MLex: A surge in EU measures against cheap chemical imports from China and elsewhere has raised questions about the effectiveness of the EU’s trade defence toolbox. Industry representatives and government officials increasingly argue that product-by-product investigations cannot fully address state-backed overcapacity affecting entire value chains. Brussels is looking at faster enforcement, stronger import monitoring and new trade defence instruments to tackle broader market distortions.

This Practice Note provides an introduction to chemicals and hazardous substances regulation. It is aimed at trainee solicitors and others who are new to chemicals and hazardous substances regulation and provides information on topics including UK REACH, GB CLP, GB Prior Informed Consent, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, biocides and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), asbestos, ozone depleting substances, F-gases, and related health and safety issues. It also includes links to other content with more comprehensive information on these topics. Introduction to chemicals and hazardous substances regulation The regulation of chemicals and hazardous substances is an area of environmental law that is concerned with the risks presented by particular substances to human health and the environment throughout their lifecycle, for example during their manufacture, import, supply, classification, use, storage, transport, and disposal. It is predominantly made up of regulation derived from EU and international laws and the principal regulator is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It is interconnected with other areas of environmental law such as waste law, health and safety

A cheque is a special form of bill of exchange drawn on a banker payable on demand.

A nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl NPP in Ukraine. An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere, which spread over much of Western USSR and Europe. It is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, and is one of only two classified as a level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale alongside the 2011 events at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan.

The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has published a lecture given by the Chief Coroner, HHJ Thomas Teague KC, titled ‘Death and Taxes: the past, present and future of the coronial service’, providing insights into the coronial service’s key achievements and challenges as well as future development.

The Chief Coroner has published detailed guidance (No. 46), explaining coroners’ enhanced powers under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) to obtain information from online service providers when investigating child deaths. The guidance also provides practical direction on new mechanisms while confirming the coroners’ existing wide-ranging powers under Schedule 5 under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (CJA) remains unchanged and recommends early engagement with families about children’s internet use where relevance cannot be ruled out.

The Chief Coroner has published Guidance No. 49, setting out the roles of the Chief Coroner and the incident coroner in responding to major incidents involving mass fatalities, including incidents overseas involving multiple UK nationals and terrorist attacks in the UK. The guidance explains how coroners should coordinate investigations, identification processes, family engagement and inter-agency responses where special arrangements are required.

The Chief Coroner of England and Wales has published revised guidance (Nos. 6, 7 and 20) covering the appointment of coroners, the handling of service deaths, and expectations for Assistant Coroners. Guidance No. 7 replaces and updates the previous version dated 26 July 2013. The updates set out requirements for fair and merit-based recruitment processes run by Local Authorities, subject to the consent of the Chief Coroner and the Lord Chancellor, confirm the independent judicial status of coroners, and introduce a structured appointments framework, including an annual recruitment cycle for Assistant Coroners to support consistency and workforce planning.

In a blog by the Chief Executive of the Health Research Authority (HRA) about the role of AI in clinical research, he discusses collaborative efforts with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Care Quality Commission and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to establish the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Regulations Service which provides a ‘one stop shop’ to find in-depth guidance and practical support to developers and adopters of AI technologies in health and social care. He further discusses the process the HRA has been going through to sample the feasibility of using AI in its regulatory process. This included a pre-pilot project using past trial applications (with applicant approval) to test and evaluate the use of AI in specific review processes. It intends to share the results of this pilot with the aim to carry out a larger pilot in 2025.

Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive of the Pensions Regulator (TPR), has delivered a speech at the Master Trust Conference on helping master trusts deliver value for pension savers. Delfas comments that TPR will be challenging master trust schemes to ensure they have the skills and experience to consider a range of diverse assets that may have the potential to deliver value in the long-term, while also considering environmental, social and governance issues. TPR will also encourage master trust schemes to embrace transparent data disclosure through ‘open standards, open data and common protocols to exchange data and enable flow’. Delfas adds that TPR intends to collaborate with members of the industry to focus on innovative solutions to support savers through retirement. Delfas notes that TPR’s Market Oversight team will be taking a new, broader approach to engagement and will facilitate more in-person meetings on a regular basis.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the company's finance and accounts function.

The Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate) has issued a practice direction establishing new procedures for water companies seeking warrants of entry under the Water Industry Act 1991. Issued in July 2025, the direction mandates that companies provide 21 days' notice prior to applying for warrants, except in emergency situations. It also introduces a sampling approach whereby courts will review between five and ten cases per hearing list. Additionally, the direction outlines specific evidence requirements and sets forth criteria to identify vulnerable customers who must not be disconnected. These changes are designed to streamline the warrant application process while ensuring compliance with the requirements of the European Human Rights Convention.