Europe

GLOBAL STATISTICAL UPDATE – XBMA Quarterly Review for Third Quarter 2018

Executive Summary/Highlights: Global M&A in 2018 is at record levels, and at the current pace could approach 2007’s all-time high of almost US$5 trillion. Cross-border dealmaking has surged, with the volume of cross-border M&A over the first three quarters of 2018 already far surpassing that of all of 2017. Likewise, the market for mega-deals remains … Continued

Editors’ Note: The XBMA Review is published on a quarterly basis in order to facilitate a deeper understanding of trends and developments. In order to facilitate meaningful comparisons, the XBMA Review has utilized generally consistent metrics and sources of data since inception. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improving the XBMA Review or for interpreting the data.

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GLOBAL STATISTICAL UPDATE – XBMA Quarterly Review for Second Quarter 2018

Executive Summary/Highlights: The global M&A environment continued to show historic strength in 2018, as global deal volume reached nearly US$1.3 trillion for the second quarter and US$2.5 trillion for the first half of the year. Global M&A activity has enjoyed a steady climb over the last several quarters and has increased sharply since Q3 2017, … Continued

Editors’ Note: The XBMA Review is published on a quarterly basis in order to facilitate a deeper understanding of trends and developments. In order to facilitate meaningful comparisons, the XBMA Review has utilized generally consistent metrics and sources of data since inception. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improving the XBMA Review or for interpreting the data.

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DANISH UPDATE – New Danish Capital Markets Act

1. Highlights:    a) Prospectuses          The Danish Securities Trading Act (Past)          The obligation to prepare and make public a prospectus when offering securities to the public applies if the value of the offering to the public is equal to or above EUR 1,000,000. Only prospectuses prepared for offerings to the public with a value … Continued

Editors’ Note: Mattias Vilhelm Warnøe Nielsen is a Partner at Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen Advokatpartnerselskab in Denmark where he is Head of Venture Capital and Startup Companies. Mattias is a highly regarded specialist and advises Danish startup companies on fundraising through private investors and seed investments. Mattias also advises Danish and multinational corporations on mergers and acquisitions. Andreas is a Junior Associate at Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen Advokatpartnerselskab where he primarily advises Danish and multinational corporations, both publicly traded and private, on mergers and acquisitions. Andreas also advises both Danish and multinational corporations on litigation, arbitration and bankruptcy proceedings.

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UK UPDATE – UK Government consults on new powers to control foreign investment

The UK Government recently published its long awaited green paper on control of foreign investment (the Green Paper).1 It proposes measures to increase Government scrutiny of foreign investment but only in relation to national security and not on the broader political grounds previous public statements have hinted at. Specifically, the Green Paper sets out two … Continued

Editors’ Note: Contributed by Nigel Boardman, a partner at Slaughter and May and a founding director of XBMA.  Mr. Boardman is one of the leading M&A lawyers in the UK with broad experience in a wide range of cross-border transactions. The article was co-authored by Lisa Wright, partner, and Ying-Peng Chin, associate, at Slaughter and May (London).

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POLISH UPDATE – Polish protection of strategic companies and new rules of administering state assets

Executive summary Legal restrictions concerning companies operating in certain strategic sectors of the economy and state companies were enacted in Poland. The Polish regulations track similar limitations already functioning in some other countries in the European Union and elsewhere. Under these restrictions, the Polish authorities can object to numerous transactions involving companies deemed to be … Continued

Editors' Note:  This article was contributed by Tomasz Wardyński, founding partner of Wardyński & Partners and a member of XBMA’s Legal Roundtable, and Izabela Zielińska-Barłożek, head of Wardyński & Partners’ Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Mr. Wardyński co-authored this article with Maciej Szewczyk, senior associate, and Wojciech Szopiński, associate, from the firm's Mergers & Acquisitions Practice.

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AUSTRIA UPDATE – Legislative Changes Affecting Private and Public M&A – New Delisting Rules

Executive Summary: Recent legislative measures affecting private and public M&A include: Effective November 2017, the scope of the Austrian merger control regime will be broadened. Effective January 3, 2018, public M&A will be affected by a change in takeover procedures as well as new delisting rules allowing voluntary de-listings from the Vienna Stock Exchange in … Continued

Editors’ Note: Christian Herbst is a partner of Schönherr and a member of XBMA’s Legal Roundtable. He is one of the leading Austrian specialists in cross-border M&A, takeovers and joint ventures, representing mostly foreign clients with respect to investments in Austria and Central Eastern Europe.

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UK UPDATE – A New Takeover Panel Consultation

The Panel has today (19 September 2017) published its consultation paper PCP 2017/2 on statements of intention. The Panel has been concerned for some time that the disclosures by a bidder in relation to its intentions for the target business (required to be made in the offer document) have been bland and generic, and therefore … Continued

Editors’ Note: Contributed by Nigel Boardman, a partner at Slaughter and May and a founding director of XBMA.  Mr. Boardman is one of the leading M&A lawyers in the UK with broad experience in a wide range of cross-border transactions.

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U.S. / U.K. UPDATE: Corporate Governance — the New Paradigm

Main Article: This week witnessed two very significant developments in the new paradigm for corporate governance, one in the U.S. and one in the U.K. Both will have cross-border impact. Both have the purpose of promoting investment to achieve sustainable long-term investment and growth. In the U.K., government proposals for corporate governance reform center on … Continued

Editor’s Note: This article was authored by Martin Lipton and Sabastian V. Niles of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

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EUROPEAN UPDATE – Guide to Public Takeovers in Europe 2016-2017

Executive Summary: The guide has been updated to reflect legal and regulatory changes made to the national takeover regimes since it was last published in April 2013. The Takeover Directive has been implemented in all of the countries which are covered. Its aim is to provide equivalent protection throughout the EU for minority shareholders of companies listed on an … Continued

Editors' Note: This guide summarises the main characteristics of the French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish and UK laws and regulations applying to public takeover offers as they stood at June 2016.

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DUTCH UPDATE – AkzoNobel v. Elliott: landmark case on board conduct in takeover situations

The Enterprise Chamber has ruled that a company’s response to an unsolicited takeover proposal falls within the board’s authority to determine the company’s strategy. The board does not have to consult with shareholders first, but remains accountable to shareholders for the company’s actions. The ruling sets out important viewpoints for board conduct and other aspects … Continued

Editors’ Note: Contributed by Geert Potjewijd, managing partner at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, and a member of XBMA’s Legal Roundtable, and Arne Grimme and Reinier Kleipool, partners at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek. De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek is a leading Dutch law firm with broad expertise in M&A and governance matters.

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