The European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety has proposed key amendments to the draft Critical Medicines Act (CMA) to address the unintended consequences of overlapping environmental and chemical regulations on medicine supply. The committee acknowledges the importance of the EU’s environmental goals but warns that stricter rules—such as those on emissions, wastewater treatment, or substance restrictions—could increase production costs or drive pharmaceutical manufacturing outside the EU. This could exacerbate medicine shortages and undermine the region’s competitiveness.

Dispute Resolution analysis: The Court of Appeal has considered complex questions arising on an appeal of a decision dismissing a challenge to amendments to group litigation cartel proceedings, where a viable limitation defence had been raised. The conclusion, however, depended upon an undertaking given by the claimants not to rely upon the doctrine of relation back. Written by Phillip Patterson, barrister, Gatehouse Chambers.

The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules, SI 2023/572, made on 22 May 2023, have been published and come into force on 1 October 2023. The changes to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) are largely in respect of extending the application of fixed recoverable costs (FRC) to most civil cases that are allocated to the fast track and to the newly created intermediate track.

A review of the Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol (the protocol) has concluded that the protocol is sound and should remain in force as published in 2024, subject to certain amendments. The protocol applies to the exchange of information and material between criminal and family agencies and jurisdictions. It relates to all private and public family law proceedings, including contemplated public law proceedings, and all material held by the police.

Employment analysis: The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) completed its Committee stage in the House of Commons on 17 January 2025, and an amended version of the Bill was published on 27 January 2025. The amendments to the Bill are varied and include the addition of Statutory Sick Pay measures for Northern Ireland, the inclusion of a chapter in relation to seafarers, an extension to the time limit for bringing employment tribunal claims and amendments relating to an employer’s duty to make a guaranteed hours offer, the requirements for withdrawing such offers and tribunal powers to make awards for breaches. The Bill is now set for the Report stage of its progress through Parliament.

This Practice Note summarises the important amendments made to the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (Code) in September 2011. The changes were principally intended to reduce the tactical advantages which some hostile (unrecommended) offerors were felt to have, and to improve the bid process by taking more account of those (other than offeree shareholders) who may be affected by the takeover, such as employees. This Practice Note focuses on the key changes made to the Code in September 2011. It does not discuss or consider any subsequent amendments to the Code. Important amendments were made to Code with effect from Monday, 19 September 2011 (Implementation Date). Implementation of these changes, involving the publication of a revised edition of the Code (the tenth edition), followed an extensive consultation exercise instigated by The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (Panel) in response to concerns raised as to the way in which the Code had been operating. These concerns were given public expression as a result of the manner in which several high profile bids (including

Family analysis: The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2026, SI 2026/699 (SI 2026/699) amend the Family Procedure Rules 2010, SI 2010/2955 (FPR 2010), introducing new definitions of regulated and technical experts and setting out the requirement for experts to be regulated in children proceedings. SI 2026/699 also inserts a new rule so that a practice direction may make provision about the court giving permission to communicate information from financial remedy proceedings.

The European Commission has published a consultation on a draft Commission Delegated Regulation setting out amendments to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/61 (the LCR Delegated Regulation) on liquidity coverage requirements for credit institutions. The consultation is open for feedback for four weeks until 15 July 2025.

The Home Office has announced that it is adding new amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which include provisions to exclude foreign nationals convicted of sex offences from protection under the Refugee Convention, in relation to deportation. Under the proposed amendment, any conviction that would resulting in registration on the sex offenders register would lead to a presumption that the person has been convicted of a ‘particularly serious crime’, which is an exception to the Refugee Convention protection in relation to automatic deportation. Other amendments being laid before the report stage include a new  requirement for the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber to decide appeals within 24 weeks, aimed at reducing processing times for asylum claims, and stronger powers for the Immigration Advice Authority against non-registered immigration advisers. The same announcement also confirms that the Home Office is to start using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist caseworkers in making decisions on asylum claims, by speeding up access to the relevant country advice, and summarising interview transcripts. This is to facilitate quicker decisions on asylum claims ‘without compromising on the quality of human decisions’.

A uniform code used in computer and data communications systems. ASCII code letters, numbers, punctuation and actual control systems in digital codes of '0s' and '1s'. For example, the capital 'C' is 100011 and a '3' is 0110011.

Certificates issued by a US bank stating that a specific number of a non-US company's shares have been deposited with it. These certificates are denominated in US$ and traded on US exchanges as if they were US securities.

Amicus curiae describes a person or body that is not a party to proceedings but assists the court by offering impartial submissions on points of law or wider public interest. The term (Latin for “friend of the court”) is used across the UK and Ireland, largely consistently, as a descriptive expression rather than a tightly defined statutory concept. In practice, an amicus curiae is typically invited or permitted by the court to file written submissions, and sometimes to make oral submissions, where their expertise or perspective may help the court reach a properly informed decision. They do not represent any party and owe their primary duty to the court. In England and Wales, the role overlaps with, but is not identical to, the Advocate to the Court or Advocate General interventions (for example, by the Attorney General or the Equality and Human Rights Commission). Similar mechanisms exist in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, sometimes under labels such as interveners or third‑party interveners. Amicus curiae participation is most common in appellate courts and constitutional or human rights litigation, especially where the decision may have significant legal or systemic implications beyond the immediate parties.