Victoria Archdeacon

Turbulence ahead: 20 airlines targeted by EU over greenwashing

“If we want responsible consumers, we need to provide them with accurate information … They deserve accurate and scientific answers, not vague or false claims,” EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova In their first major coordinated anti-greenwashing enforcement action, the European Commission and EU consumer authorities, prompted by a complaint from the European …
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Assessing the Impact: The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

On 24 May 2024, the Council of the EU has formally adopted the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The directive, which will impose mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence as well as transition plan requirements on companies in scope, has therefore likely cleared its last major hurdle. This marks a big win for …
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Bates Wells’ LGBT+ history month roundup 2024

This February, we joined in the UK’s celebration of LGBT+ history month. History month is an opportunity for us to reflect, and to take steps to continue to build inclusion for our people. It also enables us to look outwards, to our work with clients and with the wider legal and professional community. This LGBT+ …
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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 explained – New procedures for companies and new powers for Companies House

Updated in November 2024 In the first blog in this series, we flagged that big changes are on the way in 2024 to 2026 for how UK companies, big and small, will be required to submit information and documents to Companies House. In this blog, the second in our series, we explain the changes under …
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Bates Wells announces impactful and significant judgment – Ali v Green Party of England and Wales

The case was brought against our client, the Green Party of England and Wales. Today sees the judgment in Ali v Green Party of England and Wales.  Mindy Jhittay who represented the Green Party of England and Wales comments, “This case is significant as a decision which will be of great interest to political parties …
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Discrimination, belief and the “fundamental party rights”: the judgment in Ali v Green Party of England and Wales

The County Court has given judgment in the case of Ali v representatives of the Green Party of England and Wales. In doing so, it has set out novel and timely principles on the interaction between the prohibition on discrimination by associations in the Equality Act 2010 and the fundamental rights of members of political …
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Bates Wells advises space launch company HyImpulse UK Limited, world-leaders in hybrid propulsion technology on new joint venture

Bates Wells has advised HyImpulse UK Ltd (“HyImpulse”), a wholly owned subsidiary of German headquartered HyImpulse Technologies GmbH in its joint venture with Adamant UK Composites Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Greek based Adamant Composites Ltd. HyImpulse, who are currently developing world-leading hybrid propulsion technology for vertical rockets, secured €6.5 million in funding from …
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The Rwanda policy – How can charities play a role in bringing legal challenges?

On Tuesday 12 December, the draft Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed the second reading stage in the House of Commons. The vote was not the start of the story in relation to the Government’s policy: since the Rwanda policy was announced in April 2022, it has been the subject of much legal …
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Driving purpose AND driving economic recovery….read on to find out more

Last week saw the launch of a new report produced in collaboration by leading think tank Demos and B Lab UK – The Purpose Dividend – exploring the economic impact of being a purpose-driven business. The journey to become a truly purpose-led business isn’t always an easy one and we understand the key stakeholder pressures …
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Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

Summary Ministers have set out a vision for the UK’s technology strategy.  The UK is to become a “tech superpower” by 2030.  This will be achieved by creating “world-leading pro-innovation regulation” and influencing global technical standards.[1]  However, the former Information Commissioner has pointed out that this kind of “digital growth” will only be possible if …
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ClientEarth v Shell: The ‘End of the Road’ may be just the beginning

Summary On 14 November 2023,[1] the Court of Appeal refused environmental NGO, ClientEarth (CE) permission to appeal the High Court’s July 2023 judgment that CE had failed to make out a prima facie case enabling the court to grant permission under the Companies Act 2006  (CA 2006) for it to continue a derivative claim against …
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Compulsory mediation: a sign of things to come

In July this year, the Ministry of Justice announced that mediation will soon be compulsory for money claims worth up to £10,000. The change, which follows a year-long consultation on increasing the use of mediation in the civil justice system, is the clearest sign yet of a decisive shift in approaches to mediation: from encouragement …
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