If You Can’t Stand the Heat – Nearly Legal

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in EC law, energy, news, regulations by sally

‘The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 were passed near the end of 2014 by the Government. They have been starting to excite interest after the production of a scoping document in April 2015 which attempts, badly, to explain their application.’

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Nearly Legal, 2nd June 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Tobacco companies prepare multi-billion compensation claims over UK plain packaging – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 22nd, 2015 in compensation, EC law, intellectual property, news, smoking, trade marks by sally

‘Tobacco companies are preparing to launch what could be one of the biggest ever legal claims against the British Government for losses as a result of the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes.’
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Daily Telegraph, 21st May 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The watchdog that would have scrutinised the end of the Human Rights Act just got quietly scrapped – The Independent

Posted May 22nd, 2015 in constitutional reform, EC law, human rights, magna carta, news, parliament by sally

‘The parliamentary committee that scrutinises proposed major constitutional changes been scrapped despite turbulent times ahead of the future of the United Kingdon’s governance.’

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The Independent, 21st May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mosley v Google: RIP – Panopticon

Posted May 19th, 2015 in data protection, EC law, human rights, internet, news, privacy by sally

‘So Max Mosley has done a deal with Google in respect of his claim that Google had breached his rights under the DPA 1998 by refusing to block certain images and videos accessible via the Google search engine (see this FT article which suggests that the settlement also applies to claims brought by Mr Mosley in Germany and France). The settlement of the claim, which follows on from Google’s failed strike out application (discussed further below), leaves unanswered a number of really important questions concerning the application of data protection rights in the online world. Not least, the settlement leaves open the question of the extent to which the so-called ‘right to be forgotten’ can operate so as to force internet search engines, not only to de-index individual URLs on request, but also to block access to the offending data globally (i.e. as ISEs already do, for example, where images of child pornography are identified).’

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Panopticon, 18th May 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Anti-vivisection activists win right to legal challenge over how Home Office investigated the care of animals at leading research institution – The Independent

‘Anti-vivisection activists have won the right to a legal challenge over the way the Home Office investigated the care of animals at a leading research institution.’

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The Independent, 17th May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lithuanian MPs petition Lords Speaker over child custody case – The Guardian

‘A delegation of Lithuanian MPs has written to the House of Lords complaining about the removal of a 12-year-old girl from her mother, alleging that she is being deprived of her cultural inheritance. The letter, sent to the Speaker of the House of Lords, Lady D’Souza, is the second high-profile intervention by a Baltic state in UK care proceedings this year and reflects a growing rift between EU states over practices in custody proceedings.’

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The Guardian, 12th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Home secretary hardens refusal to accept EU resettlement programme – The Guardian

Posted May 12th, 2015 in EC law, immigration, news, quotas, refugees by sally

‘The home secretary, Theresa May, has hardened Britain’s refusal to accept a mandatory European Union refugee quota system being put forward in Brussels this week in response to the Mediterranean migrant boat crisis.’

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The Guardian, 11th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Hemming (trading as Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) v Westminster City Council (Architects Registration Board and others, intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted May 11th, 2015 in EC law, fees, judicial review, law reports, licensing, sex establishments by sally

Regina (Hemming (trading as Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) v Westminster City Council (Architects Registration Board and others, intervening) [2015] UKSC 25; [2015] WLR (D) 193

‘A licensing authority was entitled to levy on a successful applicant for the grant or renewal of a licence a charge enabling the authority to recover the full cost of running and enforcing the licensing scheme.’

WLR Daily, 29th April 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Conservative manifesto commitments on immigration, the EU and human rights – Free Movement

‘Standing at the door to No 10, David Cameron stated that he would form a majority government and implement the Conservative Party manifesto “in full”. The moderating influence of the Liberal Democrats has been extinguished. The nationalist isolationism of the Scots and the SNP renders them irrelevant in UK politics for the next five years. Meanwhile, the disaffected UKIP vote wounded Labour, not the Conservatives, piling pressure on the next Labour leader to address UKIP concerns more directly than Ed Miliband. What does all this mean for immigration law over the next five years?’

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Free Movement, 8th May 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Understanding foreign signs – how to make sure your contract is properly executed – Technology Law Update

Posted May 6th, 2015 in appeals, company law, contracts, EC law, international law, news by sally

‘The negotiations are over, the deal is done. Now it’s time to sign the contracts. But before popping the champagne corks, you’ll need to make sure that those signatures are valid. Here’s a cautionary tale of what can go wrong.’

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Technology Law Update, 1st May 2015

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Supreme Court: no excuses, UK must comply with EU air pollution law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 1st, 2015 in EC law, environmental protection, news, pollution, Supreme Court by sally

‘R (ClientEarth) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Supreme Court, 29 April 2015. Bit of a history to this one, with 5 hearings so far. The short version is that in May 2013, the UK Supreme Court (here), faced with the UK’s non-compliance with EU Directive 2008/50 (nitrogen dioxide etc in air), decide to refer various issues to the CJEU in Luxembourg. In 2014, the CJEU said its piece, (C404-13 and my post here), and its views are now considered by the Supreme Court, hence this second SC judgment.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 30th April 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

R (on the application of Hemming (t/a Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) (Respondents) v Westminster City Council (Appellant) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of Hemming (t/a Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) (Respondents) v Westminster City Council (Appellant) [2015] UKSC 25 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 29th April 2015

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

R (on the application of ClientEarth) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of ClientEarth) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent) [2015] UKSC 28 & [2013] UKSC 25 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 29th April 2015

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Moreno v Motor Insurers’ Bureau – WLR Daily

Moreno v Motor Insurers’ Bureau [2015] EWHC 1002 (QB); [2015] WLR (D) 177

‘The scope of the defendant’s liability to the claimant under regulation 13(2) of the Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) (Information Centre and Compensation Body) Regulations 2003 was to be determined in accordance with the law of England and Wales and not the law of the country where the accident occurred.’

WLR Daily, 17th April 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Senior judge says the UK needs a new Copyright Act – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 30th, 2015 in copyright, EC law, intellectual property, internet, judges, legislation, news, speeches by sally

‘The UK government should create a new Copyright Act to address changes in technology, developments internationally and in the EU and a range of problems and issues that have arisen with existing UK copyright laws since they were introduced in 1988, a senior judge has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 29th April 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

TUPE and Property Management – Tanfield Chambers

‘It is well known that where the management or ownership of property passes from one company to another, the employment of staff engaged in property management or maintenance may transfer with it under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“TUPE”). However, it is not unusual for several different managed service contracts simultaneously to transfer from one contractor to another or for a number of sub-contracted maintenance contracts to be taken in-house by a property management company. A recent case has considered how TUPE applies in these circumstances involving multiple contracts.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 27th April 2015

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Court orders UK to cut pollution – BBC News

Posted April 29th, 2015 in EC law, environmental health, news, pollution by sally

‘The UK’s highest court has ruled that the government must take immediate action to cut air pollution.’

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BBC News, 29th April 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two key changes to familiar three letter acronyms – EIA and CIL – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 29th, 2015 in EC law, environmental health, legislation, news, planning by sally

‘As the planning world turns its attention to the upcoming election and wonders what the future holds post 7 May 2015, it would be wise not to overlook the significance of today: 6 April. Two notable changes to environmental and planning law came into force this morning and they will be likely significantly to impact large development proposals across the country. They may, in turn, become the subject of litigation in the future. I discuss each below.’

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39 Essex Chambers, April 2015

Source: www.39essex.com

Trust deeds versus trustees – 11 Stone Buildings

Posted April 20th, 2015 in bankruptcy, debts, EC law, news, pensions, trustees in bankruptcy by sally

‘Thomas Robinson details changes in bankruptcy and pension rights under UK and EU pension schemes.’

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11 Stone Buildings, 15th April 2015

Source: www.11sb.com

Christofi v National Bank of Greece (Cyprus) Ltd – WLR Daily

Christofi v National Bank of Greece (Cyprus) Ltd [2015] EWHC 986 (QB); [2015] WLR (D) 170

‘There was no general power to extend the mandatory two-month time limit for an appeal against the registration of a settlement order by a party not domiciled within the jurisdiction under article 43(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters.’

WLR Daily, 14th April 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk