Merger control in the United Kingdom has recently entered a new phase in its development. The advent of the relevant aspects of the Enterprise Act 2002 has been welcomed as a "depoliticisation" of the regime. The role of the Secretary of State has been all but excised, and the substantive criteria against which mergers are assessed have been revised to offer formally a competition-based standard. Together with guidance published subsequently, the reforms also prescribe a range of new procedural guarantees for those parties affected under the regime. In addition, the EC merger control regime and in particular the nature of its relationship with the competent authorities of the Member States has been significantly revised.
It is against this backdrop that the authors--leading experts with first rate regulatory, practical and academic experience--offer a comprehensive statement of the law, architecture, and procedure of merger control in the United Kingdom; explain the factors pertinent to the economic appraisal of mergers in a manner accessible to a legal audience; and give invaluable practical guidance on managing the transactional process and regulatory risk.

This is a practical guide to the subject of financial assistance for the acquisition of shares, in which the authors give a detailed analysis of the current legislation and a critical review of the relevant case law. Financial assistance is a complex, technical and highly regulated aspect of company law, and mistakes have serious civil consequences and criminal sanctions. This book assists practitioners with the interpretation of this difficult area of law and allows them to advise with confidence. Financial assistance is one of the most challenging areas of company law. It is renowned for causing practical difficulties and for the risk involved of giving advice on this area. This book seeks to interpret the position of financial assistance by close reference to the statutory material and abundant case law. Part I deals with the derivation of the legislation and sets out the legislation verbatim with a commentary thereon. Part II contains further analysis of the component parts of the prohibition on the giving of financial assistance. Part III offers factual and critical analysis of some of the most significant cases on this area of the law. The relevant cases will also be cited in Part I and II.

This book presents a variety of articles on contemporary issues in environmental law by eminent university professors of environmental law, international public law, European Union law, and comparative law in Europe and Japan. It is the first book in the field of environmental law based on the results of international conferences and research activities supported by the European Union delegation in Japan. Current essential and global topics such as principles of environmental law, climate change, biodiversity, ethics pertaining to animal rights , nuclear safety regime after Fukushima, environmental impact assessments, protecting international waters, genetically-modified organisms, and implementing international instruments, and EU rules at the national level are discussed in light of the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon and other recent international treaties, by comparing the approaches taken by the EU, European countries, and Japan. As environmental law is not just a national issue but also a global one, it is important to understand and analyse various aspects of current environmental issues. This book is a response to such needs, and represents the joint work of five Japanese and four European (two German and two Italian) professors who have succeeded in creating something that is both unique and remarkable.

This second edition of Merger Control in the EU provides the reader with an exhaustive analysis of the European Community rules relating to merger control, including the new EC Merger Regulation 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 which entered into force on 1 May 2004 and the latest interpretive notices adopted by the European Commission. A brand new addition to the book is the companion website which will maintain the currency of the main work after publication; a service that is free of charge to all who own a copy of the book. The European Commission has exclusive competence to authorise or prohibit concentrations which have a Community dimension. Bearing in mind the economic relevance of these operations, decisions made by the Commission have an extraordinary market impact. This work is an invaluable and precise instrument for legal practitioners and economists, as well as for those undertakings involved in merger operations or acquisitions. It will enable them to become acquainted with the Commission's policy in this field and to guide themselves through the complex procedure of notification in Brussels. It will also be useful for those merger operations which are required to follow the procedure of notification to the national competition authorities in EU Member States, since the Commission's guidelines inspire, to a large extent, the acts and decisions of the national authorities in this field. This book analyses the issues related to merger control not only from a legal standpoint, but also from an economic one. It is a product of the authors' knowledge and experience in Brussels as officials of DG Competition in the Commission, and as lawyers defending the interests of undertakings involved in the notification procedure.

In the political fight over copyright, Internet advocacy has reshaped the playing field. This was shown most dramatically in the 2012 SOPA blackout, when the largest online protest in history stopped two copyright bills in their tracks. For those not already familiar with the debate, this protest seemingly came out of nowhere yet was the culmination of an intellectual and political evolution more than a decade in the making. This book examines the debate over digital copyright, from the late 1980s through early 2012, and the new tools of political communication involved in the advocacy around the issue. Drawing on methods from legal studies, political science, and communications, it explores the rise of a coalition seeking more limited copyright, as well as how these early-adopting, technology-savvy policy advocates used online communication to shock the world. It compares key bills, congressional debates, and offline and online media coverage using quantitative and qualitative methods to create a rigorous study for researchers that is also accessible to a general audience."

This book sets out in a clear and concise manner the central principles of insurance law in the Caribbean, guiding students through the complexities of the subject. This book features, among several other key themes, extensive coverage of: insurance regulation; life insurance; property insurance; contract formation; intermediaries; the claims procedure; and analysis of the substantive laws of several jurisdictions. Commonwealth Caribbean Insurance Law is essential reading for LLB students in Caribbean universities, students in CAPE Law courses, and practitioners.

The first modern title to cover the varied and complex world of ship management in the 21st century. Ship management has constantly had to evolve to take into account the advancements in technology as well as the demands of the shipping industry. Having internet access and email on board ship has meant that the ship manager has to possess certain sets of skills to function effectively in the post, including computer literacy. The emergence of large multi-national ship management companies has also changed how business is conducted, and this in turn means that the ship manager and tiers of management within the organization have had to evolve to cope with the demands of working with a multi-national workforce. Furthermore, since the mid-1980s there has been an ever expanding raft of legislation that is more restrictive for companies to meet, and a shrinking of profit margins has seen a shift in how companies are required to operate to survive. This book addresses the demands of 21st century ship management with the focus of the book as much on the people who manage ships as on the theory and practice of ship management.

The European Commission adopted a comprehensive package of reforms to the EU merger control regime in conjunction with the accession of the new Member States in 2004. This constituted the most radical reform of the regime since the previous Merger Regulation was adopted in 1989, aimed at better adapting it to a globalizing market and enlarging an increasingly integrated European Union. The extensive reform to the regulation has provoked significant questions about the way in which the Commission treats major merger evaluations.
EC Merger Control provides a comprehensive and insightful account of the many important procedural and substantive aspects of the reform process, with contributions from eminent specialists in the field of mergers, including lawyers, economists, and representatives of the European Commission, Court of First Instance, US Department of Justice, the World Bank and several competition authorities. The papers in this book are based on the proceedings of the 2002 EC Merger Control conference - organised jointly by the European Commission and the International Bar Association.

The EU antitrust enforcement system for several decades has been one of the most mature antitrust enforcement systems in the world. The European Commission has been recognised as a leading antitrust agency internationally, and a role model for enforcers. This would not have been possible without effective procedural rules. This volume provides a comprehensive and practically-oriented account of EU antirust procure. After setting out the institutional design and legal framework of the EU antitrust enforcement system, it explores the EU Commission's investigative powers, the possible outcomes of its investigations, the types of decisions it adopts and the remedies and fines it imposes. This volume looks closely at the rights of defences enjoyed by the investigated parties, and how the EU Commission strike a balance between their full observance on the one hand and the effectiveness of its enforcement on the other. Particular attention is given to the judicial review of the EU Commission's acts and the role of the EU Courts in providing judicial protection and ensuring compliance with fundamental rights and principles. Recognising cooperation as a key feature of the EU antitrust enforcement system, the volume explores the mechanisms for cooperation between national antitrust enforcers and the EU Commission, between national courts and the EU Court of Justice as well as the mechanisms for international cooperation. It also provides an in-depth review of the ECN+ Directive and explains how it contributes to making national competition authorities more effective enforcers. Written primarily with enforcers and practitioners in mind, it is essential reading for anyone with an interest in EU antitrust procedure.

This fourth edition of Business Law offers comprehensive and accessible coverage of the key aspects of business law. Established legal topics such as the English legal system, Contract, Consumer, Intellectual Property, Company and Employment Law, and emerging areas such as Health, Safety and Environmental Law are all addressed in the context of business. The work has been thoroughly updated to include all the major recent developments in business law, such as the new EU Trade Secrets Directive and case outcomes decided since the publication of the last edition. The book also discusses the impact of Brexit. In addition, the book features extensive diagrams and tables, revision summaries, reading lists, and clear key case boxes for easy reference. This book is ideal reading for undergraduate law and business studies students, while also applicable to practitioners and those with a more general interest in business law.

The Bribery Act 2010 is the most significant reform of UK bribery law in a century. This critical analysis offers an explanation of the Act, makes comparisons with similar legislation in other jurisdictions and provides a critical commentary, from both a UK and a US perspective, on the collapse of the distinction between public and private sector bribery. Drawing on their academic and practical experience, the contributors also analyse the prospects for enforcement and the difficulties facing lawyers seeking asset recovery following the laundering of the proceeds of bribery. International perspectives are provided via comparisons with the law in Spain, Hong Kong, the USA and Italy, together with broader analysis of the application of the law in relation to EU anti-corruption initiatives, international development and the arms trade.

In the political fight over copyright, Internet advocacy has reshaped the playing field. This was shown in the 2012 'SOPA blackout', when the largest online protest in history stopped two copyright bills in their tracks. This protest was the culmination of an intellectual and political evolution more than a decade in the making. This book examines the debate over digital copyright, from the late 1980s through early 2012, and the new tools of political communication involved in the advocacy around the issue. Drawing on methods from legal studies, political science and communications, it explores the rise of a coalition seeking more limited copyright, as well as how these early-adopting, technology-savvy policy advocates used online communication to shock the world. It compares key bills, congressional debates, and offline and online media coverage using quantitative and qualitative methods to create a rigorous study for researchers that is also accessible to a general audience.

Theory and Practice of Corporate Governance explains how the real world of corporate governance works. It offers new definitions of governance and new conceptual models for investigating governance and corporate behaviour, based on both practical experience and academic investigation. In examining the historical development of corporate governance, it integrates issues of company law, regulatory practice and company administration with contemporary corporate governance policies and structures. An extensive range of international examples, both recent and historical, is used to compare theoretical explanations of governance behaviour with practical outcomes. This book will be particularly suitable for students taking an ICSA-accredited course - giving a necessary critical view on governance, law and regulation - and will also be suitable for accountancy courses. Through utilising new conceptual models, it will stimulate debate among both theorists and practitioners looking to develop their expertise.

Theory and Practice of Corporate Governance explains how the real world of corporate governance works. It offers new definitions of governance and new conceptual models for investigating governance and corporate behaviour, based on both practical experience and academic investigation. In examining the historical development of corporate governance, it integrates issues of company law, regulatory practice and company administration with contemporary corporate governance policies and structures. An extensive range of international examples, both recent and historical, is used to compare theoretical explanations of governance behaviour with practical outcomes. This book will be particularly suitable for students taking an ICSA-accredited course - giving a necessary critical view on governance, law and regulation - and will also be suitable for accountancy courses. Through utilising new conceptual models, it will stimulate debate among both theorists and practitioners looking to develop their expertise.

In the wake of a series of corporate governance disasters in the US and Europe which have gained almost mythic status - Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Adelphia, HealthSouth, Parmalat - one question has not yet been addressed. A number of 'gatekeeping' professions - auditors, attorneys, securities analysts, credit-rating agencies - exist to guard against these governance failures. Yet clearly these watchdogs did not bark while corporations were looted and destroyed. But why not? To answer these questions, a more detailed investigation is necessary that moves beyond journalism and easy scapegoating, and examines the evolution, responsibilities, and standards of these professions. John Coffee, world-renowned Professor of Corporate Law, examines how these gatekeeping professions developed, to what degree they failed, and what reforms are feasible. Above all, this book examines the institutional changes and pressures that caused gatekeepers to underperform or neglect their responsibilities, and focuses on those feasible changes that can restore gatekeepers as the loyal agents of investors. This informed and readable view of the players on the contemporary business stage will be essential reading for investors, professionals, executives and business academics concerned with issues of good governance.

This comparison of EU and WTO approaches to common trade-liberalisation challenges brings together eighteen authors from Europe and America. Together they explore fundamental legal issues, such as the role of general principles of law, the role of the judiciary in the development of law, the effect of the principle of non-discrimination and the elimination of non-discriminatory barriers to trade. The contributions also examine the most recent developments in trade law across a full range of trade issues, including TBT and SPS, services, intellectual property, customs rules, safeguards, anti-dumping and government procurement. Adopting a comparative perspective throughout, this volume sheds light on today's trade law and suggests paths forward for each system through the perennial tensions between open, non-discriminatory trade and strongly held national values and objectives.

This innovative textbook examines commercial law and the social and political context in which it develops. Topical examples, such as funding for terrorism, demonstrate this fast-moving field's relevance to today's concerns. This wide-ranging subject is set within a clear structure, with part and chapter introductions setting out the student's course of study. Recommendations for further reading at the end of every chapter point the reader to important sources for advanced study and revision questions encourage understanding. The extensive coverage and detailed commentary has been extensively market tested to ensure that the contents are aligned with the needs of university courses in commercial law.

This book analyzes the business model of enterprises in the digital economy by taking an economic and comparative perspective. The aim of this book is to conduct an in-depth analysis of the anti-competitive behavior of companies who monopolize data, and put forward the necessity of regulating data monopoly by exploring the causes and characteristics of their anti-competitive behavior. It studies four aspects of the differences between data monopoly and traditional monopolistic behavior, namely defining the relevant market for data monopolies, the entry barrier, the problem of determining the dominant position of data monopoly, and the influence on consumer welfare. It points out the limitations of traditional regulatory tools and discusses how new regulatory methods could be developed within the competition legal framework to restrict data monopolies. It proposes how economic analytical tools used in traditional anti-monopoly law are facing challenges and how competition enforcement agencies could adjust regulatory methods to deal with new anti-competitive behavior by data monopolies.

The understanding of Article 86 (formerly Article 90) of the EC Treaty is vital to any competition lawyer working in Europe. Writing with first-hand experience of dealing with Article 86 cases at DG IV, the author provides detailed examination of this Article and the law concerning exclusive rights and State monopolies.;With analysis of the relevant case-law, attention is paid to all the key areas including: the definition of "exclusive rights" and "economic activities" the remedial possibilities offered by the often neglected Article 31(formerly Article 37), the application of Article 86(1) in conjunction with the competition rules (Article 82 (formerly Article 86)), proportionality in the context of Article 86(2) and decisions and directives under Article 86(3) and their relationship with harmonization directives.;The text offers practical insights and intelligent solutions to many of the problems posed by the applications of these rules.

Cybersecurity is a leading national problem for which the market may fail to produce a solution. The ultimate source of the problem is that computer owners lack adequate incentives to invest in security because they bear fully the costs of their security precautions but share the benefits with their network partners. In a world of positive transaction costs, individuals often select less than optimal security levels. The problem is compounded because the insecure networks extend far beyond the regulatory jurisdiction of any one nation or even coalition of nations. Originally published in 2006, this book brings together the views of leading law and economics scholars on the nature of the cybersecurity problem and possible solutions to it. Many of these solutions are market based, but they need some help, either from government or industry groups, or both. Indeed, the cybersecurity problem prefigures a host of twenty-first-century problems created by information technology and the globalization of markets.

A practical reference volume produced primarily for students of commercial law in Botswana. Apart from coverage of six major areas of commercial law this book also includes an accessible digest of the leading cases and the principles they establish, plus related statutory provisions.

This assessment of the corporate governance role of corporate lawyers in the UK analyses the extent to which lawyers can and should act as gate-keepers, counsellors and reputational intermediaries. Focusing on external and in-house lawyers' roles in both dispersed share-ownership and owner-managed companies, Joan Loughrey highlights the conflicts of interest that are endemic in corporate representation and examines how lawyers should respond when corporate agents provide instructions contrary to the company client's interests. She also considers the legitimacy of 'creative compliance', the ethical arguments for and against lawyers prioritising the public interest over their clients' interests, and their exposure to liability if they fail to perform a corporate governance role. Finally, she considers whether the reforms to the legal profession will promote the lawyer's corporate governance role and advances suggestions for reform.