Business Diary: UK Regulations - November 2015
Currently, two to three new Regulation entries are added to the Archive each day. Regulation Watch covers business related topics such as new legislation, changes in legislation, consultations and regulatory body announcements.
1st
Regulator Services
IP Services: The European Patent Office has updated its guidelines for examination, which will take effect from 1 November 2015.
Start Date: 1st November 2015
Rates & Reliefs
Rate Change: The Intellectual Property Office has updated the fee structure for Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications, effective from 1 November 2015.
Start Date: 1st November 2015
4th
Compliance Guidance
Procurement Guide: The government has published new guidance for all government departments on sourcing and buying steel aimed at helping UK suppliers to compete with international suppliers for major projects.
Published Date: 3rd November 2015
5th
Regulator Services
Immigration Services: The US has expanded its expedited entry service to the UK and UK citizens will be able to apply for the service from 3 December 2015.
Published Date: 4th November 2015
6th
Business Laws
Regulation Update: The government has dropped proposals from the Trade Union Bill to require trade unions to provide employers with advanced notice of plans for picketing, social media campaigns and other forms of 'leverage'.
Published Date: 3rd November 2015
Court Rulings
UK Ruling: The Supreme Court has ruled that rules prohibiting the enforcement of "penalty" clauses in commercial contracts for breaches apply where the proposed remedy is "out of all proportion" with the interest it aims to protect.
Ruling Date: 4th November 2015
10th
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The UK government has launched a consultation on the levels at which regulatory fees payable by claims management companies will be set for 2016 to 2017.
Published Date: 10th November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The Business Secretary is requesting evidence on how employers pass on tips, gratuities, cover and service charges to their employees.
Response Deadline: 10th November 2015
Compliance Guidance
Government Activity: The UK government has announced plans to ensure that homes and businesses will have a legal right to a 10 Mbps broadband connection by the end of the current Parliament.
Published Date: 7th November 2015
11th
EU Laws
EU Regulation: The EU Council has adopted on first reading its position on reforms to the European trade mark system aimed at making its easier for businesses to innovate and enhancing trade mark protection against counterfeits.
Published Date: 10th November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is consulting on the reduction of certain regulatory fees for medicines and the introduction of fees for online sellers of medicines.
Response Deadline: 19th November 2015
12th
EU Laws
EU Regulation; The EU Commission has finalised its proposal on investment protection and the establishment of an investment dispute resolution system for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Published Date: 12th November 2015
Compliance Guidance
EU Guidance: The EU Commission has issued new guidance on transatlantic data transfers following a recent ruling from the EU Court of Justice.
Published Date: 6th November 2015
13th
Business Laws
Regulator Activity: The Sentencing Council has published new guidelines on the sentencing of organisations and individuals convicted of corporate manslaughter, health and safety and food safety and hygiene offences.
Published Date: 3rd November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The Intellectual Property Office is consulting on legal reforms with respect to unjustified or groundless threats to sue for intellectual property rights infringement.
Response Deadline: 13th November 2015
15th
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The government is consulting on proposals with regard to the methodology of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) compliance fee.
Published Date: 15th November 2015
16th
Regulator Services
Telecoms Services: PhonepayPlus will revoke and replace the existing 0800 500 212 consumer contact number with effect from 16 November 2015.
Start Date: 16th November 2015
Rates & Reliefs
Rate Change: The Insolvency Service has announced a revised fee structure for individual and company insolvencies which will take effect from 16 November 2015.
Start Date: 16th November 2015
18th
EU Laws
EU Regulation: The EU Parliament and the EU Council have reached a political agreement on a proposed regulation which will make it easier for businesses to bring innovative food to market while ensuring the highest standards of food safety.
Published Date: 16th November 2015
19th
Court Rulings
EU Ruling: The EU Court of Justice ruled that a German local authority was not in violation of EU law when it imposed a minimum wage requirement on companies bidding for postal services contracts.
Published Date: 17th November 2015
Compliance Guidance
Law Guide: The Competition and Markets Authority has published new tools and guidance on competition law after recent research revealed that 77% of firms had a limited understanding or were unaware of competition law.
Published Date: 18th November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The UK government is calling for evidence on consumer protection measures regarding the resale of tickets for sporting and entertainment events.
Published Date: 20th November 2015
Legal Statistics
Minimum Wage Statistics: More than half (54%) of employers believe the National Living Wage will impact their wages bills, with the retail sector (79%) the most heavily affected by wage increases.
Published Date: 18th November 2015
23rd
Court Rulings
UK Ruling: The High Court has ruled that disclosure of information pertinent to an invention does not invalidate a patent application as long as the application is filed later on the same day.
Ruling Date: 23rd November 2015
Crackdowns & Amnesty
Regulator Crackdown: The Information Commissioner's Office has announced that it will write to more than 1,000 companies involved in the sale and purchase of personal data as part of an ongoing crackdown on nuisance calls.
Published Date: 22nd November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The UK government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations including a ban on recruiting only from European Economic Area countries without advertising in the UK.
Response Deadline: 23rd November 2015
24th
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a discussion paper on options to extend mandatory licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation to smaller and medium sized properties.
Published Date: 6th November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Consultation Outcome: The Department for Communities and Local Government has published the outcome of the consultation proposals to tackle rogue landlords and letting agents including a blacklist and tougher penalties for offenders.
Published Date: 11th November 2015
25th
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The government has published the outcome of the consultation on a proposed levy to enable employers to choose and pay for apprenticeship training.
Published Date: 25th November 2015
26th
Business Laws
Government Activity: The UK government has agreed a deal with the Liverpool City Region devolving powers relating to transport, skills, business support and other areas.
Published Date: 17th November 2015
EU Laws
EU Regulation: The EU Commission has revised the financial thresholds above which public contracts are subject to the EU Public Procurement Directive, which will come into effect from 1 January 2016.
Published Date: 26th November 2015
Regulation Consultations
Law Consultation: The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is consulting on plans to amend the plastic packaging recycling business targets for 2016-17 and introduce new targets for plastic and glass for 2018-20.
Response Deadline: 23rd December 2015
30th
EU Laws
EU Regulation: The EU Parliament has voted to approve more stringent rules surrounding the dissemination of information and advice by insurance sales staff.
Published Date: 27th November 2015
Court Rulings
UK Ruling: The UK's first ever deferred prosecution agreement has been approved and an offence of failure to prevent bribery under the Bribery Act has been confirmed by a English court for the first time.
Ruling Date: 30th November 2015
Business Laws
Government Activity: The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary for Business have launched a new blueprint outlining actions the government will take to increase living standards and create a more competitive environment for businesses.
Published Date: 30th November 2015
