On 27 April 2023, the UK Government published updated guidance on its recently introduced national security and investment screening regime.Continue Reading UK National Security Regime: Enforcement Practice and Updated Guidance
Cross-border M&A
U.S. Treasury Adopts Final Corporate Beneficial Ownership Reporting Rule
Last week, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury adopted a final rule (the “Final Rule”) to implement the beneficial ownership reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act, part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020.
This legislation requires a range of U.S. legal entities, and non-U.S. legal entities registered to…
Global Merger Control and Foreign Direct Investment Considerations Associated with Cross-Border Transactions
Recent developments regarding global competition enforcement and foreign direct investment, or FDI, review regimes have created uncertainty for cross-border transactions. Specifically, global merger control authorities have become increasingly aggressive in “calling in” transactions under so-called “voluntary” regimes and a number of FDI review regimes recently have been established or expanded. These developments have resulted in…
Italy Extends Its COVID-19 Emergency FDI Review Regime Through 2022
On December 30, 2021, the Italian Government extended until the end of 2022 Italy’s emergency foreign direct investments (“FDI”) regime, which enables it to review also acquisitions of controlling stakes by European Economic Area (“EEA”) investors, as well as certain minority investments by non-EEA investors, in any strategic sector.
By contrast, under ordinary rules, these…
Global FDI Review Landscape Continues to Evolve
In 2022, boards of directors will continue to face a complex and expanding global foreign direct investment landscape that increasingly requires transactions to undergo intensive multijurisdictional FDI reviews and filing and approval processes, alongside merger control reviews and clearances. This includes longstanding FDI review regimes with which boards of directors may be familiar, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, as well as new and recently modified and expanded regimes, particularly in Europe. …
Continue Reading Global FDI Review Landscape Continues to Evolve
Wide-Ranging New UK National Security Regime Comes Into Force
The National Security and Investment Act 2021, which was passed on 29 April 2021, comes into force today. The new regime, which subjects investments in many companies active in the UK to mandatory review on national security grounds, will be among the most wide-ranging in the world. It represents the most significant change in the…
CFIUS Releases 2020 Annual Report
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) recently released its 2020 annual report, which provides information and statistics regarding transactions reviewed by CFIUS in 2020.[1] For the first time, the 2020 annual report also includes information regarding so-called non-notified transactions identified and reviewed by CFIUS.
Continue Reading CFIUS Releases 2020 Annual Report
UK Proposes A Mandatory, Pre-Closing National Security Regime
On November 11, the UK Government proposed a new national security screening regime that would allow the Government to intervene in “potentially hostile” foreign investments that threatened UK national security while “ensuring the UK remains a global champion of free trade and an attractive place to invest.”
If approved by Parliament, the National Security and…
Venture Capital Investing: New NVCA Models, and New Challenges for Foreign Investors in Early-Stage U.S. Companies
Between July 28, 2020 and September 1, 2020, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) released updates to its model legal documents for use in venture capital financing transactions. This memorandum will explain the changes to these model forms and some of the reasons for, and implications of, such changes.
As background, the NVCA is an…
UK Government Prohibits Acquisition of UK Supplier of Military Aircraft Components
On 5 September 2020, the UK Government accepted undertakings from Gardner Aerospace not to proceed with its proposed acquisition of Impcross, a UK-based manufacturer of components for the aerospace industry (including for military aircraft). Gardner is owned by Shenzhen-listed Ligeance Aerospace Technology. This is a rare case of the UK Government effectively prohibiting a transaction…