Hi, here is your weekly round-up of highlights from Out-Law News. As always, there are plenty of other stories from this week at http://www.out-law.com. You can also access our archive of weekly emails at http://out-law.com/en/newsletter/weekly-round-up/ The Out-Law Team ***This week's highlights from Out-Law News*** TMT & Sourcing and IP 1. Net neutrality not possible without ISP transparency, says EU telecoms regulators Providing consumers with transparent information about the quality and restrictiveness of their internet service is "fundamental" if net neutrality it to be achieved, European telecoms regulators have said. 06/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/net-neutrality-not-possible-without-isp-transparency-says-eu-telecoms-regulators/ 2. Controversial IP rights treaty signed by eight countries The US and Japan have joined a six other nations in signing a controversial new anti-counterfeiting treaty, the countries have confirmed. The European Commission has not signed it on EU member countries' behalf. 05/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/controversial-ip-rights-treaty-signed-by-eight-countries 3. More online traders needed to help stimulate cross-border market, report says More companies need to participate in cross-border online trading in order to improve competition and help attract more consumers with lower prices, a new report by consumer organisations has said. 05/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/more-online-traders-needed-to-help-stimulate-cross-border-market-report-says/ 4. Advertising watchdog will report record complaint figures following extension of its remit The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said that it is set to report record annual complaints figures as a result of changes to its responsibilities earlier this year. It said that almost one third of complaints are now about online advertising. 05/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/advertising-watchdog-will-report-record-complaint-figures-following-extension-of-its-remit/ 5. EU free trade and copyright laws allow use of foreign decoders in pubs, rules ECJ Pub owners can use foreign decoders to show live Premier League football after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the practice was not contrary to EU copyright law. 04/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/eu-free-trade-and-copyright-laws-allow-use-of-foreign-decoders-in-pubs-rules-ecj/ 6. ICO seeks views on transparency of public bodies The UK's data protection and freedom of information watchdog has launched a new consultation with a view to amending its guidance on what information public sector organisations should be forced to disclose and how. 30/09/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/september/ico-seeks-views-on-transparency-of-public-bodies/ Tax 7. HMRC will allow limited 'grandfathering' on VAT arrangements for existing salary sacrifice schemes Companies which allow employees to give up some of their salary in exchange for taxable benefits will be able to continue to do so free of VAT for a limited period, HMRC has said. 06/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/hmrc-will-allow-limited-grandfathering-on-vat-arrangements-for-existing-salary-sacrifice-schemes/ Litigation & International Arbitration 8. Force majeure clauses should be focussed and used to cement, not undermine, customer relationships, says expert OPINION: Things go wrong in business – what matters is how a company reacts when they do. 06/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/force-majeure-clauses-should-be-focussed-and-used-to-cement-not-undermine-customer-relationships-says-expert/ Planning 9. Right to buy "stacks up" says Shapps Housing Minister Grant Shapps has strongly backed the Government's "right to buy" policy and has insisted that the initiative "stacks up". 05/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/right-to-buy-stacks-up-says-schapps/ 10. Government will redraft some elements of draft National Planning Policy Framework The government has agreed to redraft the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to make the protections for rural England clearer, The Times has reported. 03/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/government-will-redraft-some-elements-of-draft-national-planning-policy-framework/ Energy 11. European Commission warns UK and 18 others on energy measures The UK is one of 18 countries to receive a warning from the European Commission for failing to tell it that they have fully implemented EU rules to liberalise gas and electricity networks more than six months after the deadline, the Commission has announced. 04/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/european-commission-warns-uk-and-18-others-on-energy-measures/ Employment 12. Supreme Court 'missed opportunity' to clarify equal pay law, expert says The Supreme Court "missed the opportunity" to clarify a complex area of employment law when Sheffield City Council settled out of court an equal pay test case by female workers who claimed they were being paid less than men to do similar jobs, an expert has said. 03/10/2011 http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/supreme-court-missed-opportunity-to-clarify-equal-pay-law-expert-says/ Regulatory 13. Plea bargaining a must for anti-corruption success says expert as authorities plan discussions OPINION: The evidence is that the UK is moving towards giving corruption investigators the powers to broker agreements that will settle more cases and encourage more organisations to identify corruption, and it is vital this push succeeds. http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2011/october/plea-bargaining-a-must-for-anti-corruption-success-says-expert-as-authorities-plan-discussions/ 03/10/2011 ***About this email*** This is a weekly email for subscribers of Out-Law.com, a website with more than 10,000 pages of free legal news and guidance. If and when you need further advice, we hope you'll choose Pinsent Masons (http://www.pinsentmasons.com), the law firm behind Out-Law.com. Feel free to forward this email to your friends. If someone forwarded this email to you and you'd like your own subscription, register free at http://www.out-law.com. 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