On 30 November 2006 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) published draft guidance on the UK Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) regime.

HMRC has announced that the extension of Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance and Statutory Adoption Pay to 52 weeks, and the introduction of Additional Paternity Leave and Pay, has been delayed.

Tier 1 General is a immigration permission for highly skilled migrants which allows an individual to work for any employer in the UK or on a self employed basis (except as a Doctor in Training).

In Russia, December was by far the most eventful month of 2011. United Russia's poor showing in the December 4th parliamentary elections and the street demonstrations that followed undoubtedly sent a jolt to the leadership.

Our recently published guide to coverage defences in Europe provides an overview of the key coverage defences under the law of England and Wales and the extent to which these defences are available to insurers in other European jurisdictions.

Unsecured creditors can no longer request payment from a merging/demerging company of sums that are not due and payable at the time of the merger/demerger.

Since the last update, quite a few tax regulations in China have been updated due to changes in government policy.

On 9 August 2012 Vaclav Klaus, the President of the Czech Republic, vetoed the amendment to the Energy Management Act (406/2000 Coll.), which governs obligations connected to energy performance certificates of buildings.

The European Commission has opened formal investigation of Poland’s proposal to grant €40.9 million in investment aid to Fiat Powertrain Technologies Poland.

From 1 August 2012, energy companies must obtain shareholder approval for their price proposals, including changes and supplements, before submitting them to the Office for Regulation of Network Industries for approval.

The Bribery Act came into force just over a year ago, amid much fanfare and media speculation. Some said it went too far and would stifle business, others said it did not go far enough.

The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 come into force on 1st October.

At the Conservative Party Conference today George Osborne announced that the Government intends to make it "much less risky for businesses to hire people".

The EMI individual limit increase from £120,000 to £250,0000 announced in the 2012 Budget will come into effect on 16 June 2012.

The planning regime may become easier for investors wishing to develop energy sources on sites without a local zoning plan.

Recent changes to the CEA required under the Dodd-Frank Act are likely to significantly increase the number of UK fund managers who will be required to register as a CPO with the CFTC.

On 4 June the European Commission launched a public consultation on procedures for notifying and acting on illegal content hosted by online intermediaries.

The Committee of Advertising Practice has announced the publication of the final forms of the new CAP and BCAP Codes, following the conclusion of a lengthy public consultation to which 30,000 responses were received.

British citizens will not be forced to obtain identity cards until 2012, over two years later than originally planned, leaked Home Office documents have shown.

On May 28, 2010, the People's Bank of China ("PBOC") and the China Banking Regulatory Commission ("CBRC") jointly issued a circular, titled Opinions on Providing Financial Services to Further Support Energy Saving and Emission Reduction and Closing-down of Backward Production Capacities (the "Circular").