CASE HUB ARCHIVED–this archived case hub reflects the position at the date of the decision of 5 May 2015; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline. Case facts Outline European Commission merger investigation into the creation of a full-function joint venture combining the business of DE Master Blenders and the coffee business of Mondelēz International. The Commission referred the transaction for a phase II investigation on 15/12/2014. The transaction was cleared, subject to commitments 05/05/2015. Parties Douwe Egberts Master Blenders 1753 B.V. (DEMB) is a Dutch-based coffee and tea company. DEMB offers a range of coffee and tea products across Europe, Brazil, Australasia and Asia. DEMB owns a number of coffee brands—L'Or, Douwe Egberts, Senseo and Merrild. DEMB also operates coffee houses in the Netherlands. DEMB's parent company is Acorn Holdings B.V. (AHBV), a Dutch company owned by an investor group led by JAB Holding Company s.a r.l. Mondelēz International Inc. (Mondelēz) is a US-based global snack company. Its products include biscuits, chocolate, candy, cheese, grocery, powdered beverages, chewing gum and coffee. In relation to coffee, Mondelēz

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DENSZ) has published technical guidance to assist UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) installation operators in complying with the Monitoring and Reporting Regulation 2018 (MRR). The guidance package comprises five documents covering general requirements, uncertainty assessments, biomass reporting, data flow activities and control systems, as well as sampling analysis procedures. It applies to installations across England, Scotland, and Wales, providing detailed information on monitoring and reporting obligations within the UK ETS framework. Each guidance document outlines specific technical aspects of compliance, ranging from overarching concepts to specialised measurement procedures.

Detailed Emergency Planning Zone: The offsite emergency planning area around a nuclear site where the authority'>local authority must have a plan for protecting the public in the event of an offsite nuclear emergency pursuant to regulation 9(1) of REPPIR.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has taken measures to protect consumers by suspending 39 businesses from installing new solid wall insulation. This action follows routine checks that revealed widespread substandard solid wall insulation fitted since 2022 under the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Ofgem has been tasked with overseeing the inspection and repair process, with installers required to cover the cost of any necessary repairs at no expense to households. DESNZ has also published guidance for individuals who may have received poor quality wall insultation work through GBIS and ECO4. The guidance outlines how affected individuals will be notified, the quality check procedures, and the steps for remediation if faults are identified. It also provides information on the steps to take if insulation was installed under different schemes or how to file separate complaints about installations.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has amended the details of grant categories and values in the Notice of approved grant categories and values for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The notice confirms the grant categories and grant values as approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of Regulation 13 of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/123.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have jointly published a report outlining actions to address climate change and biodiversity loss in England. The report outlines the government's implementation of integrated approaches across five priority sectors: climate and nature integration, clean energy delivery, rural economy support, marine restoration, and green finance mobilisation. The strategy commits £7bn to nature recovery and reaffirms the UK's target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. It announces three upcoming frameworks: a Carbon Budget Growth Delivery Plan due in autumn 2025, a Land Use Framework expected later in 2025 and a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan scheduled for 2026. The strategy also outlines plans to expand protected areas, restore peatlands, and develop nature markets to attract private investment. The government will publish cross-sector proposals in autumn 2025 to support the delivery of Carbon Budgets 4–6 and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through to 2037, with Carbon Budget 7 to be set by June 2026. The report also details international commitments ahead of COP30, including the UK's pledge to assist other countries in developing 1.5°C-aligned NDCs and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have announced that the UK and US are set to sign two agreements aimed at accelerating the commercial development of fusion energy. The first agreement will establish a supercomputing partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, combining expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), advanced computing and fusion research. The second will be a Joint Statement committing both countries to closer cooperation on the regulation of fusion energy, with the aim of supporting investment and growth in the sector. DESNZ has also published the UK Fusion Investment Prospectus, which sets out the UK’s offer to fusion companies and investors. Separately, the University of Birmingham, the Electric Power Research Institute and industry partners have secured £2.63 million for research into fusion materials, while Kyoto Fusioneering will invest up to £3 million in the UK to support the development and testing of materials for the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production programme.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Great British Energy (GBE) have announced a £1bn public-private investment to support offshore wind supply chains. The package comprises: (1) a £300m initial investment from GBE (announced in April 2025) to attract private sector funding into Britain's industrial regions; (2) £400m from the Crown Estate to support new infrastructure, including ports, supply chain manufacturing and research and testing facilities; and (3) £300m from industry partners, to fund new investments in supply chains, including advanced turbine technologies, foundations and substructures. The funding will support the development of manufacturing facilities and infrastructure across key regions, such as Teesside, Scotland, South Wales and East Anglia. GBE will coordinate with the National Wealth Fund, the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland and the Development Bank of Wales to establish an integrated public finance framework for offshore wind development.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have announced that the upcoming Future Homes Standard (FSH), expected to be published in autumn 2025, will amend the Building Regulations, SI 2010/2214, to mandate solar panel installation on new build homes. The FSH will make renewable electricity generation—primarily through solar panels—a functional requirement, with limited exemptions for practical constraints such as excessive shading or tree cover. In 2023, the previous government proposed that new build homes must either have solar panel coverage equivalent to 40% of the building’s floor area or none at all. The current government intends to revise this approach, requiring developers who cannot meet the full 40% coverage to still install a reasonable amount of solar panels. The FSH will also require new homes to be built with low carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps and heat networks.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) have launched a consultation on offshore installation decommissioning. The consultation seeks views on draft supplementary guidance on the methodology for considering derogations under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) Decision 98/3 and associated policy changes for offshore oil and gas decommissioning. The new methodology requires an initial assessment of whether full removal is reasonably achievable, measured against five defined criteria, before a derogation proposal can be progressed. Policy proposals include a change to allow steel jackets to be cut and removed at or near seabed level rather than to three metres below the seabed. An assessment of the financial impact on the offshore oil and gas industry has also been published. The consultation closes on 31 October 2025.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Ofgem have launched a joint consultation on implementing consumer protection requirements within the heat networks regulatory framework. The consultation seeks views on various aspects, including the scope of regulation, standards of conduct, and protections for vulnerable consumers. Alongside the consultation, DESNZ and Ofgem have published the draft heat network authorisation conditions and impact assessment, inviting views on their alignment with intended policy objectives. This is the second part of the 2023 consultation on consumer protections. The consultation closes on 31 January 2025.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Ofgem have launched a consultation seeking views on proposals to reshape cyber resilience regulation for downstream gas and electricity operators in Great Britain, in light of the changing energy landscape, Clean Power 2030 and increased cyber security threat. The proposals include introducing baseline cyber resilience requirements for all Ofgem licensees via licence conditions, using Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus as a starting point; reviewing the applicability of the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018, SI 2018/506 (NIS Regulations) by revising essential services and thresholds for designation; considering whether additional downstream gas and electricity services should be captured under the NIS Regulations; and exploring views on the possible future need for intermediate cyber requirements between baseline and NIS standards. The consultation closes on 22 May 2026.