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Let's talk antitrust: Discussing recent cases and emerging competition issues
Recent cases and judgments have shone a light on some emerging themes and trends that companies will want to consider as part of their risk management framework.
Developments and market trends in the Middle East
Global | Publication | March 2017
Authors: Ola Al-Kadi
The UAE SEC has issued a new decision on the regulation of promotions and introductions
In January 2017, the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) issued SCA Board of Directors Decision No. 3 RM of 2017 on the Regulation of Promotions and Introductions (the Regulations), which came into force in February 2017.
While some of the provisions of the Regulations require further clarification from the SCA, the issue of the Regulations is a significant step in the development of the UAE onshore regulatory regime, as it fills a legislative gap, and provides greater certainty for the UAE financial services industry and foreign stakeholders.
The Regulations principally cover
The Regulations prohibit
Where no exemption applies, an SCA-licensed promoter marketing a financial product will either need to give notice to the SCA or make an application to the SCA for approval, depending on the type of financial product being promoted.
In addition, the Regulations contain further specific provisions on the marketing of foreign funds onshore in the UAE, which aim to fill the legislative vacuum following the issue of SCA Board of Directors Decision No. 9 of 2016 on the Regulation of Investment Funds (Funds Regulations). The Regulations should therefore be read in conjunction with the Funds Regulations when considering the promotion of foreign funds onshore in the UAE. The Regulations impose additional requirements on a SCA-licensed promoter in respect of the marketing of foreign funds onshore in the UAE, which relate to both public offers and private placements of foreign funds.
The Regulations also confer on SCA broad sanctions/powers. These include warnings, fines, suspension and cancellation of a promoter’s licence or an introducer’s approval. The SCA also has the right under the Regulations to publish the names of persons that have breached any of the provisions of the Regulations.
Although these much-awaited Regulations provide greater certainty for the UAE financial services and foreign stakeholders, they do create some challenges for those interested in carrying out promotional activities onshore in the UAE.
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Recent cases and judgments have shone a light on some emerging themes and trends that companies will want to consider as part of their risk management framework.
Publication
After a lacklustre finish to 2022 when compared to the vintage year for M&A that was 2021, dealmakers expected 2023 to see the market continue to cool in most sectors, in response to the economic headwinds of rising inflation (with its corresponding impact on financing costs), declining market valuations, tightening regulatory scrutiny and increasing geopolitical tensions.
Publication
On 18 September 2023, the CMA published its Initial Report (Initial Report) on AI Foundation Models (FM), supplemented in April 2024 with the publication of its “Update Paper” focused on potential antitrust risks associated with FMs and a “Technical Update Report” providing more detail on the development on FMs (collectively the “Reports”). Below, we consider these CMA publications.
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