The Sentencing Council (SC) has launched a consultation on draft blackmail, kidnap and false imprisonment sentencing guidelines. The SC has said that there are currently no guidelines for those offences and aim to develop them to aid the courts. Views are sought from interested parties on the principal factors that make any of the offences included within the draft guidelines more or less serious; the additional factors that should influence the sentence; the types and lengths of sentence that should be passed and whether there are any issues relating to disparity of sentencing and/or broader matters relating to equality and diversity that the guidelines could and should address. The consultation closes on 24 April 2024.

The Sentencing Council (SC) has opened its fourth annual consultation on miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines. SC is putting forward a set of modifications aimed at enhancing the clarity and consistency of guidelines, while also aligning with recent legislative changes. The proposals include clarifying the guidance on sentencing for very large organisations. The consultation is open until 27 November 2024.

The Sentencing Council (SC) has reported on a number of improvements it has made to the online magistrates’ court sentencing guidelines. The changes will take effect from 1 July 2024 and include upgrades to the search function to display results in a prioritised manner according to words and phrases and relevance, a new ‘offence’ filter on the search page and renaming explanatory materials to ‘supplementary information’ and adding a new tab to access this.

The Sentencing Council (SC) has published its response to the 2024 consultation on ancillary orders guidance. The updates include amendments to existing guidance and new guidance covering six additional ancillary orders: animal destruction orders, forfeiture of equipment used in animal welfare offences, parenting orders for children, serious crime prevention orders on conviction, sub-letting unlawful profit orders, and travel restriction orders. The revised guidance will now extend to Crown Court sentencing guidelines, having previously been limited to magistrates' courts. The changes aim to improve consistency and accessibility of information on ancillary orders available upon conviction. The new guidance will take effect on 1 July 2025.

Strategic Co-ordination Centre

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced its 2025 arbitration week programme, featuring the launch of a new report on settlements in arbitration. The event includes sessions on mediation effectiveness, international business dispute resolution and M&A focused arbitration services. The programme aims to examine current trends in international arbitration practice, with particular focus on settlement mechanisms and expert valuation in M&A transactions.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced the Russian International Arbitration Conference (RIAC) 2025, scheduled for 14-16 May 2025 in Moscow. The event combines professional development sessions with cultural programmes, aiming to facilitate international dialogue in arbitration practice.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced its new board members. SCC has said that the group of experienced professionals will support the SCC in its case related decisions and enhance its position in international dispute resolution. SCC's new board members are Sven Lange, Anna-Maria Tamminen, Ramūnas Audzevičius, Ioana Knoll-Tudor, Knud Jacob Knudsen and Barton Legum. Additionally, SCC announced that board members Andrea Carlevaris, Dmitri Evseev, Jan K Schaefer, Sylvia Noury and Veijo Heiskanen will be stepping down.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced that its Legal Counsel, David Wigfeldt, will participate in the Nordic Arbitration Day (NAD) 2025, scheduled to take place on 2 May 2025 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The NAD 2025 is organised by Young Arbitration Practitioners Iceland, in collaboration with young arbitration associations from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. It will be preceded by a social networking event on the evening of 1 May 2025.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute is set to host a seminar on 10 March 2025, featuring the launch of the Westerberg Arbitration Tracker 2025. The event will include a panel discussion with representatives from the four largest Nordic arbitration institutions, exploring Sweden's appeal as an arbitration forum for Danish, Norwegian and Finnish parties. This seminar aims to provide valuable insights into recent trends and developments in Nordic commercial arbitration, particularly focusing on cross-border disputes and the efficacy of the Swedish arbitration system.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with the Silicon Valley Arbitration and Mediation Center (SVAMC). The SCC has said that the strategic partnership aims to promote knowledge exchange, develop best practices, and foster the use of effective and innovative dispute resolution methods globally.

The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) Arbitration Institute has announced the appointment of four new board members for 2025, aiming to bolster its position in international dispute resolution. The new appointees are Samantha J. Rowe, a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP specialising in international arbitration; Christina Waering, Head of Legal Non-Life Insurance at LF with extensive dispute resolution experience; Shirin Saif, a partner at Roschier focusing on technology-related disputes; and Sandra Kaznova, a partner at Hammarskiöld with expertise in arbitration and litigation. These appointments are intended to support the SCC Arbitration Institute's case-related decisions under its rules and bring fresh perspectives to the organisation's work.