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Lucasfilm did not benefit in any way at Tyburn Film Productions Ltd's expense, counsel said to the appeals court there on 3 December 2025, in part because it already possessed rights over Cushing's likeness and an agreement and consent from the Cushing estate to 'resurrect' him as Grand Moff Tarkin. Tyburn contends it earlier made an agreement with the late actor then, at the time, granting the company a veto over any use of his image prior to his 1994 death. That contract concerns a TV series titled 'Heritage of Horror', which never aired. Tyburn further asserts the deal permits it to effectively 'resurrect' Cushing using stand-ins and CGI to ultimately finish the programme then if the actor were to die whilst filming remained in progress...
Irish telecom operator Eircom’s damages lawsuit against BT Group over a public-sector contract must be carefully managed to trial to deal with confidentiality issues and other matters, a UK judge told the parties today. At the High Court in London today, a judge said Eircom’s damages action against BT over a public-sector contract needs tight case management through to trial to address confidentiality and related concerns. Eircom brought the claim after Ofcom in 2020 penalised BT for its behaviour during a tender. Speaking to both sides, Judge Adam Johnson urged them to resolve any confidentiality flashpoints themselves and signalled he had no wish to step in unless it became unavoidable. He also expressed confidence that parties would do everything possible to keep confidential designations to a minimum, noting this was necessary to maintain control over the conduct of the trial. He framed this as the
The following document is attached: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/274 dated 5 February 2026, revising Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1981, establishing a final anti-dumping levy on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware produced in...
Justice Richard Arnold granted AstraZeneca leave to appeal and permitted lorries carrying about 175,000 packs of Glenmark’s generics to move on to wholesalers, provided they did not reach pharmacy shelves while the case continued at any point during those interim proceedings. In this way, Glenmark could keep its first-to-market advantage, while causing only minimal detriment to AstraZeneca should the Court of Appeal later be persuaded to issue an injunction against supply. The judge said this approach maintained the status quo with the least possible prejudice to Glenmark’s position overall. The hearing was arranged at short notice, just days after the High Court refused AstraZeneca an injunction to block the diabetes generic from sale while the court considered whether the patents supporting the branded medicine were valid in law. Glenmark, Generics (UK) Ltd and Teva Pharmaceuticals have each begun proceedings in the UK to set...
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The IFS cautioned that roughly five to seven million savers—amounting to as much as 40% of private‑sector workers—are on course to reach retirement with inadequate pension provision unless the government accelerates reforms to automatic enrolment legislation. Yet the IFS also noted that across‑the‑board rises in minimum pension contributions could be a tougher proposition for those on lower incomes. Nonetheless, numerous commentators continue to advocate universal increases to minimum contribution thresholds. Far too many private‑sector employees still appear set to end up......
MAS v ZK and others [2024] EWHC 1939 ( Fam) What are the practical implications of this case? These remarks make clear that, in some situations, public authorities have delayed action when repatriation is needed for someone facing the risk of a forced marriage, in part due to uncertainty about the respective functions and duties of the various public bodies involved in such scenarios. Cusworth J stressed that agencies must understand their powers and obligations, and, once the position is identified, move without delay. In most matters, the local authority is pivotal, coordinating and directing the steps by which children and young people are kept, or made, safe, and it should become involved from the earliest stages without hesitation. He also underlined the importance of adaptability, as each case presents different features and may require a tailored approach. His intention was not to revise or alter the...
Eternity Sky Investments Ltd v Xiaomin Zhang [2024] EWCA Civ 630 The Court of Appeal confirmed enforcement of a US$64m Hong Kong-seated arbitral award against Xiaomin Zhang, dismissing her reliance on the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 ( CRA 2015). Although the outcome may appear routine, the judgment carries a clear signal for businesses dealing with consumers. In his leading judgment, Lord Justice Stephen Males stressed that, where CRA 2015 is engaged and breached, consumer protections would override an arbitral award on UK public policy grounds, requiring the court to refuse enforcement. The ruling sits alongside Payward Inc v Chechetkin [2023] EWHC 1780 ( Comm), where the Commercial Court declined to recognise a US award on public policy grounds, in part due to CRA 2015. Together, these cases illustrate rare situations in which the English courts’ traditionally...
Mergers The CMA issued the publicly available version of its ruling to clear the anticipated purchase by Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company of Juniper Networks—see further, decision. Note— For all ongoing mergers before the CMA, see further, UK mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Upcoming dates For dates of forthcoming UK competition developments, see further, UK Competition calendar......
Under the revised proposal, Chinese battery electric cars sold in the initial three years, provided they fall within a yearly ceiling of 206,213 units and are priced above the Minimum Import Prices set for various EV types, would avoid the bloc’s countervailing levies. For the fourth and fifth years, the annual duty-free allowance tied to MIPs would return to a non-injurious threshold of 412,425 units, per the offer seen by MLex. Inside this allocation, BEV consignments with a Net Sales Price exceeding the MIP would not face countervailing duty, it adds. In either scenario, once the yearly quota is used up, no matter the year, exports of the product in question would become liable for the applicable countervailing duty. All imports from Chinese EV manufacturers not taking part in the arrangement......
Mc Cabe v HMRC [2024] UKUT 280 ( TCC) The appellant, M, was chief executive of a property development and investment group. On 4 April 2006 he relocated to Belgium and, over a period of the next seven years, he leased or purchased both residential and office premises within Brussels and established a Belgian personal service company to supply consultancy services to group entities. He remained married and continued to spend regular and substantial periods with his wife, who did not relocate to Belgium (and she retained legal title to the UK family home). M moved to Belgium to expand the group’s European business operations but also as part of tax planning specifically designed to ensure he would not incur liability to CGT on a share disposal by staying non- UK resident for five whole tax years and thereby...
On 12 September 2024, the British Insurance Brokers Association ( BIBA) urged that the insurance premium tax ( IPT) rate be trimmed from 12% to 10% for other policyholders. The call was issued in the run-up to the autumn budget statement, set for 30 October 2024, when the government is anticipated to introduce measures to fill what it claims is a £22bn shortfall in public finances at that time......
Competition policy Teresa Ribera assumes the post of Executive Vice- President for a Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition...
Broadstone said that most cyber-insurance offered protection only against losses arising from 'malicious' causes, whereas the outage caused by Crowd Strike was the result of an accident. A mishandled update to the corporate cyber security system meant about 8.5 million Microsoft Windows devices could not start up normally. The 19 July 2024 outage disrupted air travel, financial institutions and thousands of businesses. Medical teams were obliged to turn patients away from doctors’ surgeries......
Muller UK and Ireland Group LLP and others v HMRC [2024] UKUT 273 ( TCC) The appellants were three Muller Group entities tasked with producing, marketing and distributing dairy products in the UK and Ireland. In 2013, they transferred their individual trades and assets—covering intellectual property and goodwill—to Muller UK and Ireland Group LLP, receiving membership units in the LLP. The central question was whether CTA 2009, s 1259—under which the profits of a partnership, where any partner is within the UK corporation tax charge as a company, are computed as though a UK-resident notional company carried on the trade—draws in the intangible assets regime in CTA 2009, Pt 8. The dispute focused on whether that mechanism effectively incorporated Part 8 for these purposes, given the companies were within the corporation tax charge. Significantly, Part 8 contains an exception limiting...
Richard Farnhill, acting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court, stated that Fabrizio D’ Aloia had failed to establish that any of roughly £2m in cryptocurrency ever arrived in a Bitkub-controlled wallet. The Deputy Judge remarked that the matter was legally complex, raising issues that are novel, contentious, or both. He determined that the stablecoins at issue ( USD Tether) amount to property for English law purposes and, in principle, could be traced. However, D’ Aloia’s case failed because he could not prove, on the balance of probabilities, that any of the missing tokens could be tracked back to a Bitkub wallet. His unjust enrichment contention (that Bitkub had been benefitted by the receipt of 400,000 USD Tether) also fell away, since he was unable to demonstrate that any part of his funds ended up in that wallet, the judgment records....
Various pension funds v Netherlands tax authorities Case C-639/22 to Case C-644-22 The proceedings involved multiple Dutch pension schemes. Each had procured asset management services and contended that those supplies qualified for the exemption for ‘special investment funds’ ( SIFs) under Article 135(1)(g) of the EU VAT Directive. The characteristics of the schemes were not identical. In broad terms, members’ entitlements and advantages were not wholly and directly driven by investment outcomes, although certain components of those rights and benefits were linked to performance. It is well recognised that Member States’ freedom to define which funds enjoy exemption is constrained. Funds brought within the EU regulatory regime referred to as UCITS are regarded as special investment funds. Their structures and benefit design differed between plans......
The 335-year-old body said it aims to set out much clearer and more explicit guidance on the kinds of conduct or behaviour Lloyd’s deems unacceptable. Through a consultation open until 16 December 2024, Lloyd’s acknowledged that its parameters for non-financial misconduct have, to date, lacked precision and clarity. It confirmed the definition covers harassment, bullying, discrimination and misuse of authority, as well as carrying out Lloyd’s business while under the influence of alcohol when this results in clearly unprofessional behaviour......
Consumer group Which? urged the Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) to gather detailed data on the expense to businesses of offering premium finance, and on the disparity in profits between customers who pay by monthly instalments and those who settle their premiums annually. The FCA has recognised this practice as a 'tax on the poor'. Such premium finance arrangements are typically used by people who are unable to meet annual premiums in a single lump-sum payment alone......
Stewart Hastie, chair of the ACA, urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to handle any tax reforms with caution, proposing that the government’s pension sector review be used to forensically assess any adjustments. He accepted that chancellors may periodically revisit and refine pensions taxation, but emphasised that such shifts must be carried out carefully and with full awareness of the potential impacts on savers and pensioners, pension schemes and employers, all within the context of wider priorities such as enhancing retirement outcomes and fostering economic growth......
Mergers The CMA granted clearance for the proposed acquisition by Macquarie Asset Management of a joint control stake in Last Mile Infrastructure ( Holdings) Limited 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 issued an invitation to comment on a draft questionnaire for a consumer survey it plans to undertake as part of its market investigation into the provision of veterinary services for household pets in the UK. The deadline for feedback on the draft questionnaire is 23 September 2024—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 cleared joint control of PN VII Topco S.à rl by Wendel SE and Porvidence Equity Partners LLC ( M.11655) after a phase I probe—see further, Midday Express. Notifications received: Alfi Re/ Plavi Re/ Planet Koper ( M.11687) (simplified merger procedure) KBC Bank/ BNP Paribas Fortis/ Joyn International ( M.11678) (simplified merger procedure) Sagitta/ RDE Group ( M.11708) (simplified merger procedure) NOTE— For all live merger inquiries before the Commission, see EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Antitrust A fresh national reference from Italy in Case C‑424/24 FIGC and CONI asks whether EU law ( Arts 45, 49, 56, 101, 102 TFEU; Art 47 Charter) bars a rule letting sports bodies impose a 24‑month ban on a club manager’s activities at national and international level—see further, application. NOTE— For all national references before the Court of Justice, see Court of Justice national...
On 12 September 2024, the PPF indicated that pension schemes are likely to contribute roughly the same as in the present financial year, despite changes to how the annual levy is apportioned across schemes. The fund provides and pays benefits to members of defined benefit ( DB) schemes when the sponsoring employer becomes insolvent under its protection. Its financing comes chiefly from its own investment strategy, with an additional annual charge levied on DB schemes each year......
Background to the Dutch DPA’s investigation As is often the case, the AP’s scrutiny of Uber’s processing first arose following complaints from data subjects themselves. The French human rights organisation Ligue des droits de l'homme et du citoyen ( LDH) submitted two collective complaints in June 2020 and September 2021 respectively to the French DPA, the Commission Nationale de l' Informatique et des Libertés ( CNIL), on behalf of 172 Uber drivers, specifically highlighting difficulties enforcing data subject rights and third‑country data transfers. As Uber’s EU headquarters are in the Netherlands, the CNIL formally referred the matter to the AP. In April 2021, the AP notified Uber that it had begun an official investigation. What processing was at issue? During the proceedings, the AP reviewed and assessed transfers of sensitive personal data of Uber drivers between Uber BV ( UBV) and Uber...
The statement cautioned that algorithms may enable rivals to exchange competitively sensitive information, fix prices, or co-ordinate on other terms or commercial strategies in breach of competition laws. It has become evident that both the Commission and the CMA are prioritising ex officio cartel enforcement, including by boosting resources and developing new detection and enforcement tools to drive prosecutions for cartel conduct. This article sets out a review of where these jurisdictions’ approaches to cartel enforcement converge and where they differ. In terms of similarities Broaden the definition of what amounts to cartel behaviour Rely less on leniency applications to trigger cartel probes Enhance detection methods Place greater weight on prosecuting obstruction of justice Strengthen communication and co-operation between enforcement bodies Within the EU, the Commission acts as the principal enforcer for cartel offences that span across Member State...
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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 ]...
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