Platform as a service meaning

This Checklist This Checklist sets out essential, hands-on advice for criminal practitioners who need to take part in hearings held via live audio or live video links. Read it alongside the Practice Note: Practical guide to remote hearings in the criminal courts, which contains fuller step-by-step assistance on, for example, preparation in advance, technology considerations, and participation in the hearing itself through platforms including the dedicated Cloud Video Platform (CVP) and the Video Hearings Service (VHS). Be aware that VHS is not yet fully rolled out across England and Wales. It was withdrawn from service in July 2024 to resolve stability problems, and HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has stated it plans to reinstate it after completing a scheduled handover to a new service provider. When back in use, local courts will notify users of the start of VHS hearings, and access details will arrive from an ‘HMCTS.reform.net’ email address. The Lord Chief Justice has issued guidance on advocates’ remote attendance in the Crown Court, and every practitioner...

Checklist for end-user licence agreement (EULA) This Checklist aims to flag matters that often arise when drafting a business‑to‑business software end‑user licence agreement (EULA), particularly where the software is licensed through a reseller. For more general guidance on key issues in software licensing generally, see Practice Note: Key issues in software licence agreements. For illustrative EULAs, review the following Precedents: ‘Click-wrap’ software end‑user licence agreement (EULA)—business‑to‑business ‘Click-wrap’ software end‑user licence agreement (EULA)—business to consumer Online terms and conditions for the supply of digital content and end user licence agreement—business‑to‑consumer For example software reseller agreements, see Precedents: Software reseller agreement and Software as a service (SaaS) reseller agreement. As you work through the Checklist, the third column can be used to record observations or comments for reference. Checklist Further information Notes (if any) Take instructions ☐ Consider the service’s features and functionality that may affect the drafting of the EULA Consider the...

In this issue: UK, EU and international regulators and bodies Authorisation, approval and supervision Operational resilience Financial crime and sanctions Consumer protection Complaints, compensation and claims management Investigations, enforcement and discipline Regulation of capital markets Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products (PRIIPs) Dispute resolution for financial services lawyers Regulation of derivatives Sustainable finance and ESG Investment funds and asset management UK MiFID II EU MiFID II Payment services and systems Fintech and cryptoassets Regulation of AI in FS LexTalk®Financial Services: a Lexis®Nexis community Financial Services Enforcement Database Daily and weekly news alerts Intraday news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Latest Q&As No Weekly Highlights on 24 April 2025 UK, EU and international regulators and bodies FCA announces first international presence in US and Asia-Pacific regions The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled its...

In this issue: EU fundamentals Commercial Data protection and cybersecurity Free movement, immigration and employment Financial services Energy Environment IP Life sciences Regulatory TMT Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Trackers EU fundamentals European Commission releases March 2024 infringements package The European Commission has unveiled its March 2024 infringements package, highlighting EU Member States it is pursuing for breaches of EU law. It is sending letters of formal notice, issuing reasoned opinions and making referrals to the Court of Justice against Member States including Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovenia, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Netherlands and Croatia, for infringements spanning the environment, internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), migration, home affairs and security union, justice, energy and climate, and mobility and transport. See: LNB News 13/03/2024 51. Council of the EU allows EU to...

Mergers The Commission cleared, following phase I reviews: Exyte GmbH’s purchase of Kinetics Holdings GmbH (M.11559)—see press release; Alten SA’s takeover of sole control of Worldgrid France SAS and assets of the Worldgrid Smart Energy Solutions segment (M.11632)—see Midday Express; a joint venture by Egis Airport Operation SAS, Egis Investment Partners France II SCA, Bouygues Construction Airport Concessions and Impact V S.à r.l. (M.11705)—see Midday Express; and joint control of Hargreaves Lansdown by Nordic Capital XI Limited, CVC Capital Partners plc and Platinum Ivy B 2018 RSC (M.11716)—see Midday Express. Notifications: CVC/Fidelio/Odevo (M.11735) (simplified); Sonoco/Eviosys (M.11637) (simplified); VTTI/SNAM/ALNG (M.11568) (normal). NOTE—For live mergers, see EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. State aid The Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, €102m French support to modernise the Naye terminal at the port of Saint-Malo—see Midday Express. NOTE—For live State aid cases, see EU State aid decisions—ongoing cases tracker. Digital markets Case T-357/23, Opera v Commission: action before the General Court against the decision...

This Practice Note outlines the legal and practical considerations relevant to digital rights management (DRM), and examines how far technical tools and other safeguards can be deployed by rights holders to protect and administer their digital works lawfully and effectively in practice. It also sets out the categories of offences that may arise where technological protection measures are bypassed or where rights management information is abused in any context. What is digital rights management? DRM describes the technical mechanisms used by copyright owners of digital material to label, monitor and secure their assets. These controls are applied to block unauthorised copying, for instance by using encryption, ensuring that only approved software and permitted users can open a given digital file where appropriate. DRM also serves to identify content and to manage its distribution to consumers, eg by tracking how often a work is accessed for the purpose of calculating the royalties payable lawfully, or to support business models such as online music subscription services. For example, the video...

Introduction to the FCA’s requirements on information about firms, adviser charging and consultancy charging This Practice Note outlines, in summary, the regulatory regime and guidance that dictates what information a firm must give to clients about its services and remuneration arrangements, and about adviser and consultancy charging when it undertakes designated investment business in this context. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set rules requiring a firm to disclose clearly to clients details about the firm and the services it offers. Many of these obligations originally arose from implementing provisions within the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2004/39/EC) (MiFID). The rules sit largely in the General Provisions Manual (GEN) and the Conduct of Business Sourcebook (COBS). MiFID was subsequently replaced by the recast Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2014/65/EU) (MiFID II) and the EU Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (Regulation (EU) 600/2014, OJ L 173, 12.6.2014) (MiFIR) (together, the EU MiFID II framework). Both MiFID II and EU MiFIR formally entered into force on 2 July 2014....

This Practice Note sets out the principal Irish legal and regulatory points a website operator should consider when running a site, such as: The type and functionality of the website Information disclosure requirements Consumer protection Privacy and data protection Cookies Accessibility Cybersecurity Platform-to-business Online payments Advertising, promotions and direct marketing Competition law Taxation Liability for third party content Intellectual property and respecting copyright Geographic and territorial considerations Consideration of electronic data interchange (EDI) arrangements, blockchain, smart contracts or sector-specific laws or regulations, including those applicable to financial services, intermediation services or online auctions, is outside the scope of this Practice Note. The type and functionality of the website Applicable compliance duties and rules differ according to a site’s nature, functionality or purpose. Pinpointing these characteristics is the crucial first step for an operator to establish its Irish legal and compliance obligations. For example, is the website ‘information only’;...