Having previously been expected earlier this year, the FCA has now published its consultation paper on the proposed new sustainability disclosure requirements (SDR) regime and a set of consumer-friendly sustainability labels. This is, in effect, the UK's answer to the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (EU SFDR), although the proposed UK regime goes further in terms of having formal product labels and is bolstered by rules already in force that require many firms to report climate-related risks and opportunities in accordance with the TCFD guidelines (covered in our 2022 New Year Briefing).
The UK's Subsidy Control Bill received Royal Asset on 28 April 2022 , becoming the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (the "Act"). The new regime will come fully into force on 4 January 2023. The Act has been hailed by the UK Government as a major departure from the EU State aid rules.
This update provides a brief overview of some notable events that have occurred in recent weeks, including the UK Government's increasing ability to target activities considered to be problematic from a circumventing Russian sanctions perspective.
The UK Government is proposing greater regulatory oversight of financial services outsourcings involving "Critical Third Parties" (CTPs). If implemented, these changes will result in CTPs – some of which may not regard themselves as part of the finance sector - being regulated directly by financial services supervisory authorities. This would represent a major shift in approach.
Surging commodity prices are creating headaches in the tech and automotive sectors, with the cost of key materials such as lithium, cobalt and nickel (key components in electric car batteries) rising following supply chain disruptions associated with Covid and the war in Ukraine.
The Government has published legislation giving it wide-ranging powers to revoke or reform retained EU law. Among other things, it includes a proposal for the majority of retained EU legislation to expire at the end of 2023, unless expressly preserved in some form.
