidance also confirms that later in 2026, vignettes will be discontinued...

Meaning of ‘non-executive director’ The broad definition of ‘director’ is not closed. Under the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006), a director is any person who occupies the office of director, whatever title they hold. Accordingly, this covers both executive and non-executive directors (NEDs). Executive directors are typically authorised, either by the company’s constitution or by authority delegated from the board, to manage the company’s day-to-day affairs, and they usually have a full-time service contract. NEDs generally: have no executive powers play a pivotal role in the company’s corporate governance are not employees of the company There are a number of challenges around granting shares to NEDs. This Practice Note considers the issues to assess when offering shares or share-based remuneration to NEDs, including: the potential impact on the NED’s independence the share dealing provisions of Assimilated Regulation (EU) 596/2014 for the UK, and the Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation (EU) 596/2014) previously and for the EU ...

E&W Brussels I (recast)—application to third states [Archived] ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is not maintained. This Practice Note reviews how Regulation (EU) 1215/2012, Brussels I (recast), applies to disputes involving non-EU Member States (often called third states). It highlights the provisions in that regulation capable of applying to such situations—each concerning jurisdiction—and considers the implications for the UK when those provisions are applied after its withdrawal from the EU. Definitions This Practice Note uses a number of definitions: European Communities Act 1972—ECA 1972 European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018—EU(W)A 2018 European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020—EU(WA)A 2020 exit day—defined by EU(W)A 2018, s 20, as 31 January 2020 at 11 pm Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements concluded on 30 June 2005 at The Hague—the Hague Convention implementation period—defined in EU(WA)A 2020, s 1 as the ‘transition or implementation period provided for by Part 4 of the withdrawal agreement and beginning with exit day and...

The medical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating cancer is oncology. Handling oncology clinical negligence claims requires an understanding of cancer’s nature, its many forms, symptoms and treatments, diagnostic methods, and the limits of what diagnosis and intervention can achieve. The timing of both actual care and the hypothetical non‑negligent treatment in the counter‑factual scenario is crucial to causation and injury. Choosing an expert is not always straightforward. These cases also demand careful management of a claimant’s expectations from the outset. Sometimes a decision is needed between seeking damages for a living claimant or for the estate or dependants of someone who has died. This Practice Note therefore outlines the essentials: what cancer is, how and when it is identified and treated, the limitations on treatments, and the applicable case law. What is cancer? Cancer develops when cells in the body divide faster than they should, forming a lump or tumour. Such tumours can be benign or malignant. There are more than 200 different cancers, including breast, lung,...

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 entered into on [ date ] Parties [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 1); and [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 2), each of Party 1 and Party 2 being a party and, together, the parties. BACKGROUND Party 1 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. Party 2 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. The parties intend to submit a Bid as a joint tender to the Customer in answer to the Invitation to Tender. The parties seek to state their obligations and manage their rights concerning the Bid and, if the...

This Agreement is entered into on [ date ] Parties [ insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] with registration number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ] ] (the Principal); and [ insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] with registration number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ] ] (the Agent), (each of the Principal and the Agent is a party and, taken together, the Principal and the Agent are the parties). Background The Principal provides the Services (as defined below). The Principal intends to appoint the Agent as its non-exclusive agent within the Territory (as defined below) for the [ marketing OR marketing and sale ] of the Services, on the terms of this Agreement. The Agent has agreed...

The statutory formula for child maintenance under the Child Support Act 1991 (CSA 1991) The statutory formula for child maintenance under the Child Support Act 1991 (CSA 1991) does not link the amount payable to whether the paying parent has contact with the children, other than insofar as the shared care rules operate. Under CSA 1991, s 3(5), it is recognised that, for the purposes of the Act, there can be more than one person with care in relation to the same qualifying child. The Child Support Maintenance Calculation Regulations 2012, SI 2012/2677, reg 46(2), further provide that any calculation must be grounded in the number of nights the non-resident parent is expected to care for the qualifying child overnight during the 12 months commencing on the effective date of the relevant calculation decision. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) retains a discretion to take into account a shorter timeframe where appropriate in making that assessment...

When is grossing up required? For guidance on when grossing-up is needed, see Practice Note: Grossing up and partly exempt estates, particularly the section entitled 'When is grossing up required?'. Note that on death, if the residuary estate passes wholly to non-exempt beneficiaries, grossing up does not arise, whether or not any specific legacy is tax-free or chargeable. Where a specific legacy is tax-free, the nominated sum or item is delivered as given and the relevant IHT is paid from the estate in the usual manner; the residuary estate is then calculated. If grossing up applies and the combined amount of all specific gifts (both chargeable and exempt) exceeds the value transferred, i.e. the free estate for IHT, section 37(2) of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 operates to reduce specific gifts so far as required to bring them down to the value transferred. See: IHTM12086, IHTM12088 and IHTM26180 (which sets out computations where abatement is triggered by grossing up). Further reading: Practice Note:...

For the purposes of this Q&A, we have not taken into account the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), as it is not directly enforceable; it is for the UK to give effect to its terms (insofar as not already addressed by the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020). For further detail, see News Analysis: Implementing the TCA—business immigration implications. As the EU citizen employees fall outside the EU Settlement Scheme and are not eligible for a frontier worker permit, the main immigration options to review are: Intra-Company Skilled Worker Visitor T5 International Agreement Worker Each category is discussed in more detail below. Intra-Company routes The Intra-Company routes allow organisations with connected overseas entities to transfer certain staff to their UK offices. From 1 January 2021, these routes cover EEA and Swiss citizens as well as non-EEA citizens. Both routes require a minimum period of prior employment with the overseas linked entity. As the EEA citizens are engaged...