Amid industry crackdown, U.K. audit firms evolving with the times
It’s been an intense year for the audit industry in the United Kingdom—and things are expected only to get tougher as a new audit regulator, with new leadership and stronger statutory powers, prepares to take the reins.
European Data Protection Supervisor head Giovanni Buttarelli passes away
European Data Protection Supervisor Giovanni Buttarelli has passed away, his office announced in a statement Wednesday. He was 62.
In Brexit gambit, U.K. signs legislation to ban EU laws
The repeal of the European Communities Act provides a “clear signal” that the U.K. government intends to leave the European Union without extending the Brexit deadline—with or without a deal.
ICO investigating facial recognition technology in key London district
Concerns abound over whether or not using facial recognition technology violates consumer privacy.
Aspen to pay $9.7M to settle U.K. competition concerns
Aspen Pharmacare has offered to pay the U.K.’s National Health Service £8 million (U.S. $9.7 million) following suspicions that the company paid rival firms to delay marketing a vital medicine to retain market dominance.
A critical review of the SFO’s DPA process
Companies considering entering a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.K. Serious Fraud Office might instead want to take their chances with a trial following the outcomes of a trio of recent high-profile corruption cases.
SFO cooperation guidance provides clarity on leniency
In recent guidance, the SFO for the first time has formally set out expectations essential to U.S.-type deferred prosecution agreements, but some say the low number of companies accepting criminal responsibility may negate the provision’s worth.
EU assessment: GDPR showing results, but ‘work needs to continue’
The EU’s tough new data rules are “bearing fruit,” but some member states have still not put GDPR into law, and only 20 percent of EU citizens seem aware of which public authority is responsible for protecting their personal information.
Appeals Court upholds bribery conviction of Alstom Network
The Criminal Division of the U.K. Court of Appeal has upheld the April 2018 conviction of Alstom Network UK over a bribery case concerning an infrastructure contract in Tunisia.
New PM Boris Johnson vows Brexit by Oct. 31 deadline; businesses wary
Newly elected Prime Minister Boris Johnson will enter 10 Downing Street with exactly 100 days to deliver the Brexit he has promised.
What we can learn from the biggest GDPR fines so far
Recent record-breaking fines for GDPR violations levied on British Airways and Marriott by the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office offer a glimpse into what GDPR enforcement might look like going forward and serve up a warning to companies that data privacy protocols must be foolproof.
All eyes on how Ireland will handle Big Tech and GDPR
Ireland—home EU regulator to Big Tech firms including Google, Twitter, and Facebook—is the key country not to have issued a GDPR-related fine yet, though the regulator has said it has started at least 19 inquiries into the sector.
GDPR enforcement varies widely by country
Most EU countries have now issued fines under the GDPR. Determining which are the toughest enforcers depends on one’s viewpoint—we lay out country-by-country look at the enforcement trends to date.
New EC president willing to extend Brexit third time
New European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she is willing to extend the Brexit deadline for a third time “should more time be required for a good reason.”
Qualcomm fined $271M for predatory pricing
The European Commission has fined Qualcomm 242 million Euros (U.S. $271 million) for anti-competitive behavior in violation of EU antitrust rules. Qualcomm says it has done nothing wrong and will appeal the finding.
EU investigating Amazon over antitrust concerns
The European Commission is investigating Amazon over concerns that the company’s use of data gathered from independent retailers that sell on its marketplace breaches EU competition rules.
U.K. audit regulators see no improvement in audit quality
U.K. audit regulators saw no improvement in audit quality in their most recent inspections, indicating none of the major firms achieved targeted pass rates.
Marriott reveals $124M GDPR fine for data breach
Marriott has disclosed in a filing with the SEC that the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office intends to fine it roughly £99 million (U.S. $124 million) for infringements of the EU’s GDPR.
U.K.'s CMA mulls new regulator to tackle Big Tech
The CMA, U.K.’s competition watchdog, explores whether a separate regulator is needed to oversee leading digital firms that have become “data monopolies” that stifle competition.
Cécilia Fellouse-Guenkel on France’s compliance community
Cécilia Fellouse-Guenkel, executive secretary at Le Cercle de la Compliance in Paris, discusses with columnist Tom Fox how compliance is viewed in France and touches on the country’s new anti-corruption law, Sapin II.
British Airways faces record-setting GDPR fine of $230 million
British Airways was hit Monday with the largest penalty to date under the EU’s GDPR, a £183.39m (U.S. $230 million) fine stemming from the compromised data of nearly 500,000 customers.
Serco fined £19.2M over electronic tagging scandal
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office has approved in principle a deferred prosecution agreement with Serco Geografix for fraud and false accounting that would result in a fine of £19.2 million (U.S. $24.2 million).
UBS compliance officer convicted of insider trading
A London Southwark Crown Court jury on June 27 convicted two individuals—a senior compliance officer of UBS and a day trader of financial securities—and sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment for insider trading.
Yet another misstep by Danske results in firing of interim Danish CEO
Danske Bank has been forced to fire yet another board member—this time for mis-selling thousands of customers a wealth management product that charged excessive fees.
Public register pros trump cons
Harvard Law School’s Eli Goldston Professor of Law Matthew Stephenson discusses the benefits of public registers.
No proof in public register value
Consultant and independent director Geoff Cook offers evidence on why public registers are still lacking.
Facebook exec echoes calls for regulation
One of Facebook’s top executives added his voice to the growing movement among technology firms that the sector cannot police the internet on its own.
Airbus subsidiary at center of bribery probe to cease operations
A U.K. subsidiary of Airbus that has been at the center of a seven-year bribery investigation disclosed in an annual report that it will be ceasing business operations, meaning it could potentially avoid criminal charges in connection with the matter.
U.K. tax havens promise greater transparency on company ownership
Starting in 2021, Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man will make records of company ownership public, which should please members of parliament who have argued that not doing so has made them vulnerable to financial crime.
Nordea raided over ML probe in Denmark
Scandinavian banking giant Nordea revealed its Copenhagen office was raided by Danish police as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering.
SFO appoints two non-executive directors
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office has appointed two new non-executive directors: Emir Feisal and Martin Spencer.
French real estate company fined €400,000 for GDPR violations
France’s data watchdog CNIL levied a €400,000 (U.S. $453,000) fine on real estate services provider Sergic for failing to adequately protect the data of its Website’s users.
FCA publishes final report on RBS
The Financial Conduct Authority has concluded its investigation into the Royal Bank of Scotland and published a final report of its findings.
Amnesty International culls top team after report reveals ‘toxic’ culture
Human rights campaign group Amnesty International has said it will lose most of its senior leadership team after a scathing report slammed the organization’s “toxic” workplace culture.
ICO: U.K. companies can expect large GDPR fines soon
Year 1 under the General Data Protection Regulation saw no fines handed out in the United Kingdom. Year 2 could be a much different story,
‘Context’ matters in AI decision making, says ICO
Transparency for all AI-generated decisions is not as important as context, according to new research from U.K. data regulator the Information Commissioner’s Office.
One year in, no fines yet from U.K. regulator on GDPR
A Freedom of Information Act request shows Britain’s data protection watchdog has imposed just 29 financial penalties in the last year, none of which came under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
Nordic and Baltic regulators join to combat money laundering
Regulators in eight Nordic and Baltic countries are developing a joint effort to exchange information with regard to fighting money laundering.
Lloyd’s culture survey aims to change workplace
Specialist insurance market Lloyd’s has initiated a confidential survey to help detect and ultimately root out a legacy of drunken and misogynistic behavior at the company.
Ireland investigates Google over GDPR
The Irish Data Protection Commission is investigating whether Google’s online Ad Exchange violated General Data Protection Regulation provisions.
PM May resigns: What next for Brexit?
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May steps down on June 7, following numerous attempts to get Parliament to back her Brexit plan.
U.K.’s Pensions Regulator getting serious about enforcement
Considered “feeble” no more, the United Kingdom’s Pensions Regulator is ramping up enforcement actions against individuals or organizations not in compliance with the law.
PM May unveils plan for latest version of Brexit deal
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May warned MPs if they don’t back the latest amended Withdrawal Agreement Bill, they will not vote on whether there should be a second Brexit referendum.
Companies House reforms to better protect U.K. companies from criminal activity
Companies House recently unveiled a substantial package of reforms that will do more to safeguard the personal data of business owners in an effort to offer U.K. companies greater protection from fraud.
U.K. plans Brexit vote in June
A look at possible consequences of the MP vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal scheduled for early June.
BHP faces $5B claim over 2015 Brazilian dam collapse
Mining company BHP is facing a $5 billion damages action in the United Kingdom for its alleged negligence in its duty to prevent the Fundão dam collapse in Brazil in 2015.
FRC: Auditors must look for fraud
FRC CEO Stephen Haddrill confirmed that during the transition to the new statutory regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, the FRC will remain committed to tackling “deficiencies in audit and reporting quality vigorously.”
TRACE: How the GDPR interferes with anti-corruption compliance
Anti-bribery business association TRACE has submitted its overview of new issues that have emerged in the fight against foreign bribery due to implementation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
Top 10 supply chain risks for 2019
Natural disasters, droughts, port disruptions, cargo theft, and industrial fires are some of the top supply-chain risks that should keep executives and chief risk officers on their toes in 2019, according to a new risk report.
FCA data shows firms with most consumer credit complaints
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority published its latest complaints figures for regulated firms for the second half of 2018, revealing how some financial services firms are receiving significantly more complaints than others.