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Regulatory Initiative Grid sets out multi-regulator pipeline of planned/ongoing regulatory initiatives in the financial services market

Published on 04 Nov 2021. By Jon Bartley, Partner and Jonathan Charwat, Partner and Whitney Simpson, Of Counsel

At the beginning of the week, a number of UK regulators published this year's version of the 'Regulatory Initiatives Grid' which aims to provide a combined pipeline from a number of regulators on ongoing and planned regulatory initiatives affecting the financial services market. Regulators involved include, amongst others, the Financial Conduct Authority, Prudential Regulation Authority, Payments Systems Regulator and Information Commissioners Office.

Sanctions – A New World?

Published on 26 Feb 2021. By Robert Waterson, Partner and Harry Smith, Senior Associate

The new UK sanctions regime (SAMLA) replaces EU sanctions in the UK, and sits alongside UN sanctions and US sanctions as a factor for businesses to consider in planning their anti-corruption and compliance matters. In particular it can impose trade sanctions, travel sanctions and financial sanctions, with tough financial penalties for non-compliance.

Part 2: Top 5 corporate crime compliance trends for the year ahead

Published on 26 Jan 2021.

As we commence a new year in the midst of unprecedented global challenges, here is our take on the key financial crime risk and compliance trends you need to be aware of in 2021.

Part 1: Top 5 corporate crime enforcement trends for the year ahead

Published on 19 Jan 2021.

As we commence a new year in the midst of unprecedented global challenges, here is our take on the key financial crime risks and trends you need to be aware of in 2021.

Is the current law on corporate criminal liability about to get more teeth?

Published on 05 Nov 2020.

On 3rd November 2020, the Government published its long-awaited response to its January 2017 call for evidence on the question of reforming the law on corporate liability for economic crime. The Government found the evidence inconclusive overall, so it has asked the Law Commission to draft an Options Paper, to assess how effective the current law is relating to corporate criminal liability and where improvements can be made.

New SFO guide to DPAs: material change, or confirmation of approach?

Published on 28 Oct 2020. By Sam Tate, Partner and Lucy Kerr, Senior Associate

Last week, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) published a comprehensive guide to its approach to Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs).

UKCA Marking: Updated Guidance

Published on 16 Sep 2020. By Gavin Reese, Partner, Head of Regulatory and Elinor Sidwell, Associate

As the end of the Brexit implementation period draws closer, the UK Government has sought to clarify the changes that will follow. On 1 September 2020 they published the long-awaited guidance on the use of UKCA marking following the withdrawal of the previously issued advice earlier this year.

Medical Devices Regulation on the horizon

Published on 09 Jul 2020.

The EU Regulation on Medical Devices 2017/745 (the MDR) had been due to become fully applicable on 26 May 2020.

SMCR: The tricky implementation phase

Published on 09 Jul 2020. By Lucy Kerr, Senior Associate

The Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR) came into force for all financial services firms solo-regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 9 December 2019. The SMCR replaces the previous APER regime under which the FCA had oversight of the individuals working in the financial services industry. There is a one year implementation period for firms to make the changes required by the SMCR, which expires on 9 December 2020.

COVID-19: The Dairy Sector and Welsh health services granted temporary UK competition law exemptions and the European Commission issues first 'Comfort Letter' to Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Published on 01 Jun 2020. By Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel

The UK Government has granted a temporary competition law exemption for certain collaboration within the dairy sector and Welsh health services and the European Commission has published its first 'comfort letter' to allow co-operation to ensure supplies of medicines for COVID-19 patients.

Regulated Activities Order amendments for the new Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Published on 05 May 2020.

On 1 May 2020, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Order 2020 was published and came into force on 4 May 2020.

COVID-19: What is the CMA's current approach to UK merger assessment?

Published on 29 Apr 2020. By Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel

The CMA has been adapting its working practices to react to the ongoing challenges of a change in working environment that has an impact on almost all businesses.

COVID-19: Coronavirus and Competition Law - The Current Enforcement Scene

Published on 06 Apr 2020. By Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel

Technology in Insurance

Published on 22 Jun 2022. By William Hogarth, Partner

On 16 June 2022 RPC hosted an afternoon of talks and panel sessions on the theme of 'Technology in Insurance', the culmination of the firm's TechWeek which brings market experts and lawyers together to discuss risks and opportunities with new technologies within different business sectors.

Model Articles deemed unsuitable for sole director companies

Published on 24 May 2022. By Rupert Wyles, Senior Associate

A recent decision of the High Court in Hashmi v Lorimer-Wing [2022] EWHC 191 (Ch) has suggested that the model articles for private companies are not suitable for companies with a sole director appointed.

A licence to kill... a licence

Published on 11 Mar 2019. By Tim Anderson, Partner

In the second of a number of short articles we are producing in relation to businesses in the tech space, we will be discussing a real life example of what not to do when diligencing a tech company and its third party IP licence agreements.

New regulations to permit assignment of receivables under commercial contracts now in force

Published on 11 Jan 2019. By Edward Colville, Partner

After more than four years of consultation, draft regulations and revisions, the Business Contract Terms (Assignment of Receivables) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) have now taken effect, and apply to all relevant contracts entered into on or after 31 December 2018.

Huawei and UK National Security - A new technology cold war?

Published on 11 Dec 2018. By Neil Brown, Partner and Charles Buckworth, Partner

Chinese technology giant, Huawei, has been making plenty of headlines recently. First, a number of Western governments (including the US, Australia and New Zealand) have banned Huawei equipment from being used in 5G networks, citing national security concerns. Next, Huawei's CFO was arrested in Canada in connection with alleged breaches of international sanctions.

Going Green - Draft Sustainability Guidance from the CMA

Published on 03 Apr 2023. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel and Sophie Tuson, Senior Associate

Following its public consultation, the CMA has published its advice to government on how competition and consumer laws can help meet the UK's environmental goals.

Hype Economics: the haves and the have bots

Published on 01 Nov 2022.

With the most wanted items selling out in the blink of an eye, consumers are leveraging automation to get ahead. Is the use of bots creating more than a moral dilemma for retailers?

Ten tips for retailers entering the metaverse

Published on 25 Oct 2022. By Paul Joukador, Partner and Hettie Homewood , Senior Associate

Once the province of online gaming and social media, the metaverse is the new hot topic in retail.

Vertical Agreements: The New Reality

Published on 07 Oct 2022. By Melanie Musgrave, Of Counsel

For those operating in the retail sector (amongst others), 1st June 2022 saw changes to the UK and EU competition law rules and the "safe harbour" or exemption from the application of competition law for certain types of vertical agreements, i.e. for contractual parties operating at different levels of the supply chain.

Low2NoBev Show - RPC takes front row seat as exclusive legal sponsor as the "No/Lo" alcohol drinks category soars

Published on 21 Sep 2022. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Harpreet Kaur, Associate and Samuel Coppard, Senior Associate

Ahead of RPC acting as the exclusive legal sponsor of the Low2NoBev Show taking place at Olympia London later this month (26 – 28 September 2022), it is useful to understand the fundamental changes happening in this growing sector and the potential discussion points that may arise relating to the marketing of these products.

What'SUP? Single-Use Plastics (SUP) are next target in UK government's war on plastic waste

Published on 17 Aug 2022. By Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

It only takes a short walk along London's Regent's Canal to witness the sheer volume of littered single-use plastics (SUP).

The Summer of ‘Pre-Love’: Has Fast Fashion been Dumped by the British Public?

Published on 20 Jul 2022. By Ela Broderick-Basar, Associate

ITV’s Love Island is back on our screens, officially marking the British summer. This year the show is dumping fast fashion and ‘coupling up’ with its first-ever second-hand clothing sponsor, eBay, with contestants now donning pre-loved pieces sourced from the resale platform.

Tips for approaching innovations using consumer data

Published on 19 Jul 2022. By Jon Bartley, Partner and Amy Blackburn, Senior Associate

Now more than ever, retailers are faced with a wide array of opportunities to use customer data to achieve their commercial objectives. By spotting and assessing key risks early, organisations will be better equipped to avoid breaches of data protection law that may lead to costly fines or claims, failed projects and reputational damage.

Are the brakes on for Quick Commerce?

Published on 20 Jun 2022. By Luke Stewart , Associate and Eleanor Harley , Senior Associate

With consumers continuing to prioritise speed and convenience in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been significant consumer uptake in the use of ultra-fast grocery delivery apps such as Zapp, Gorillas and Getir since early 2020.

Fake it till you make it? The Government says no more to fake reviews plus tightens up on subscription models

Published on 30 May 2022. By Stevie Vella , Associate

The UK Government has confirmed that new consumer rules will come into force to "shield the public from rip-offs and boost competition". Although not confirmed when these will be introduced, the top three issues on its hit list are fake reviews, "subscription traps" and prepayment schemes.

CMA pushing for more powers on sustainability

Published on 17 Mar 2022. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Sophie Tuson, Senior Associate

Following its public consultation, the CMA has published its advice to government on how competition and consumer laws can help meet the UK's environmental goals.

Hire Heels: why the rental clothing market matters

Published on 16 Sep 2021.

The old saying that "you can't wear the same outfit twice" doesn't fit well with younger consumers in particular, who are concerned about sustainability and the environmental hazards posed by fast fashion outlets.

Buy-Now-Pay-Later under the regulatory microscope

Published on 07 Sep 2021. By Whitney Simpson, Of Counsel

Growth in the Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) sector is showing no signs of slowing. Square's recent $29 billion acquisition of BNPL behemoth Afterpay being the latest signal that the market is on an upward trajectory. In 2020 alone over 10 million Brits used BNPL to purchase goods online, accounting for nearly 4% of online retail sales. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that usage had very nearly quadrupled to account for £2.7 billion of spending in 2020. Such popularity, particularly among Gen-Z and Millennials, spans the globe with American consumers spending an estimated $20 billion to $25 billion in 2020 by way of deferred payments.

A meaty debate: traditional vs lab-grown alternatives

Published on 13 Aug 2021. By Ben Mark, Partner and Noonie Holmes, Associate

The number of vegans and vegetarians in the UK has skyrocketed in recent years and there are an increasing number of 'flexitarians' aiming to reduce their meat intake for health and environmental reasons. Barclays predicts the meat-alternatives market could be worth £140bn by 2029, which is equivalent to 10% of the global meat industry. This market includes both plant-based foods and newer lab-grown meats.

Marketing mishap costs Papa John's

Published on 14 Jul 2021. By Jon Bartley, Partner and Kiran Dhoot, Associate

Last month, the Information Commissioner's Office ("ICO") has issued a £10,000 fine to Papa John's for sending over 165,000 marketing messages without properly meeting the requirements of the "soft opt-in" rule.

Retailers to be consulted on new legislation for protection from terrorist attacks

Published on 22 Jun 2021. By Gavin Reese, Partner, Head of Regulatory

The Government is currently consulting with the public and retailers to seek their views on proposed legislation requiring the occupiers of "publicly accessible locations" to implement measures to protect employees and members of the public in the event of a terrorist attack.

Re-commerce: the future of luxury fashion?

Published on 21 Jun 2021. By Paul Joukador, Partner and Harpreet Kaur, Associate

With Gen Z successfully catapulting fashion resale platforms like Depop, StockX and Vinted into the limelight over the last decade, has the time come for the luxury market to enter the world of re-commerce?

The Great British (Local) High Street

Published on 14 Jun 2021. By Dea Gagoshidze, Associate

There is no doubt that the UK high street has been hit hard in recent years, not least by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. But alongside the headline grabbing news of shop closures, there were in fact over 7,500 new shop openings between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 34

Published on 07 Sep 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

We hope you enjoy this latest edition of Cyber_Bytes, our bi­weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 33

Published on 16 Jun 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 32

Published on 10 May 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 31

Published on 08 Apr 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 30

Published on 16 Mar 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 29

Published on 22 Feb 2021. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Ian Dinning, Senior Associate and Rachel Ford, Partner and Christopher Ashton, Senior Associate and Bethan Griffiths, Senior Associate

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 28

Published on 29 Jan 2021.

Welcome to latest edition of Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 27

Published on 14 Dec 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 26

Published on 01 Dec 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 25

Published on 05 Nov 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 24

Published on 21 Oct 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 23

Published on 02 Oct 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Daniel Guilfoyle, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, a round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks over the last two weeks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 22

Published on 15 Sep 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to the latest edition of Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

Cyber_Bytes - Issue 21

Published on 03 Sep 2020. By Richard Breavington, Partner and Rachel Ford, Partner

Welcome to the latest edition of Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.