We have limited our research to cover recent trade mark infringement cases in the English courts. The issue of damages arose in Azumi Limited v Zuma's Choice Pet Products, a recent trade mark infringement case in which there was

A gift by an individual to another individual (or to certain classes of 'favoured settlements'), is a potentially exempt transfer (PET). A PET made seven years or more before the death of the transferor is exempt under section 3A of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (IHTA 1984). If, however, the transferor dies within seven years of the gift, then inheritance tax (IHT) becomes payable and the applicable rate of IHT (currently

This Q&A focusses on the deceased dying in England and Wales with assets only in that jurisdiction. Section 27 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982 (AJA 1982) and AJA 1982, Sch 2 introduced a new form of will, the 'international will', so as to enable the United Kingdom to ratify the Unidroit Convention providing a Uniform Law on the Form of an International Will. The Convention entered into force on 9 February 1978 and 21 countries have signed up to it (as at 2015) but the Convention has yet to be ratified by the United Kingdom. Whereas the uniform rules for an international will as set out in the Annex to the Convention are similar to the requirements

The Council of the European Union has adopted the European Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation, aimed at enhancing cross-border access to health data within the EU. The new law will facilitate individuals' control over their electronic health data and enable its reuse for research purposes. Member states are required to establish digital health authorities and ensure compliance with the European electronic health record exchange format. The regulation will come into effect 20 days after its publication in the EU's Official Journal, marking a significant step towards the digitalisation of healthcare in Europe.

The Council of the EU has adopted a negotiating mandate on a revised package travel directive, aiming to enhance traveller protection and simplify aspects of the Directive (EU) 2015/2302). The Council's position clarifies the directive's scope, strengthens travellers' rights to cancel without fees in extraordinary circumstances, and sets rules on vouchers and insolvency protection. It also introduces an information obligation for travel companies and limits advance payments to 25% of the package price, with some exceptions. The mandate will form the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament once it adopts its position.

The Council of Music Makers has published a white paper urging the creation of an industry-wide standard to ensure that music creators receive explicit consent, maintain full control over their work, and are fairly compensated. The paper states that creators have been kept uninformed while music and AI companies negotiate AI agreements, despite no existing record or publishing contracts anticipating AI uses of music. It warns that assuming consent—particularly for training inputs—repeats issues seen during the early streaming era, and stresses that music-makers must be engaged before any AI usage or revenue-sharing is agreed.

The Council of the EU has announced its adoption of the Regulation on the transparency and integrity of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating activities and amending the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (EU SFDR) and the ESG Ratings Regulation (EU) 2023/2859. The Regulation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal (OJ) before entering into force 20 days later; it will apply 18 months later.

The Council of the European Union has formally adopted the EU’s budget for 2026, following negotiations with the European Parliament that concluded in an agreement on 15 November 2025. The budget sets total commitments at €192.8bn and total payments at €190.1bn. A margin of €715.7m has been retained under the expenditure ceilings of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) commitments, allowing the EU to respond to unforeseen circumstances. The budget will receive final approval once it is also adopted by the European Parliament, which is expected to take place on 26 November 2025. This represents the sixth annual budget under the 2021–27 MFF.

The Council has adopted an amendment to the regulation on CO2 standards for new passenger cars and vans, modifying compliance assessment methods for vehicle manufacturers. The amendment introduces a three-year averaging period for emissions targets covering 2025-2027, replacing the current annual assessment system. The regulation, which forms part of the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector announced on 5 March 2025, will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Council of the EU has adopted a new cyber crisis management blueprint to guide the EU’s collective response to large-scale cybersecurity incidents or crises. The document, endorsed by telecom ministers and spearheaded during the Polish presidency under Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski, clarifies how member states should detect, respond to, recover from and learn from such events. Building on the 2017 blueprint and aligning with new legislative instruments including the NIS2 directive and the Cyber Solidarity Act, the new framework aims to strengthen cooperation among EU actors, define the conditions for activating crisis mechanisms, and improve coordination at technical, operational and political levels. It emphasises the importance of cross-border collaboration, public communication management, and civilian-military cooperation, including with NATO, while also encouraging the sharing of lessons learned.

The Council of the EU adopted conclusions on a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the life sciences and biotechnology sectors across Member States. Recognising the sector’s potential to contribute to sustainable development, public health and economic competitiveness, the conclusions call for coordinated action to enhance research and innovation, improve regulatory coherence and support ethical and societal dialogue. Key areas identified for intervention include healthcare, agriculture, industrial processes and environmental protection, with emphasis on biosafety, consumer choice and international cooperation.

The Council of the European Union (EU) has adopted a decision setting out the EU's position within the EU-Ukraine Association Committee regarding the reduction or elimination of customs duties on agri-food products, including dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and meat preparations. The decision follows the preliminary agreement on the review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area reached between the European Commission and Ukraine on 30 June 2025. The agreed EU position will enhance trade flows between the EU and Ukraine, while ensuring that Ukraine's market access is contingent on its gradual alignment with EU production standards on animal welfare, pesticides and veterinary medicines. The decision also introduces a safeguard mechanism that either party can activate in the event of market disruption. Market access for sensitive products, such as sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize and honey, will remain limited and gradual, with full liberalisation considered only for certain non-sensitive products, such as milk and milk products. The EU-Ukraine Association Committee will subsequently adopt this decision as part of the review process under Article 29(4) of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.