The European Banking Authority (EBA) consultation paper EBA/CP/2020/06 seeks submissions in respect of nine draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) related to the implementation of a new prudential regime for investment firms under the Investment Firms Directive and Investment Firms Regulation (IFD/IFR).
Financial RegulationThe European Banking Authority is consulting on the criteria for identifying material risk takers in investment firms as part of its implementation workplan on the Investment Firms Directive and Investment Firms Regulation (IFD/IFR).
Financial RegulationThe European Banking Authority (EBA) is seeking responses to its consultation paper EBA/CP/2020/08 on variable remuneration for employees of investment firms. Interested parties have until 4 September 2020 to submit their responses.
Financial RegulationThe old rule for admitting business records was that they had to be proven by a witness at trial. This even applied to routine records such as delivery dockets, purchase orders, invoices, and statements of account.
DisputesOn 28 February 2020, Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) announced that it had closed its investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the "bagged cement sector".
EU, Competition & ProcurementMMFR stress testing, ESMA recommendations for the AIFMD and UCITS Directive, taxonomy-related disclosures and reporting non-financial information, reporting of net short positions, low carbon benchmarks, UCITS & AIFMD sustainability revisions, cybercrime, the EU sanctions blocking regulation, AML/ CFT
Asset Management & Investment FundsCBI markets update, company law update, CBI statement on e-signatures, cybersecurity, Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020, CBI Submission to EU Commission's AML/CFT Action Plan, Beneficial ownership and Irish investment funds
Asset Management & Investment FundsQ&A of the month. Is the method for submitting AML/CFT Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) to Revenue changing?
Asset Management & Investment FundsIn 2014 Ireland took the lead in whistleblower protection with the introduction of the Protected Disclosures Act. It actively promoted a cultural shift towards encouraging employee whistleblowers by offering them significant protections from penalisation.
EmploymentThe UK electricity regulator, Ofgem, has called for industry feedback on ways to improve coordination in offshore electricity transmission infrastructure. This feedback will inform a wider review of the UK's offshore transmission network, launched in July 2020.
Climate Action
On 25 August 2020, the European Commission approved Ireland's plan to provide €50m worth of State aid to the Irish beef sector to address the impact of COVID-19.
COVID-19A recent Court of Appeal decision (89 Holland Park (Management) Limited -v- Hicks [2020] EWCA Civ 758) held that it was possible to object to a neighbour’s proposed works to land or property on aesthetic grounds, provided the refusal was reasonable.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Belfast
