Dispute Resolution

Briefings

Briefings in English - 2008

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: Austria

The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Environment Law 2008 Members of our EPR group produced the following comprehensive legal analysis of environmental laws and regulations which appeared in the fifth edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Environment Law 2008; published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London (www.iclg.co.uk).

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: England & Wales

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: Europe Overview

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: France

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: Germany

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: Italy

ICLG: Environment Law 2008: Spain

Norris case

On 12 March 2008, the House of Lords allowed Mr Norris’s appeal in part against the lower court’s decision that Mr Norris should be extradited to the US to face charges of conspiracy to fix prices, obstructing the course of justice and interfering with witnesses. It concluded that Mr Norris could not be extradited on the cartel allegation because price-fixing was not, at the relevant time, a criminal offence in the UK. This briefing outlines and analyses this judgment. (March 2008)

The Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer-cebr carbon commitment share price index

In recent times, the role that business needs to play in helping fight climate change has received increasing attention. At the same time, many have argued that efforts to combat climate change will provide corporate, as well as environmental, benefit. This report introduces one approach to measuring the contribution made by business to fighting climate change, as well as the corporate success it may (or may not) bring. (March 2008)

Environment: EU publishes its proposals to meet its 2020 emissions reduction target

At the March 2007 European Council summit, EU member states committed themselves to cutting the EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, compared with 1990 levels, with a promise to move to 30 per cent if other industrialised countries follow suit. After some delay and intense behind-the-scenes lobbying by the member states and industry, the Commission finally published a package of legislative proposals designed to achieve these targets on 23 January. (March 2008)

Getting it right: product recall in the EU

In the first 10 months of 2007, the European Commission received 56 per cent more consumer safety alerts from EU member states than in the same period in 2006. What is driving this high level of activity in the EU? This report answers this and other questions on the basis of a major international study into industry attitudes to product safety and recall in the EU. (March 2008)

Treating customers fairly

Ensuring effective, industry-wide implementation of a policy of treating customers fairly (TCF) was a focus of much of the FSA’s work in 2007 and this will also be the case in 2008. Notably, in November 2007, the FSA published a report entitled Treating customers fairly: measuring outcomes reporting on its assessment of industry performance on TCF. The following month, the FSA issued a press release announcing that firms were not doing enough to ensure that their appointed representatives were treating customers fairly in the sale of general insurance, mortgage and investment products. (March 2008)

Recent developments in class actions and third party funding of litigation

A rapidly evolving landscape. (February 2008)

An update to the June 2007 guide, Class actions and third party funding of litigation.

EU food law in 2008

The increasing regulation of the food industry in Europe is an inevitable consequence of the EU’s policy of strengthening consumer confidence in food safety and harmonising laws and regulations to ensure the free movement of food and feed. (February 2008)

New German gambling regime

On 1 January 2008, a new gambling regime came into force in Germany. The new law upholds the state monopoly for gambling until 2012. All internet activities are prohibited. Advertising is restricted to providing information on gambling activities and is prohibited on TV and the internet or by telecommunication. The law was discussed controversially before coming into force. It is expected that authorities will take action against private land-based and internet operators as well as financial institutions and service providers in early 2008. (January 2008)

Hot topics in public procurement

This briefing is a round-up of some of the important recent developments in EU public procurement. We will focus on: the new Remedies Directive; defence procurement; and pre-commercial procurement for research and development services. (January 2008)

Serious Fraud Office investigation into UK companies in connection with UN Oil For Food Programme contracts. (January 2008)

This briefing summarises the position and the issues that arise and sets out some of our more relevant experience in this area. Clients who had any involvement with the OFFP should consider taking appropriate preparatory steps in expectation of an approach from the SFO.

UK Planning Bill: effect on major new energy projects

In an attempt to overcome these problems the recently published energy and planning white papers propose what amounts to a preferential regulatory system for nationally significant infrastructure projects that should, among other matters, ensure the delivery of the new energy generation capacity that the government envisages will be required in the next two decades. This involves further changes to the development consents regime, beyond those already introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 for major infrastructure projects. (January 2008)

Briefings in German - 2008

Shareholder Aktivismus – Was tun gegen „räuberische Aktionäre“?

Shareholder Aktivismus – ein Phänomen, von dem Österreich bislang weitgehend verschont geblieben ist – entwickelt sich mehr und mehr zu einem Problem. Berufsopponenten („räuberische Aktionäre“) drohen eine Klage an oder bringen eine solche ein, um sich ihr Anfechtungsrecht abkaufen zu lassen. Eine auf diese Weise unter Druck gesetzte Gesellschaft muss sich rechtlich wehren. Die Erhebung einer Anfechtungsklage gegen einen Hauptversammlungsbeschluss ist dann Rechtsmissbrauch, wenn nicht allgemeine Aktionärsinteressen, sondern illoyale Eigeninteressen verfolgt werden. Im übrigen ist zu erwarten, dass auch auf Ebene des Gesetzgebers künftig die rechtsmissbräuchliche Geltendmachung von Aktionärsrechten eingedämmt wird. (Mai 2008)

Effektive Schiedsvereinbarungen – Österreich

Um die Vorteile eines Schiedsverfahrens nutzen zu können, sollten die Parteien bei der Abfassung einer Schiedsvereinbarung Unsicherheiten vermeiden. Jede Unklarheit im Wortlaut der Schiedsvereinbarung erhöht das Risiko, dass die Zulässigkeit des Schiedsverfahrens in Frage gestellt wird. Vertragsparteien, die eine Schiedsklausel vereinbaren wollen, sollten ihr daher dieselbe Aufmerksamkeit schenken wie einer materiell-rechtlichen Vertragsbestimmung. Zusätzlich sind bereits bei der Abfassung der Schiedsvereinbarung künftiges Konfliktpotenzial und weiterer Regelungsbedarf zu berücksichtigen, um die Möglichkeiten, die die weitgehend freie Gestaltung eines Schiedsverfahrens bietet, optimal nutzen zu können. (Januar 2008)

Briefings in Italian - 2008

Diritto amministrativo e regolazione d’impresa

In Italia, lo Studio è presente dal 1997 con due sedi, Milano e Roma, e conta circa 125 professionisti, di cui 17 soci. Lo Studio offre un’ampia gamma di servizi legali, con particolare riferimento alle aree del diritto commerciale, societario e bancario, amministrativo, del diritto e della regolamentazione dell’energia, dei media, delle telecomunicazioni e nuove tecnologie, del diritto comunitario e antitrust, del diritto dei servizi finanziari, del diritto immobiliare e tributario. (Marzo 2008)

Appalti, liti ai magistrati ordinari

L’articolo analizza la recente sentenza della Corte di Cassazione (Sez. Un., 28 dicembre 2007, n. 27169), secondo la quale rientrano nella giurisdizione del giudice ordinario le controversie relative all’invalidità o inefficacia del contratto di appalto derivante dall’annullamento degli atti di una procedura ad evidenza pubblica. (5 marzo 2008)

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