Europe: Government, Public Sector

The Cyprus Bar Association has issued its first Guidelines on Business-Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA), establishing a comprehensive framework for supervised entities to identify and mitigate money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions risks. These guidelines provide practical direction for compliance with the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation ahead of its July 2027 implementation deadline, outlining methodologies for risk assessment, control evaluation and ongoing monitoring requirements.

The UK's HMRC has published comprehensive enforcement statistics covering 2025 and early 2026, revealing the scope and outcomes of sanctions enforcement activities including criminal investigations, goods seizures, and penalty assessments. The data provides insight into how authorities are handling sanctions violations through various enforcement mechanisms, from warning letters to compound penalties exceeding £1 million.

The Dutch central bank has imposed a significant financial penalty on ABN Amro for failures in its customer due diligence processes, particularly concerning high-risk clients. The investigation revealed critical gaps in the bank's ability to identify and address potential sanctions evasion involving dual-use goods and intermediaries in high-risk jurisdictions.

The Cyprus Bar Association has issued its first Guidelines on Business-Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA), establishing a comprehensive framework for supervised entities to identify and mitigate money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions risks. These guidelines provide practical direction for compliance with the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation ahead of its July 2027 implementation deadline, outlining methodologies for risk assessment, control evaluation and ongoing monitoring requirements.

Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, raises an intriguing question: could the legendary Trojan Horse have been patented under modern UK or European patent law? This analysis explores the technical and legal challenges of protecting military inventions, from novelty requirements and publication restrictions to the tension between disclosure obligations and strategic secrecy.

On 14 July 2026, the UK Cabinet Office published the fifth Annual Report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act) (the Report). The Report provides summary information and statistics relating to the review of transactions and investments on national security grounds in the UK during the period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026 introduces significant changes to Modern Slavery Act reporting requirements, including mandatory content standards, strict publication deadlines, and financial penalties of up to 1% of turnover. These reforms arrive as global enforcement intensifies, with Australia introducing criminal liability and the US threatening tariffs over forced labour concerns.

Turkish courts consistently reject compensation claims filed by children born with disabilities like Down syndrome against physicians, ruling that such claims constitute an impermissible "right not to exist" or "retroactive euthanasia." While the right to life remains absolute and inalienable under Turkish constitutional law, parents may still pursue damages when physicians fail their duty to inform during pregnancy.

As data center expansion accelerates to meet AI demand, operators must address mounting environmental, human rights and community concerns with credible sustainability strategies that strengthen their social license to operate. Explore how sustainability performance is becoming a critical factor in project approvals, procurement, and financing, with operators expected to demonstrate alignment with host communities and governments while managing complex tensions between carbon intensity, water efficiency, la

Ukraine has approved an ambitious Export Strategy extending to 2030, designed to transform its economic model from raw material dependence to high-value exports while navigating the challenges of ongoing conflict and post-war reconstruction.

The EU continues its ambitious reform agenda for life sciences regulation, with landmark agreements on pharmaceutical legislation and biotech innovation frameworks. Ireland's Council Presidency is set to drive progress on critical medicines legislation and medical device reforms, while new investment initiatives aim to mobilize billions into Europe's biotech sector.

Il dibattito sulla tassazione dei patrimoni è tornato al centro della scena politica italiana, dividendo l'opinione pubblica tra chi la considera uno strumento di redistribuzione della ricchezza e chi la ritiene un onere incompatibile con la crescita economica. La presente analisi esamina l'approccio di Italia e Svizzera alla tassazione patrimoniale, approfondendo le prospettive divergenti e le realtà fiscali di entrambi i Paesi.