MLex: The energy ministers of Belgium, Ireland and the UK signed a Joint Statement on 15 May 2024 to explore the creation of an energy corridor between the three countries through commissioning an interconnector between the wind farms off the Irish coast and the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island. The partnership signifies another step towards achieving the ambitions set at the North Sea Summit in 2023 to ‘make the North Sea the largest sustainable power plant in Europe,’ according to Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten. Statement follows.

This Practice Note focuses on the regulatory framework for systematic internalisers (SIs) under the recast Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2014/65/EU) (MiFID II), as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/790 (the MiFID II Review), and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (Regulation (EU) 600/2014) (MiFIR), as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/791 (the MiFIR Review), (together the MiFID II framework). For more information about trading venues under the MiFID II framework (regulated markets (RMs), multilateral trading facilities (MTFs) and organised trading facilities (OTFs), see Practice Note: MiFID II: EU trading venues. What are systematic internalisers and why are they regulated? Funds, insurance companies and other large-scale investors have two broad options for buying and selling securities. They can buy or sell on a trading venue in which multiple buyers and sellers interact with each other, or they can trade directly with an investment firm which will deal on its own account when settling its transactions with them. In this case the traded securities will be sourced from, or added to, the investment firm’s own holdings of securities or,

MLex Summary: EU dumping duties of up to 46.2% in place on EU imports of pre-and post-stressing wires and wire strands of non-alloy steel from China are under review to see if their expiry would result in continued dumping and harm, the European Commission said on 1 September 2026. The request for a review was brought in June 2026 by the European Stress Information Service on behalf of the EU industry of PSC wires and strands.

MLex: Further concentration in the EU telecom sector ‘might be the only way to avoid selling infrastructure piece-by-piece to foreign non-EU companies,’ lawmakers of the bloc have stated in their annual report on competition policy. The European Parliament today approved the final version of its annual report, in which they warn about high levels of concentration in food supply chains and the market for credit rating agencies. They also say antitrust authorities need to increase cooperation with data protection regulators.

This Practice Note examines the concept of tied agents within the recast Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2014/65/EU) (MiFID II). It also outlines the obligations for firms who appoint a tied agent or EEA tied agent, and the passporting regime for tied agents. For information on the regulatory regime that governs passporting more generally under MiFID II, see Practice Note: Exercising passport rights under EU MiFID II. For information on the options that third-country firms have to access the EEA market, see Practice Note: EU MiFID II & MiFIR—third-country regime. EU tied agents regime The EU regime for tied agents set out in MiFID II mandates that Member States must have a tied agents regime in place. A ‘tied agent’ is defined in MiFID II as a natural or legal person who, under the full and unconditional responsibility of only one investment firm on whose behalf it acts: • promotes investment services and/or ancillary services to clients or prospective clients • receives and transmits instructions or orders from the client in respect of investment services or financial

MLex: The EU seeks greater control over who shapes standards for strategic technologies, in a leaked proposal that would let it restrict foreign-controlled participants and diverge from global standards. The overhaul of the Standardisation Regulation would also mandate free access, speed up standard-setting, and widen participation.

Law360, London: The European Commission plans to withdraw proposed directives that would impose a financial transaction tax and target tax evasion through the use of shell companies, it said 21 October 2025 in a workprogramme for 2026.

MLex: The EU is set to import more liquefied natural gas from the US, st rengthen co-operation on nuclear and allow some flexibility on methane reporting rules, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said after his meeting with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

The European Commission has decided to register imports of all products under anti-dumping or anti-subsidy investigations, as well as ongoing investigations where provisional determinations are yet to be made. The aim of this change in practice is to enhance the use of trade defence instruments and tackle the effects of unfair competition. It will also simplify procedures, alleviate the burden placed on industry, and provide more accurate information about the source and quantities of imports of a product which is under investigation. Where certain conditions are met, the Commission will also be able to collect retroactive anti-dumping and countervailing duties.

This Flowchart provides an overview of the EU trade mark (EUTM) registration process as implemented by the EU Intellectual Property Office. It covers the key stages of application; publication;

What is an EU trade mark and why register one? An EU trade mark (EUTM) registration is a single trade mark covering all EU Member States. An EUTM is obtained by means of a single trade mark application filed at the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), located in Alicante, Spain. Obtaining an EUTM is cheaper than registering national trade marks in more than three Member States. For information about fees, see: EUIPO Fees. An EUTM can form the basis of an international registration and an international registration can form the basis of an EUTM application. For more information, see Practice Note: Madrid international trade mark system. EUTMs are registered for a period of ten years from the date of filing the application and can be renewed indefinitely for subsequent ten-year periods. An EUTM allows for an EU-wide application for action to be lodged with the customs authorities, which enables them to seize and detain infringing goods, and for pan-EU injunctions against infringement to be obtained. For more information, see Practice Notes: IP enforcement and the

This Practice Note sets out the key legislative provisions which govern EU trade mark (EUTM) registrations pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 (incorporating amendments introduced by Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 to update the previous Regulation (EC) 207/2009), as well as Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/626 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/625. For reference, it includes the corresponding provisions of Directive (EU) 2015/2436. It is organised by topic, focusing on the legislation which governs the particular activity. The EU Trade Mark Regulation An EU trade mark (EUTM) registration is a single, unitary trade mark covering all EU Member States. An EUTM is obtained by means of a single trade mark application filed at the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). For more information, see Practice Note: EU trade marks (EUTMs). EU trade marks are governed by Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 (the EU Trade Mark Regulation) (which consolidated the amendments made to the previous Regulation (EC) 207/2009 by Regulation (EU) 2015/2424 (the Amending Regulation)). The Amending Regulation came fully into force on 1 October 2017 and the tables below set out the legislation