MLex: Kingspan executives were in Brussels last week to defend their company against charges that it misled the EU merger watchdog in the review of its proposed takeover of Slovenian rival Trimo, MLex has learned.

CASE HUB ARCHIVED—this archived case hub reflects the position at the date of the decision of 8 October 2026; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline, commentary and related cases. Case facts Outline European Commission merger investigation under Article 14(1) into incorrect or misleading information provided by Kingspan Group plc during the Commission’s 2021 investigation into Kingspan Group plc’s acquisition of Trimo, arhitekturne rešitve, d.o.o. (M.10962). Latest developments On 8 October 2026, the Commission issued its infringement decision, finding that Kingspan provided incorrect and misleading information to the Commission during the 2021 merger investigation into its proposed acquisition of Trimo. The Commission imposed a fine of €40m on Kingspan for four separate infringements. Parties • Kingspan Group plc (Kingspan): Kingspan is based in Ireland. Its principal activities comprise the manufacture of sandwich panels, insulation, light & air solutions, water & energy and data & flooring technology. Kingspan Group has manufacturing and distribution operations throughout Europe, the Far East and the Americas, and is currently operating in over 70 countries.• Trimo, arhitekturne rešitve, d.o.o (Trimo): Trimo is based

The King’s Bench Division has published the King’s Bench Guide 2026, the twelfth edition of its guide to the working practices of the King’s Bench Division, providing updated practical guidance for those practising or litigating in the Division.

The King’s Bench Masters’ listing office has circulated updated directions for applications before Masters. These supersede the directions currently set out in Annex 6 of the King’s Bench Guide and will be included in the new version of the guide when it is published.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. This King’s Speech 2024 focuses on improving the living standards of working people through economic growth and taking the ‘brakes off Britain’. A major employment announcement came in the form of the Employment Rights Bill, as the government commits to deliver its ‘Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering a New Deal for Working People’ and to legislate to ban zero-hour contracts, end fire and rehire practices, and introduce certain employment rights from day one. The government will also work on delivering a new Draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, which will enshrine the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people in law. The Skills England Bill will also establish a new partnership with employers and reform the apprenticeship levy. David Reade KC, of Littleton Chambers, Catriona Aldridge, partner at CMS, Crowley Woodford, partner at Ashurst, Kerry Garcia, head of employment, pensions and immigration, and Sarah Taylor, senior knowledge lawyer, at Stevens & Bolton LLP, Gareth Wadley, partner and head of employment, and Manon Rattle, associate, at Bristows, and Shona Newmark, partner, and Domonic Lyons, trainee solicitor, at Jones Chase comment on the employment law implications of the King’s Speech 2024.

His Majesty the King has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. As it was in November 2023, keeping people safe was a key theme of the speech and the new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, committed to cracking down on anti-social behaviour, taking back our streets and securing our borders. To do so, he announced that the government would be strengthening policing and the criminal justice system with the Crime and Policing Bill and Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill. The speech also provided an update on the progress and aims of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill and Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the new parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key themes for Commercial include the introduction of the Product Safety and Metrology Bill, the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and the Arbitration Bill. Sarah-Jane Dobson, partner, Rhiannon Webster, partner and head of UK data privacy and cybersecurity, both at Ashurst, and Rosie Burbidge, IP Lawyer at Gunnercooke, comment on the King’s Speech 2024.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies at the first State Opening of Parliament under the newly elected government, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key themes for construction include the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester) Bill, the Arbitration Bill and the Skills England Bill. Further developments, relevant for construction lawyers, include the Great British Energy Bill, the English Devolution Bill and the establishment of an Industrial Strategy Council. Stephanie Hall, solicitor at Davitt Jones Bould, provides commentary on these announcements.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 17 July 2024. Key local government announcements include on governance, with the English Devolution Bill to move power back to local areas and the Hillsborough Law to improve transparency and duty of candour in public investigations; on education, with the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to improve standards in education; the Mental Health Bill to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983; on social housing with the draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill to give homeowners greater rights over their homes; the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to help create a smoke-free UK; and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to improve the planning system. Helen Bunker of Blake Morgan, Dominic Conde-Cole of Maurice Turner Gardner, Stephanie Hall of David Jones Bould, Richard Marsh of BDB Pitmans and Fiona Sawyer of Herbert Smith Freehills comment on the King’s Speech.

The King’s Speech 2026 announced that the government will introduce a Competition Reform Bill (the Bill) as part of its legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session. The Bill builds on the CMA’s recent ‘4Ps’ reform programme and proposes further changes aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency and accountability of UK competition enforcement.

His Majesty, King Charles III, has set out the government’s priorities and proposed policies for the next parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament. Key local government announcements include measures on governance with the Overnight Visitor Levy Bill, as well as the Representation of the People Bill and the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, intended to implement ‘Hillsborough Law’. Housing featured prominently, with the Social Housing Renewal Bill, Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill and Remediation Bill addressing social housing supply, leasehold reform and building safety remediation. Education measures include the Education for All Bill and significant reform of special educational needs and disabilities provision, while healthcare proposals include the NHS Modernisation Bill. Infrastructure and environmental measures include planned rail, highways, civil aviation, water, energy and nuclear regulation bills, alongside licensing reform through the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Bill. Although the Public Procurement (British Goods and Services) Bill was absent, wider business reforms featured in the Small Business Protections (Late Payments) Bill, Competition Reform Bill and Regulating for Growth Bill. Other notable proposals include the Digital Access to Services Bill, Police Reform Bill and Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

The King’s Speech 2026 (and accompanying background briefing notes), delivered on 13 May 2026, place energy security at the heart of the government’s legislative agenda. The central theme running through the programme is that geopolitical instability and fossil fuel dependence require action to accelerate clean power, reform electricity markets, expand nuclear generation and strengthen strategic infrastructure. The key elements of the legislative programme of particular relevance to energy sector participants include the following (and these are discussed further below): • Energy Independence Bill • Nuclear Regulation Bill • Electricity Generator Levy Bill • European Partnership Bill • Regulation for growth Bill • Cyber security and Resilience Bill, and • Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill It is important to recognise the significant political and practical uncertainty surrounding the implementation and ultimate scope of this legislative programme. In addition to the usual political, fiscal and parliamentary scrutiny which these measures are expected to face before enactment, at the time of the King’s Speech, there is significant political speculation regarding the long-term stability of Prime Minister’s Sir