ebusiness

In a much anticipated judgment, the European Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has determined that EU competition law does not prevent luxury brands imposing restrictions on the use by distributors of third party e-commerce platforms. The judgment confirms the opinion expressed by the Advocate General to the court (see https://www.fladgate.com/2017/08/eu-general-court-opinion-delivers-boost-brands-selling-online/) that such […]

Introduction As is beginning to become apparent, Brexit has wide-ranging consequences in many commercial and business areas. This is equally true in the sphere of data protection, where much of the applicable legislation has developed at an EU level.  This is readily understandable, given (i) the wide-ranging technological advances that have occurred since the UK […]

You don’t need to be a PR guru to know that branding is all about image. This is never truer than for high-end or luxury brands, which strive to deliver a customer experience that is consistent with, and can be justified by, the price tag. This sensitivity to customer experience is borne out in distributor […]

Given that most high-profile competition law actions tend to involve the decisions of large-scale regulators following heavily-protracted investigations (such as the recent seven-year EU commission investigation into Google’s online shopping offering), small businesses and consumers could be forgiven for thinking that redress in competition law is not a realistic proposition. It was, however, with this […]

Continuing the trend of strategic recruitment that has been a consistent feature in recent years, Fladgate LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of competition, regulatory and commercial partner Alex Haffner who joins from Dentons. Alex has significant experience dealing with UK, EU and international competition and regulatory authorities and has been involved in a […]

Fladgate has advised Aspers UK Holdings Limited on a joint venture with Stride Gaming plc to set up Aspers Online Limited. The online casino will be operated under the Aspers brand and Stride will provide the infrastructure and marketing. Aspers online business is targeted to launch in Q4 2017. Damian Aspinall, Chairman of the Aspers […]

Fines to UK SMEs exceeded £900,000 in 2016 for using unlicensed software It is certainly no secret that software has become an integral part of the success of modern businesses in recent years. Business management software has assisted with running operations more efficiently, cost reduction and replacement of paper processes. Cloud computing software has also […]

New legislation introduced to extend digital connectivity, regulate direct marketing and protect consumers from unexpected phone bills and ticket bots. The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Act) has officially made its way into UK law.  The Act addresses some of the many issues arising in conjunction with the surge in use of technology, digital media and […]

The industry must embrace the technology while investing in resources to protect intellectual property rights Last week, retailer Long Tall Sally, which specialises in clothing for taller women, unveiled a 3D-printed mannequin based on a real customer’s body. Happily for the customer concerned, she need not worry about being the basis for a clone army […]

Fladgate LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of a specialist sports sector team.  Partner James Earl has joined from Pinsent Masons, together with senior associate David Quinlan and associate Muhammed Bhaimohmed.  It is anticipated that the client base of the incoming team will add significantly to Fladgate’s extensive sports practice. James joins as head […]

A House of Lords Select Committee issued a report entitled Online Platforms and the Digital Single Market (see Online Platforms and the Digital Single Market) in response to an EU Commission consultation in relation to the use of market power by the largest online platforms. The report recommends an investigation by the Competition and Markets […]

The EU Commission’s drive to encourage EU cross-border trade through increased consumer confidence took a step forward today (9 February 2016) with the operational launch of its online dispute resolution platform (ODR platform). The portal (which is accessible at the following link:  http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/) is specifically designed to help consumers who have bought goods or services […]