Commercial Awareness

Supreme Court judgment in FCA’s business interruption insurance test case hands down good news for policyholders

Supreme Court judgment in FCA’s business interruption insurance test case hands down good news for policyholders

On the 15th of January 2021, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA)’s business interruption insurance test case, bringing clarity regarding whether insurers must pay claims on certain policies.

The Genocide Amendment: World Peace Meets World Trade 

The Genocide Amendment: World Peace Meets World Trade 

The High court has been looking to put forward an amendment that stops the UK signing trade deals with states that have been found guilty of committing genocide. The House of Lords All-Party genocide Amendment has recently hit the house commons and has been defeated by a small vote margin of 11.

'The UK could still sign a trade deal with a state committing genocide...This amendment puts that right'.

FCA Commences Criminal Proceedings Against NatWest Plc.

FCA Commences Criminal Proceedings Against NatWest Plc.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), an independent financial regulatory body, contend that National Westminster Bank PLC, commonly referred to as NatWest, failed to adhere to certain clauses of the Money Laundering Regulations Act 2007 (MLR 2007). The FCA alleges that “NatWest’s systems and controls failed to adequately monitor and scrutinise” suspicious transactional activity between November 2011 and October 2016, and so were remiss in their duty to prevent money laundering.

COVID and Convenience: The Reason for the Decline of our High Street?

COVID and Convenience: The Reason for the Decline of our High Street?

Arcadia Group, the parent company of retail stores such as Topshop, Miss Guided and Dorothy Perkins, officially went into administration on 30th November 2020, affecting 13,000 jobs. Ian Grabiner, the chief executive of Arcadia Group, cited the pandemic as being the main reason for the group’s collapse

Adapt or Perish: Weathering the storms - How airlines have adapted their services to stay afloat after more than a year of COVID-19

Adapt or Perish: Weathering the storms - How airlines have adapted their services to stay afloat after more than a year of COVID-19

In a bid to stay afloat amidst COVID-19, airlines have adapted quickly to convert their passenger cabins into cargo storage areas for freight such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is manufactured in Asia and desperately needed in many parts of the world.

IS UBER FINALLY LISTENING TO ITS DRIVERS?

IS UBER FINALLY LISTENING TO ITS DRIVERS?

What’s just happened?

Uber was first founded in San Francisco as a technology company by two entrepreneurs back in 2009. What started out as a small business has now overturned its revenue to over $11 billion, a high market capitalisation rate of $74 billion, and have employed over 20,000 people.

'Un-House Housing'

'Un-House Housing'

From renewable energy to vegan trainers, our world is constantly evolving to become more environmentally friendly. As of recently, a group of campaigners in South Oxfordshire have decided to challenge the local council’s approval of a new home development project, by a judicial review. The £3.6million project is set to build 30,000 homes by at least 2035, situated near Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium.

Good news for policy holders: FCA Test Case Result

Good news for policy holders: FCA Test Case Result

On the 15th of January 2021, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA)’s business interruption insurance test case, bringing clarity regarding whether insurers must pay claims on certain policies.[1] This case was brought about on behalf of 370,000 policyholders (particularly SMEs) due to the widespread store closures resulting from the pandemic. Business insurance providers such as Hiscox have rejected to pay out under various business interruption insurance policies.[2]

EU prepares new carbon border tax - will it work on the ground?

EU prepares new carbon border tax - will it work on the ground?

What just happened?

The EU is ramping up preparations to legislate for a new ‘carbon border tax’, whereby CO2 emissions from imports will be charged at the same rate as those generated within the EU.[1] The idea is not a new one but has been considered too difficult to implement on the ground.

The British Airways Data Breach and the rise of group action litigation in England and Wales.

The British Airways Data Breach and the rise of group action litigation in England and Wales.

What’s just happened?

In the largest group action personal data claim in UK history, it has been announced that British Airways could face claims amounting to more than £800 million. British Airways initially stated that their online reservation systems had been accessed by an unauthorized third party on 7th September 2018, compromising the data of more than 420,000 customers. According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), British Airways was alerted to the breach by a third party and did not detect the breach themselves.

The Genocide Amendment: World Peace Meets World Trade

   The Genocide Amendment: World Peace Meets World Trade

What just happened?

A proposal to ban trade agreements with countries violating the Genocide Convention was defeated in Parliament last week. The proposal would have allowed for trade agreements to be withdrawn if a determination by the High Court finds a party has or is committing genocide.

Motives Within the Europe and China Trade Deal?

Motives Within the Europe and China Trade Deal?

What Has Just Happened?

China, which was starting to be seen as a rising capitalist power and the land of opportunity by its people, is now uncompromisingly at war with this notion. With its ever-increasing trade sanctions and restrictions on mass media, it comes as a shock that China has agreed a trade deal with Europe.

‘You’re taxing my patience’ US retreats from Tech Tax War with France.

‘You’re taxing my patience’ US retreats from Tech Tax War with France.

What’s just happened?

During 2020, the USA found itself in the middle of a tax war with France. This was in response to Macron placing a “3% levy on all revenue earnt from digital services used in France.” Branded as the dreaded ‘tech tax’, this naturally had a huge impact on tech giants such as Facebook Inc, Amazon Inc and, of course, Google.

Spanish Economy Finds a Lifeline Through Mergers

Spanish Economy Finds a Lifeline Through Mergers

What has just happened?

Spain's biggest economic hurdle has been youth unemployment, at around 40%, for many years. Now it has become one of the hardest COVID hit nations within Continental Europe. The nations’ central bank has predicted a 15.1% contraction in the economy if there is a 2nd wave of lockdown restrictions.

Croatian Border Brutality

Croatian Border Brutality

What has just happened?

In July 2020, a Bosnian volunteer handed over more than “1,600 pages of media reports and personal testimonies to Austria’s parliament, documenting the brutality of Croatia’s border police against irregular migrants”. The Border Violence Monitoring Network has observed an “increase in violence against refugees on the Croatian side since spring 2017”. Yet most, if not all, reports of violence by Croatian police continue to go unchecked.

Oil Extraction Licenses Put Norway in Environmental Battle

Oil Extraction Licenses Put Norway in Environmental Battle

What just happened?

Despite Norway’s green credentials, its wealth has mostly been accumulated from huge oil exports.[LE1] Norway’s Nature and Youth group along with Greenpeace Norway are challenging what they describe as ‘double standards’, in a lawsuit disputing government issued oil licenses.