Featured documents
R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
Most recent News
Antitrust CMA accepts commitments from seven housebuilders in information exchange investigation The CMA has secured undertakings from seven housebuilders— Barratt, Redrow, Bellway, Berkeley Group, Bloor Homes, Persimmon and Vistry—to tackle concerns about the exchange of competitively sensitive data connected directly to sales of new-build properties throughout Great Britain (51392). Its probe spanned January 2022 to February 2024, during which the firms were suspected of routinely circulating commercially sensitive details, such as achieved sale prices, purchaser incentives, site footfall metrics, and the status of reservations or completions. The authority judged that such behaviour could have diminished uncertainty and coordination among rivals, thereby potentially constraining competition. It concerned new-build home sales across Great Britain during 2022 to 2024......
Background and approach Market Standards has undertaken analysis to assess prevailing patterns in UK public M& A. The findings draw on the Market Standards transaction data analysis tool, which enables users to access, analyse and compare key attributes across a wide range of corporate deals. This publication updates our Market Standards Trend Report— Trends in UK public M& A in H1 2025, where we reviewed firm and possible offers announced during the first half of 2025. For this instalment, we examined activity from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 ( Q3 2025). We have also set the results alongside those from the immediately prior quarter in 2025 (1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025, ie Q2 2025) and the equivalent window in 2024 (1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024, ie Q3 2024). However, firm conclusions will only be drawn once the...
Court of Justice confirms NCAs can share leniency and settlement materials with prosecutors, subject to constraints The Court of Justice has delivered its judgment in Case C-2/23, FL und KM Baugesellschaft and S AG, a national reference from Austria addressing whether EU competition law bars national competition authorities from sending leniency statements and settlement submissions obtained in cartel proceedings to public prosecutors for use in criminal investigations. The Court concluded that such transfers are compatible with Article 101 TFEU, provided they do not compromise the effectiveness of EU competition law, and stressed that access to these documents in criminal proceedings must remain strictly circumscribed. Background The case concerns an Austrian construction cartel. The Federal Competition Authority ( BWB) imposed fines on the participating companies. The applicant in the main proceedings received a reduction on account of leniency. The file was subsequently transmitted to the public...
Mergers The CMA approved the completed takeover by Primary Health Properties plc of Assura plc following a phase 1 investigation—see further, case page NOTE— For all live mergers before the CMA, see further, UK mergers—ongoing cases tracker Market studies The CMA revised its administrative timetable for its market study into the supply of railway and public road infrastructure by the civil engineering sector. It also issued an update on the outcome of an internal state of play meeting held in September 2025—see further, case page NOTE— For all live market studies and market investigations in the UK, see further, UK market studies and market investigation references—ongoing cases tracker Upcoming dates For dates of forthcoming UK competition developments, see further, UK Competition calendar......
Mergers The Commission has received a notification for Silver Point Capital/ Ascend Performance Materials Holding ( M.12125) under the simplified merger procedure. Note— For all ongoing merger probes before the Commission, see further the EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Upcoming dates: for forthcoming EU competition developments, consult the EU Competition calendar......
Mergers The Commission approved: the purchase of shared control over Skyline JV by Sunstone Investment Pte Ltd, Platinum Globe A 2013 RSC Limited and Digital Bridge Group, Inc......
Mergers CMA updates merger guidance ( CMA2 and CMA56) and merger notice template to embed ‘4Ps’ framework The CMA has released its: (i) refreshed guidance on jurisdiction and procedure ( CMA2), and (ii) revised merger notice template. It has also made associated changes to its guidance on its merger intelligence function ( CMA56). These updates are intended to embed the CMA’s ‘4Ps’ framework (pace, predictability, process and proportionality) throughout the UK mergers process. CMA2 offers guidance for businesses and advisers on the CMA’s procedures for running the merger control regime under the Enterprise Act 2002. The October 2025 revisions reflect the CMA’s ongoing efforts to make merger reviews quicker, more transparent and more consistent, following the consultation earlier this year. The key changes to CMA2 include: Accelerating pace: by setting a 40 working-day KPI for...
Mergers Notifications received for: New Princes/ Carrefour Italia ( M.12121) under the normal procedure; and Tata Motors/ Iveco Group ( M.12138), Hartree/ ED& F Man Chile ( M.12149), Amphenol/ Commscope ( Connectivity and Cable Solutions) ( M.12173) plus KKR/ Cinven/ CVC/ Nemean Midco ( M.12191) under the simplified procedure. Clearances covered: Ferrero Group’s acquisition of sole control of CPK SAS ( M.12086); a joint venture by EVH Grüne Energie – Beteiligung Gmb H & Co. KG and HSBC Alternative Investments S. C. A. SICAV- RAIF ( M.12128); joint control of Heroiks SAS by LBO France Gestion SAS and EMZ Partners SAS ( M.12167); and joint control of Vinventions Holding S.à r.l. by L- GAM II SCSp and Hayfin Capital Management LLP ( M.12171), each following a phase I investigation—see Midday Express. State aid The Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, a French scheme...
Mergers Greencore/ Bakkavor meets the test for reference to phase 2 The CMA has issued a decision concluding that the anticipated acquisition of Bakkavor Group plc ( Bakkavor) by Greencore Group plc ( Greencore) meets the threshold for a phase 2 reference. Greencore operates as a producer, supplier and distributor of food, with its principal business dedicated to the production and supply of convenience foods within the UK. Bakkavor is a multinational producer and supplier of fresh prepared foods, with activities spanning the UK, Ireland and the United States......
Mergers CMA issues interim report in Aramark/ Entier merger in phase 2 investigation; provisionally finds competition concerns The CMA has published its interim report and interim report notice on the completed purchase by Aramark Limited ( Aramark) of Entier Limited ( Entier). Aramark is an international food and facilities management services supplier, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Entier is a British catering firm with its head office in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. Aramark and Entier both deliver catering services to customers across the UK. They overlap in the provision of offshore catering and related facilities management services ( OCS) to clients, including for assets located on the UK Continental Shelf ( UKCS)......
Mergers The Commission approved: the acquisition of joint control over Property Finder International Ltd by Permira Holdings Limited and General Atlantic PF B. V.......
Antitrust Co J dismisses Teva and Cephalon’s appeal against ‘pay-for-delay’ fines The Court of Justice has handed down its ruling in Case C‑2/24 P, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Cephalon v Commission, concerning an appeal from the General Court’s judgment in Case T‑74/21. That earlier ruling upheld the Commission’s 2020 decision levying fines on Teva and Cephalon for a pay‑for‑delay arrangement that postponed the launch of a generic version of modafinil. The Court of Justice rejected the appeal in full. Background In 2005, Cephalon, a pharmaceutical company, owned patents linked to the medicine modafinil. Teva, as a generic producer, aimed to enter with a competing modafinil generic. Disputes followed between the firms alleging patent infringement. Later that year, they settled: Teva agreed neither to market its generic modafinil nor to contest Cephalon’s patents, in return for substantial monetary transfers and other commercial advantages from...
Private actions CAT issues judgment concerning class action finding Apple abused its dominant position in i OS app distribution and in-app payment services The Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled in Dr Rachael Kent v Apple Inc. and Apple Distribution International, a collective claim brought by Dr Rachael Kent against Apple Inc. and Apple Distribution International Ltd (together, Apple), alleging breaches of the Chapter II prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 and Article 102 TFEU (before 31 December 2020). The Tribunal found Apple abused its dominant position over app distribution and in-app payment services, breaching Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 and Article 102 TFEU. Background In May 2021, the Class Representative, Dr Rachael Kent, applied to commence collective proceedings under section 47B of the Competition Act 1998 against Apple......
In this issue: UK digital markets UK competition policy UK mergers UK private actions EU antitrust EU competition policy Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Caselex UK digital markets CMA designates Apple and Google with SMS in mobile platforms under DMCCA 2024 The CMA has issued its final determinations, naming Apple and Google as holding strategic market status ( SMS) in relation to their respective mobile ecosystems under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ( DMCCA 2024). The authority confirmed that both firms possess substantial and entrenched market power in the provision of their mobile platforms—covering operating systems, app distribution, browsers and browser engines—and that each holds a position of strategic importance and significance within the UK digital economy. Apple’s platform (i OS, i Pad OS, the App Store) together with the Safari...
Mergers The Commission has received notifications for the following transactions: Metinvest/ Arcelor Mittal Tubular Products ISAI ( M.12034) — simplified merger procedure TAI/ LGESMI/ Green Metals Battery Innovations JV ( M.12114) — simplified merger procedure Bestinver/ Tages/ IP/ IPlanet Holding ( M.12197) — simplified merger procedure NOTE— For all live merger investigations before the Commission, see EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. State aid Acting under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework ( CISAF), the Commission approved an Italian scheme valued at €61.5m to support strategic investments that expand manufacturing capacity in line with Clean Industrial Deal aims in Emilia Romagna—see Midday Express. NOTE— For all decisions adopted under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, see EU State aid decisions— TCF, TCTF and CISAF. Digital Markets Act The General Court held a hearing in Case T-357/24, Opera Norway v Commission, contesting the...
Digital markets CMA designates Apple and Google with SMS in mobile platforms under DMCCA 2024 The CMA has issued its final conclusive determinations, naming Apple and Google alike as holding strategic market status ( SMS) for their respective mobile ecosystems, pursuant to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ( DMCCA 2024)......
Competition policy Government sets out a regulatory reform plan, including scrapping the CMA’s panel member system for Phase 2 merger reviews and market investigations. HM Treasury has issued an update to its March 2025 Regulation Action Plan, charting progress on bringing regulation and regulators into line with the UK’s growth and innovation priorities. The update sets out the government’s strategic steer to the CMA, asking it to put economic growth at the heart of its remit, and records the CMA’s ongoing roll-out of its ‘4Ps’—principles, pace, predictability, proportionality and process—across its portfolio. The CMA will establish new KPIs, with full reporting due by summer 2026, and will run two stakeholder surveys to deepen engagement with business. Alongside this, the Department for Business and Trade will consult on measures to give firms greater clarity on merger control, implement routine remedy reviews, and reshape the CMA’s...
Competition policy Commission adopts its 2026 Work Programme setting out competition law and policy initiatives The Commission has endorsed its 2026 Work Programme, titled ‘ Europe’s independence moment’. From a competition law angle, it intends to: Put forward revisions to the EU antitrust procedure framework ( Regulations 1/2003 and 773/2004) in Q3 2026. Assess the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption in Q2 2026. Conclude the update of the EU merger guidelines......
Mergers Getty Images/ Shutterstock meets the test for reference to phase 2 The CMA has issued its decision that the proposed acquisition of Shutterstock, Inc. ( Shutterstock) by Getty Images Holdings, Inc. ( Getty Images) meets the threshold for a phase 2 reference. Getty Images and Shutterstock both provide digital content, including photographs, illustrations, video and music. The companies operate platforms through which content is licensed to customers. Their content can be broadly divided into: editorial material, covering pictures and video of newsworthy events, people and landmarks; and stock (or creative) content, held in inventory and licensed for use across a wide range of industries......
Antitrust Commission carries out dawn raids in ski equipment sector The Commission disclosed it recently conducted surprise checks at the offices and facilities of several unidentified businesses operating in the ski equipment market. It suspects the firms under scrutiny could potentially have infringed Article 101 TFEU......
Popular documents
When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
Discover more from LexisNexis
