Major accountancy firms in France are under investigation for anti-competitive practices. The French competition watchdog embarked on a series of โunannounced inspectionsโ and removed documents relating to audit and reporting on Jan. 13.
Europe
EU investigation into Grok may expose problems with DSA rather than compliance failings
The European Commission has launched a formal investigation against Elon Muskโs X under the Digital Services Act over fears that its AI tool Grok may be producing and disseminating illegal material.
Venezuela military intervention highlights critical resources as a new compliance hotspot
President Donald Trumpโs military intervention in Venezuela has sent a message across the world that he regards resources as critical to U.S. national security and will act to secure them. In Venezuela, this primarily means crude oil reserves. However, oil is not the only valuable resource in the U.S. sights.
Experts outline core skills compliance teams need to develop in 2026
Compliance teams will face a range of ongoing challenges in the coming year, as well as greater demands from boards and management for better, wider, and more real-time assurance on an increasing range of risk topics.ย
EU extends carbon border tax to 180 downstream products and targets โloopholesโ
The EU is extending its ground-breakingย carbon border adjustment mechanism, which imposes carbon pricing on raw materials imported from outside the EU, to 180 downstream products made from those materials.ย
First standard for EU AI Act targets quality management regime
The first EU standard to drive conformity and facilitate enforcement of theย EU AI Actย has been published in draft and circulated for feedback among the countries involved, and compliance managers should prepare for it to be finalized and published by the end of 2026.
Top of mind compliance topics in 2026: Finance, immigration, supply chains and sustainability
What will you be doing in the coming year? We asked experts in a range of sectors to gaze into their crystal balls and highlight one legal development or compliance topic that will be critical for compliance teams in 2026. This is an edited version of what they told us.
Compliance told to focus on reality as Euro courts brace for slew of greenwashing cases
In 2025, the regulatory focus on greenwashing intensified globally. This trend is set to accelerate in 2026, and compliance has a key part to play in ensuring corporate statements are honest.ย
What 2025โs AI mishaps should teach compliance in 2026
If 2025 was the year generative AI took off in organizations in every sector, it was also the year we saw increasing examples of the risks of AI mishaps.
EU loosens AI and data rules
Europe has been at the forefront of designing strongโbut flexibleโrules around data use and the safe development of AI, but the EU recently announced plans to simplify some key measures around data privacy and AI governance, which have met with mixed responses.


