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09 April 2020
COVID-19: Pressure Points: Managing competition issues whilst allowing businesses to collaborate (Australia)
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rush of applications to the ACCC seeking to authorise coordination as between competitors which might otherwise contravene provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act ( CCA ) .
18 March 2020
COVID-19 People: Short guide for employers (Australia)
The COVID-19 virus is new, rapidly evolving and having a major impact on workplaces. The virus is giving rise to multitude of employment and safety-related questions in a context which has not previously been contemplated, on topics ranging from an employer’s payment obligations and dealing with...
12 November 2019
Casting the regulatory net over virtual assets – SFC finalises new regulatory framework for virtual asset trading platforms
On 6 November 2019, the Security and Futures Commission ( SFC ) issued a position paper setting out a new regulatory framework for the licensing of centralised virtual asset trading platforms, following the SFC’s conceptual framework issued last year.
01 November 2019
Hong Kong SFC’s new electronic data requirements place MICs and cloud services in the spotlight
Yesterday, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission ( SFC ) published a circular ( Circular ) on the use of electronic data storage providers ( EDSPs ) by licensed corporations ( LCs ).
10 October 2019
Corporate Crime Update, Autumn 2019
Welcome to the Autumn 2019 edition of our corporate crime update - our round up of developments in relation to corruption, money laundering, fraud, sanctions and related matters. This bumper edition covers a number of jurisdictions, and includes content from the summer break. For the full update on...
01 July 2019
Digital Banking Licences have arrived for non-bank players in Singapore
On 28 June 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore ( MAS ) announced that it will issue up to five new digital bank licences, which will effectively open digital banking business to non-bank players in Singapore. Announcing the measures at the 46th Annual Dinner of The Association of Banks in...
24 June 2019
MAS extends AML/CFT requirements to Payment Service Providers
On 6 June 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore ( MAS ) issued a Consultation Paper on proposed anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism ( AML/CFT ) requirements which will apply to most payment service providers ( PS Providers ). Submissions close on 5 July 2019. The...
11 June 2019
Product Intervention Powers and Design and Distribution Obligations in Financial Services: A cross-border perspective
Many regulators view their ability to intervene as one of their key supervisory tools to reduce harm in cases where there is a risk of significant consumer detriment or threat to financial markets.
22 May 2019
Disclosure of internal investigations – the Hong Kong SFC’s FAQs fail to relieve industry concerns
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission ( SFC ) has released frequently-asked questions ( FAQs ) to clarify its Internal Investigation Disclosure Obligation – a measure introduced in February 2019 to stop the “roll” of “bad apples” within the financial industry.
04 February 2019
SFC seeks to halt "rolling bad apples" in their tracks with licensing reforms
On 1 February 2019, the Securities and Futures Commission ( SFC ) announced significant changes to its licensing forms and processes (Licensing Reforms). Included in these changes was the long-awaited arrival in Hong Kong of measures intended to stop the “rolling” of “bad apples” within the...
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07 September 2020
London International Disputes Week 2020
We are pleased to announce that London International Disputes Week (LIDW) is returning for a second year in September 2020. Herbert Smith Freehills is proud to be associated with this key event, which celebrates London as a global centre for dispute resolution. 7 – 11 September 2020 For more...
03 July 2020
Pressure Points: Key actions checklists for trustees and sponsors of DB schemes (UK) - Updated
Current events related to Covid-19 and the related economic impact are raising a number of time critical issues that sponsors and trustees of defined benefit schemes need to address. To help with this, we have created checklists (based on our experience advising clients to date) which summarise the...
03 July 2020
People: Key actions checklists for trustees and employers of DC schemes (UK) - Updated
Current events related to Covid-19 and the related economic impact are raising a number of time critical pensions-related issues that employers with defined contribution (DC) schemes and trustees of such schemes need to address. To help with this, we have created checklists (based on our experience...
03 July 2020
People: Post-lockdown issues for employers (UK)
On 11 May 2020 the UK Government published its roadmap for coming out of lockdown, providing for a (conditional) phased return of schools and businesses over the coming months and subject to continuing social distancing requirements. Most businesses and venues (except for certain close contact...
02 July 2020
Pressure points: Trustees beware – Changes to UK insolvency regime are now in force (UK)
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 received Royal Assent and is now in force. The Act contains the most far-reaching reforms to UK insolvency law in over 30 years. The Act has been introduced on an emergency basis in an attempt to ensure that otherwise financially viable companies...
02 July 2020
Foreign Investment: Rising Tides of Politics in Regulation - Updated Report
We are delighted to share with you our newly updated report on Foreign Investment: Rising Tides of Politics in Regulation, which reflects a swathe of recent changes to Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI ) regimes around the world against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
02 July 2020
Woolworths spam receives unwelcome attention
The Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA ) reported on the 2 July that Woolworths Group Limited has paid a million-dollar infringement notice and agreed to a court-enforceable undertaking in response to breaches of spam laws. The infringement notice for $1,003,800 is the largest...
01 July 2020
People: Job Retention Scheme and Pensions (UK)
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ("CJRS"), opened for claims on 20 April. Originally due to end on 31 May, then 30 June, the Chancellor announced on 12 May that it will remain in place and available to all sectors through to the end of October 2020. New rules, which will apply from 1 July 2020...
01 July 2020
Pressure Points: Corporate real estate: a post-Covid-19 perspective (UK)
Revival signs in real estate M&A The Covid-19 pandemic caused a noticeable slowdown in real estate M&A activity. Despite this, there are early signs in the market of a bounce back. Opportunistic/strategic deals are still completing and many investors have capital reserves ready to be...
30 June 2020
Saving millions of shareholder dollars and forests of trees is easier than you think
How often do those of us in M&A and in-house legal and company secretariat teams have an opportunity to save trees and millions of shareholder dollars? The recent temporary changes to the Corporations Act in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 facilitate this by allowing notices of...
30 June 2020
REACTIVACIÓN: Análisis del Real Decreto Ley 23/2020, de 23 de junio: su impacto en renovables (España)
El 24 de junio se publicó en el Boletín Oficial del Estado, el Real Decreto-Ley 23/2020, de 23 de junio, por el que se aprueban medidas en materia de energía y en otros ámbitos para la reactivación económica (“RDL 23/2020”). Este Real Decreto-Ley entró en vigor el 25 de junio de 2020, si bien debe...
29 June 2020
COVID-19: Pressure Points: The Global Impact on the Mining Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis. The mining industry has sought to respond quickly to protect the health of its employees and its communities. These steps are in response to (and often ahead of) emergency measures and lockdowns implemented by governments...
29 June 2020
Governance: An Overview of E-signatures and Electronic Legal Transactions (Germany)
In light of the restrictions on contact necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the possibility of conducting legal transactions electronically has become a central issue. Corresponding questions which investors should consider when doing transactions in the German market are inter alia whether...
