The Belgian Data Protection Authority (“DPA”) has fined Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport 200,000 and 100,000 EUR respectively for their use of thermal cameras during the Covid-19 pandemic. In two extensive decisions (Brussels decisionandCharleroi decision), the DPA has fined the two airports for their use ofthermal cameras ...
Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, we have seen changes to how cladding is regulated in Scotland. The most recent change comes into force on 1 June 2022 in terms of the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022. The Grenfell Tower disaster changed the lives of local residents and their families forever. It also brought the use of cladding and what lies beneath the external aesthetics of a building into sharp focus ...
The new off-payroll working rules (‘OPWR’) for the private and third sector came into effect on 6 April 2021, but what impact have the changes had so far? Here we focus on HMRC’s approach to the new rules and some recent tax tribunal decisions ...
To coincide with Shoosmiths’ ‘The anywhere office - friend or foe to flexible working?’ event on Wednesday 4 May, we speak with Jessica Chivers, CEO at The Talent Keeper Specialists, on the process of returning to work after a period of long leave ...
The UK is currently dealing with rises in the cost of living and the impact of world events leading to availability issues and price increases across numerous sectors. It is not surprising that we are seeing queries from clients asking us for practical advice on what they should do if they have won a tender and have discovered that their original pricing does not stack up before signing the formal contract. There are lots of factors to consider in this situation ...
Ahead of Shoosmiths’ ‘The anywhere office - friend or foe to flexible working?’ event on Wednesday 4 May, we speak with Rachel Maguire and Hannah Hall-Turner, The Job Share Pair, to examine the job share model and its potential benefits. Rachel and Hannah put forward the case for job sharing, while sharing their tips on how to make it a success, with guidance for businesses and employees considering it as an option ...
The full-text judgement in English has not yet been released, but the press release with a summary of the judgement and its result can be accessed here. The case concerns an action brought by Poland seeking annulment of Article 17 of Directive (EU) 2019/790 on Copyright in the Digital Single Market ...
A summary of the key takeaways from a recent webinar on reducing scope 3 investment-related emissions. Shoosmiths is delighted to be sponsoring United Nation Global Compact Network (UNGC) UK’s series of webinars on ‘Reducing Scope 3 Emissions’ ...
Decree-Law 30-A/2022was published on 18 April to approve the exceptional measures intended to ensure the simplification of the procedures for producing energy from renewable sources. These measures came into force on 19 April and will be in force for a period of 2 years.These exceptional measures have been published by the Government in the current macroeconomic and geopolitical situation ...
Economic sanctions (also called restrictive measures) are an instrument of influence of states or international organisations (EU, UN) on states and individuals whose activities violate international law and pose a threat to peace and security. Sanctioning states impose certain restrictions on sanctioned entities (e.g ...
The government announced several new business immigration routes to be launched in 2022 which consolidate and reform existing routes. The aim is to provide more opportunities for businesses to attract talent from overseas as well as to provide opportunities for growing businesses and recent graduates from international universities. The new Global Business Mobility Visas comprise of five different categories: 1 ...
On 6 April 2022, Shoosmiths hosted the second in a series of webinars about the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry. The webinar focussed on the current status of the inquiry and gave practical tips for potentially interested parties. Hosted by Hayley Saunders (Partner), the webinar included talks by Charles Arrand (Partner), Alex Friston (Associate) and Hannah Frost (Associate) ...
The late 1990s to early 2000s were a time when the internet – still in its infancy – was akin to the wild-west; new, uncharted, and rapidly growing in usage and adoption. The accompanying excitement over this new technology fuelled a stock market bubble caused by untenable speculation on dot-com companies ...
The competition review of local market mergers is often complex. This series of three articles breaks down that complexity into ten key questions ...
The demise of Kids Company and its aftermath has unfortunately overshadowed the pioneering work that charity did for nearly twenty years with some of the most damaged children and young people in our society. In the words of its founder “making a commitment to help maltreated children heal through unrelenting love by being resolute and kind, and over the years understanding how to help children acquire mastery over their traumas ...
A summary of the key takeaways from a recent webinar on reducing scope 3 employee commuting and homeworking emissions. Shoosmiths is delighted to be sponsoring United Nation Global Compact Network (UNGC) UK’s series of webinars on ‘Reducing Scope 3 Emissions’. When setting science-based targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), companies whose Scope 3 emissions account for more than 40% of their total emissions must set Scope 3 targets ...
Our Shoospeak HR podcast welcomes special guest Pavan Sumal who explains the options open to Ukrainians looking to flee the current conflict. Shoosmiths colleagues Andy Graham and Amy Leech are joined by special guest Pavan Sumal (Associate within Shoosmiths’ Immigration Team) to discuss visa options and other immigration support available for Ukrainians fleeing the current conflict ...
The government have introduced various visa concessions for Ukrainian citizens affected by the conflict. Legal director of immigration, Rachel Harvey and Pavan Sumal, associate specialising in immigration law discuss the routes available and what you can do to assist. In country options Concessions are available for those who were in the UK at the start of the conflict ...
On 25 March 2022, the European Commission and the United States Government announced an “agreement in principle” on a new EU-US Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework (the Framework). The purpose of this is to address the concerns that the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) raised in the Schrems II decision, and thus allow the flow of personal data from the EU to the US in a manner that is compliant with the requirements of the GDPR ...
There is concern the race to achieve carbon net-zero is leading to the loss of productive agricultural land to forestry. Investors recognise land with planting potential as an excellent investment, which has had a distorting effect on land values. To some extent, this is simply the operation of market forces. A landowner with an unprofitable farming business may well be tempted to sell land to a forestry investor and there are no restrictions on their ability to do so ...
Family businesses underpin the Scottish economy and most have endured a particularly turbulent few years. While many businesses have sadly struggled, others have adapted, and family businesses, in particular, have demonstrated a remarkable resilience and ability to positively respond to the market in these uncertain times ...
HM Treasury has recently published the outcome of its UK Prospectus Regime Review. The Review Outcome sets out important reforms to the UK prospectus regime for the public issuance of securities and admission to trading on capital markets, outlining the policy approach the UK Government will take following last year's Prospectus Regime Review consultation. This briefing note sets out the key measures confirmed by the UK Government in the Review Outcome ...
Dramatic changes to energy supply security driven by geopolitical upheaval The EU energy transition is aimed at weaning Europe of its fossil fuel dependence and to enable Europe to reach climate emissions reduction targets. For the last 100 years, energy consumption other than transportation has been supplied almost entirely by hydropower. Norway in later years has been actively reducing its dependence on fossil fuel for road transport, costal shipping and the offshore supply fleet ...
As we enter the brave new world in which we are all expected to get on with ‘living with COVID’, what should employers be considering for staff who know or suspect that they have COVID-19? What are the new rules? The government has been slowly winding down the COVID-related legal requirements in England over the past few months. While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland retain some restrictions it is expected that these will also be removed in due course ...
The headlines of the just announced energy strategy were already well known and the comments of ‘missed opportunities’ by various interested parties were equally predictable. Green targets to reduce demand such as energy efficiency measures and improving home insulation have fallen by the wayside, as have those for businesses and organisations on the demand side, with no mention of measures such as plant and equipment switching, on-site renewables or fuel switching ...
