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Stream on! CMA halts plans to investigate music streaming market

Published on 02 Aug 2022.

The UK's Competition & Markets Authority recently published its interim report on the music streaming market, prompting mixed responses from the music industry. Record labels, publishers and streaming providers appear generally pleased with the findings, but various artists, musicians, songwriters and managers say they believe it has underdelivered.

Parliamentary Group urges UK government to help musicians and crew tour Europe more easily

Published on 21 Jul 2022.

The All-Parliamentary Group on Music (a cross-party group of more than 100 MPS and Peers) together with representatives from the music industry set out the urgent steps the Government needs to take to help UK musicians following Brexit.

A "golden age" of television? - Government announces overhaul of broadcasting legislation

Published on 29 Apr 2022. By Nadia Tymkiw, Senior Associate

On 28 April the government published a white paper setting out its vision for the broadcasting sector. Plans include regulation for streaming services, changes to the public service broadcasting regime, and reform to broadcasting rights for major sporting events.

Eurovision contestant and Rudimental come out on pop in copyright dispute

Published on 19 Aug 2021. By Jessica Pease, Associate

Coming out on pop: Rudimental's single Waiting All Night, composed by Eurovision 2021 contestant James Newman, was not the product of copying a song written in 2001 by a contestant on the Voice UK.

(Sex) Pistols at dawn over Danny Boyle's new biopic series

Published on 19 Jul 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Sex Pistols band members accuse frontman John Lydon of being No Fun and creating Anarchy for refusing to authorise licences for the use of the band's music in Danny Boyle's forthcoming TV series, Pistol.

(Sex) Pistols at dawn over Danny Boyle's new biopic series

Published on 19 Jul 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Sex Pistols band members accuse frontman John Lydon of being No Fun and creating Anarchy for refusing to authorise licences for the use of the band's music in Danny Boyle's forthcoming TV series, Pistol.

Who gets to deliver my news? - Ofcom starts its consultation on changes to media ownership restrictions

Published on 30 Jun 2021. By Kiran Dhoot, Associate

Ofcom is looking to update old rules governing media ownership in the UK to reflect consumers increased access to news online and the fragmented use of traditional media, and the implications of reform could be far reaching.

Streaming platforms to consolidate? "The stuff that dreams are made of"

Published on 10 Jun 2021. By Sophie Parkinson, Associate

Discovery and AT&T's WarnerMedia are merging to create a streaming behemoth named Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon is reportedly in talks to acquire Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Will this mark a trend in the consolidation of streaming platforms, and what are the implications?

Court of Appeal upholds copyright infringement decision against digital radio aggregator

Published on 12 Apr 2021. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

The Court of Appeal has refused TuneIn's appeal of a 2019 judgment finding that it had infringed the copyright of Warner and Sony by linking to online radio stations.

Court of Appeal upholds copyright infringement decision against digital radio aggregator

Published on 12 Apr 2021. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech

The Court of Appeal has refused TuneIn's appeal of a 2019 judgment finding that it had infringed the copyright of Warner and Sony by linking to online radio stations.

UK Courts find hidden voice in film authorship dispute

Published on 12 Feb 2021.

The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) has found that there was there was an additional joint author of the Florence Foster Jenkins screenplay – in a decision of significant relevance to the film industry.

Reproduction of infringing content online: who's liable?

Published on 21 Jul 2020. By Ciara Cullen, Partner and Louise Morgan, Senior Associate

Keyword advertising, search engine optimisation and liability for infringement via online marketplaces: In recent years, there has been a plethora of cases concerning the various ways that trade marks may be infringed, through use on the internet.

All change! No extension means major changes for IP rights holders from 1 January 2021

Published on 02 Jul 2020. By Ben Mark, Partner and Sarah Mountain, Partner

Under Article 132 of the Withdrawal Agreement, 30 June 2020 was the last day that the UK could have requested an extension to the Brexit transition period. The COVID-19 outbreak prompted many to speculate that a request would be made but the deadline passed, without event.

European consumer body challenges in-game premium currencies

Published on 10 Dec 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Gowri Chandrashekar, Senior Associate

When does the use of in-app and in-game premium currencies pose consumer regulatory issues? Does this consumer complaint herald a tightening by the EU on revenue streams for game and app developers and platforms?

Virtual billboards: the future of immersive advertising?

Published on 15 Jan 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and Elizabeth Alibhai, Partner and Nick Lauw, Partner

With the deployment of immersive technologies poised to become the norm, the implementation of infrastructure for "virtual billboards", and the "property digital rights" which they demand, is demonstrating a lucrative gap in the market and huge growth potential.

UK Government wants understanding of video games to move to the next level

Published on 12 Jun 2023. By Gowri Chandrashekar, Senior Associate and Zoe Harvey, Associate

On 30 May 2023, the UK Government published a Video Games Research Framework which encourages research on video games and emerging game-related technologies.

AI technology projects – the regulatory landscape

Published on 24 Feb 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

Parties engaged in AI technology projects should be mindful of the regulatory landscape, and the changes taking place within it. A failure to do so could result in an AI solution that is not compliant from a regulatory perspective, the use of which potentially creates risk for the technology provider and user.

New Digital Regulators on the 2023 Horizon: the Digital Markets Unit and the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency

Published on 02 Dec 2022. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Chris Ross, Partner

For a number of years, the UK Government has been laying the groundwork to bring in a digital markets regime to regulate digital firms designated as having ‘strategic market status’ (SMS). To be designated as having SMS, a firm must have 'substantial and entrenched market power' in at least one activity. Companies having SMS are likely to include the largest tech firms such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft and Meta (the so called 'GAMMA' firms).

Digital services providers—Commission to focus on implementation phase of EU consumer protection legislation

Published on 31 Oct 2022. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Ellie Chakarto, Senior Associate

The Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) are published in the Official Journal and the plenary vote of the European Parliament on the proposed text of the AI Act is expected once amendments are agreed by negotiators. The Commission is now turning its focus to the implementation phase of these landmark regimes. So, what does the future hold for the European tech sector and how might it differ for the UK?

The EU Digital Markets Act - a focus on gatekeeper obligations and sanctions

Published on 12 Oct 2022. By David Cran, Partner, Head of IP & Tech and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

What key obligations will the Digital Markets Act (DMA) impose on online platforms designated as gatekeepers?

Lawyers Covered - January 2025

Published on 30 Jan 2025. By Will Sefton, Partner and Head of the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group and Carmel Green, Partner and Carole Foster, Senior Associate and Tom Butterfield, Associate and Kerone Thomas, Associate and Simon Love, Senior Associate and Shanice Holder, Associate and Tom Wild, Senior Associate

It can be tough for busy lawyers to find enough time to service clients, make it safely through the regulation obstacle course, win new work and keep up-to-date with developments, but we've got you covered! Welcome to our January 2025 bumper edition of our Lawyers Liability & Regulatory Update, in which we highlight the last month's key developments affecting lawyers and the professional risks they face.

Regulators support government growth objective and aim to reduce regulatory burden

Published on 27 Jan 2025. By Lucy Hadrill, Associate and Whitney Simpson, Of Counsel and Jonathan Charwat, Partner

Since the general election, the new Labour government has been signalling its intentions for financial services as a key driver of its economic growth agenda and, following the Autumn Budget, HM Treasury launched a call for evidence which outlined the government's plans for its Financial Services Growth & Competitiveness Strategy (Strategy).

PLC QTRLY - Q4 2024

Published on 23 Jan 2025. By Connor Cahalane, Partner, Head of Public Companies and James Channo, Partner and Karen Hendy, Partner, Head of Corporate

This is our regular quarterly update to help our listed company clients and other market participants keep up to date with key developments relevant to issuers on the Main Market and AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

FCA consults on new reporting obligations for (i) incidents and (ii) third party arrangements

Published on 16 Jan 2025. By Mark Crichard, Partner and Nigel Wilson, Of Counsel and Praveeta Thayalan, Knowledge Lawyer

On 13 December 2024, the FCA published consultation paper CP24/28 (the CP) on proposals for firms to report on operational incidents and, separately, on material third party arrangements. The CP mirrors similar proposals put forward by the PRA and Bank of England on the same day and is designed to align with current international standards (e.g. the EU Regulation on digital operational resilience (DORA)).

Regulatory Radar - Winter 2025

Published on 06 Jan 2025. By Gavin Reese, Partner, Head of Regulatory

Welcome to the Winter 2025 edition of RPC's bi-annual Regulatory Radar – a guide to the key regulatory changes worth having on your radar.

Lawyers Covered - December 2024

Published on 19 Dec 2024. By Will Sefton, Partner and Head of the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group and Carmel Green, Partner and Victoria Lawman, Trainee Solicitor and Richard Seymour, Associate and Robyn Crowter, Associate and Samantha Cresswell, Associate and Helen Young, Associate and Dilara Devin, Associate

What could be more festive than our December edition of Lawyers Covered – so here it is, a gift from the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group at RPC, to all of you, our lovely readers! And it’s a bumper edition with links to 3 full articles as well as our usual snippets. Happy holidays!

Financial Crime Time - Your update from RPC: 2024 Q4

Published on 17 Dec 2024. By Adam Craggs, Partner and Michelle Sloane, Partner

Welcome to the latest edition of our round-up of news making the headlines in the world of financial crime and compliance. Our aim is to give you an easily digestible, bite-sized overview of issues that are of interest and which may affect your business.

Lawyers Covered - November 2024

Published on 29 Nov 2024. By Will Sefton, Partner and Head of the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group and Carmel Green, Partner and Victoria Lawman, Trainee Solicitor and Richard Seymour, Associate and Robyn Crowter, Associate and Samantha Cresswell, Associate and Helen Young, Associate and Dilara Devin, Associate

It can be tough for busy lawyers to find enough time to service clients, make it safely through the regulation obstacle course, win new work and keep up-to-date with developments, but we've got you covered! Welcome to the November edition of our Lawyers Liability & Regulatory Update, in which we highlight the last month's key developments affecting lawyers and the professional risks they face.

The future of financial crime under the new Labour government

27 Nov 2024

Join Lord Peter Hain, Labour peer and former government minister, and Sam Tate, Head of White Collar Crime and Compliance at RPC, as they discuss the practical implications of the future of financial crime prevention and enforcement under the new Labour government.

Regulatory Radar: quick takes - November 2024

Published on 11 Nov 2024. By Gavin Reese, Partner, Head of Regulatory

Welcome to the November 2024 of our bi-monthly Regulatory Radar: quick takes, which pulls together the latest developments from across the UK's regulators.

Failure to prevent fraud: key guidance released

Published on 08 Nov 2024. By Sam Tate, Partner and Thomas Jenkins, Senior Associate and Robert Semp, Associate

On 6 November 2024, the Home Office released its much-anticipated guidance on the new failure to prevent fraud offence and the procedures that organisations can implement to prevent associated persons from committing fraud offences. Running to 44 pages, this guidance is crucial as it provides a framework for large organisations to establish effective fraud prevention measures.

The EU Compliance headache you don't know you have? A priority primer on the European Accessibility Act

Published on 31 Oct 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and Hettie Homewood , Senior Associate

It is now less than a year until the EU Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force, which will require businesses to ensure a range of products (eg smartphones and computers) and services (eg e-commerce services, consumer banking services, and ebooks) are accessible for persons with disabilities.

Lawyers Covered - October 2024

Published on 28 Oct 2024. By Will Sefton, Partner and Head of the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group and Carmel Green, Partner and Caroline Shiffner, Senior Associate and Victoria Lawman, Trainee Solicitor and Helen Kerr, Senior Associate

It can be tough for busy lawyers to find enough time to service clients, make it safely through the regulation obstacle course, win new work and keep up-to-date with developments, but we've got you covered! Welcome to the October edition of our Lawyers Liability & Regulatory Update, in which we highlight the last month's key developments affecting lawyers and the professional risks they face.

ClientEarth challenges claims made by BlackRock in its sustainable funds

Published on 28 Oct 2024. By James Wickes, Partner and Catherine Zakarias-Welch, Knowledge Lawyer

Not only are regulators clamping down on greenwashing but, as previously highlighted, ClientEarth, a non-profit international environmental law organisation, also has this issue squarely in its sights.

Government consults on regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later products

Published on 25 Oct 2024. By Whitney Simpson, Of Counsel and Lucy Hadrill, Associate

In 2021, HM Treasury announced its intention to regulate certain unregulated buy-now pay-later (BNPL) products in the UK. This followed recommendations made in the Woolard Review which raised concerns about the increased use of BNPL products during the pandemic and the significant risk that these unregulated credit products could cause consumer harm.

FCA consults on changes to the payments safeguarding regime

Published on 24 Oct 2024. By Whitney Simpson, Of Counsel and Lucy Hadrill, Associate

Under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (PSRs) and the E-Money Regulations 2011 (EMRs) payment institutions (PIs), electronic money institutions (EMIs), small EMIs and credit unions are required to protect "relevant funds" which they receive when making a payment or in exchange for e-money that has been issued. Current safeguarding requirements are set out in the PSRs and EMRs, with guidance contained in the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) Approach Document.

Seeing the wood for the trees: preparing for new deforestation due diligence rules in the UK and EU

Published on 24 Oct 2024. By Sophie Tuson, Senior Associate, Environment and Climate Change Practice Lead

PLC QTRLY - Q3 2024

Published on 15 Oct 2024. By Connor Cahalane, Partner, Head of Public Companies and James Channo, Partner and Karen Hendy, Partner, Head of Corporate

This is our regular quarterly update to help our listed company clients and other market participants keep up to date with key developments relevant to issuers on the Main Market and AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

Lawyers Covered - September 2024

Published on 26 Sep 2024. By Kirstie Pike, Partner and Carmel Green, Partner and Sarah Herniman, Associate and Charlotte Thurlow, Associate and Nick Cumming, Associate and Victoria Lawman, Trainee Solicitor

It can be tough for busy lawyers to find enough time to service clients, make it safely through the regulation obstacle course, win new work and keep up-to-date with developments, but we've got you covered! Welcome to the August edition of our Lawyers Liability & Regulatory Update, in which we highlight the last month's key developments affecting lawyers and the professional risks they face.

Financial Crime Time - Your update from RPC: 2024 Q3

Published on 25 Sep 2024. By Adam Craggs, Partner and Michelle Sloane, Partner

Welcome to the latest edition of our round-up of news making the headlines in the world of financial crime and compliance. Our aim is to give you an easily digestible, bite-sized overview of issues that are of interest and which may affect your business.

First conviction under section 2 CJA 1987 overturned – RPC Analysis

Published on 23 Sep 2024. By Sam Tate, Partner

On 16 September 2024, the first conviction for failure to comply with a notice to provide documents or information required by the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") was overturned by Judge Nicholas Rimmer at Southwark Crown Court. Although this case was highly fact specific, it may result in a less enthusiastic approach towards pursuing such convictions in the future.

Uncertainty around the mandatory reimbursement cap for APP frauds – a new headache for FI firms and their insurers?

Published on 09 Sep 2024. By James Wickes, Partner and Aimee Talbot, Knowledge Lawyer

New regulations coming on 7 October 2024 will force payment firms to reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud up to a set limit. On 4 September 2024, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) announced a consultation proposing to set this limit at £85,000, vastly reduced from the previously proposed £415,000 cap. This is a potential headache for insurers as the level of the cap will impact assessment of risk and apportionment of liability between sending and receiving payment firms – and the industry will only have 7 days to prepare.

Regulatory Radar: quick takes - September 2024

Published on 09 Sep 2024. By Gavin Reese, Partner, Head of Regulatory

Welcome to the September 2024 of our bi-monthly Regulatory Radar: quick takes, which pulls together the latest developments from across the UK's regulators.

Tax Bites – September 2024

Published on 03 Sep 2024. By Adam Craggs, Partner

Welcome to the latest edition of RPC's Tax Bites – providing monthly bite-sized updates from the tax world.

Lawyers Covered - August 2024

Published on 30 Aug 2024. By Will Sefton, Partner and Head of the Lawyers Liability and Regulatory Group and Carmel Green, Partner and Caroline Shiffner, Senior Associate and Victoria Lawman, Trainee Solicitor and Helen Kerr, Senior Associate

It can be tough for busy lawyers to find enough time to service clients, make it safely through the regulation obstacle course, win new work and keep up-to-date with developments, but we've got you covered! Welcome to the August edition of our Lawyers Liability & Regulatory Update, in which we highlight the last month's key developments affecting lawyers and the professional risks they face.

Further welcome news from the FCA – this time on co-manufacturing

Published on 08 Aug 2024. By Jonathan Charwat, Partner and Lauren Murphy, Senior Associate

Following on from our earlier blog, our review of the FCA's 'Discussion Paper' (DP24/1) continues, this time considering the rules relating to co-manufacturers of insurance products.

Supply chain sustainability: new rules, new risks

Published on 05 Aug 2024. By Sophie Tuson, Senior Associate, Environment and Climate Change Practice Lead and Eve Matthews, Associate

On 25 July 2024, the EU's new flagship supply chain law, the Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), came into force.

Potential deregulation and a pragmatic approach to commercial insurance – welcome news from the FCA

Published on 01 Aug 2024. By Jonathan Charwat, Partner and James Houlihan, Associate

The FCA has published a 'Discussion Paper' (DP24/1) seeking feedback on its rules on commercial insurance including in respect of the types of commercial customers in-scope, co-manufacturing of products and bespoke insurance products.

Green claims update: July 2024

Published on 31 Jul 2024. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner and Ciara Cullen, Partner and Hettie Homewood , Senior Associate and Sophie Tuson, Senior Associate, Environment and Climate Change Practice Lead

Welcome to our round-up of the key legal and regulatory developments relating to green claims.

PLC QTRLY - Q2 2024

Published on 31 Jul 2024. By Connor Cahalane, Partner, Head of Public Companies and James Channo, Partner and Karen Hendy, Partner, Head of Corporate

This is our regular quarterly update to help our listed company clients and other market participants keep up to date with key developments relevant to issuers on the Main Market and AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.