China will largely abide by Hong Kong handover terms

Significance This case adds to a growing list of incidents, including the abduction of five Hong Kong booksellers by mainland agents in 2015, that feed fears in Hong Kong that Beijing is undermining the autonomy the city was promised when the UK government handed it over to China in 1997. Impacts The United Kingdom is unlikely to escalate disputes over Beijing's adherence to the handover treaty since doing so might backfire. Evidence of China interfering with business in Hong Kong would be far more economically damaging than targeted political repression. Even limited encroachments by Beijing will increase pessimism about the city's long-term future and make young people keener to emigrate.

Significance This comes after the Telegraph reported last week that Soros had donated 400,000 pounds to the group. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the United Kingdom will in fact leave the EU. Central to it is the question of whether the UK government can unilaterally revoke its decision to trigger Article 50 in March 2017. Impacts Voters would be less likely to support the revocation of Article 50 if the Council imposed conditions that made membership less attractive. Revoking Article 50 and remaining in the EU would reduce damage to the UK economy. If Article 50 is revocable, Eurosceptic governments could be tempted to use the prospect of triggering it as leverage in EU negotiations.


Subject UK-EU trade talks. Significance The United Kingdom will leave the EU on January 31, 2020, but will abide by EU rules as part of the transition period, which runs to December 31, 2020. During this limited period of time, London and Brussels will seek to negotiate a permanent trading relationship. While the transition deadline can be extended, the UK government has committed not to seek an extension. Impacts The impact of no trade deal or a 'thin' one may force the UK government to increase taxes in order to meet spending pledges. UK financial services will rely on an equivalence deal with the EU; London hopes to agree this by mid-2020. The EU’s future trade policy will focus on having stronger sanction powers as well as legal ones for those that unfairly undercut EU firms.


Significance Depending on the outcome, the United Kingdom's relation with its largest trading partner may be at risk, together with the City of London's role as a financial hub and the ability of EU citizens to work freely in the United Kingdom. Impacts In the event of Brexit, the pound could fall to 1.3 against the dollar and towards parity against the euro. Despite having sold off already, UK bank stocks could fall further in the case of Brexit. Given Scotland's pro-EU stance, an 'out' vote could reopen the debate about Scottish independence.


Significance Freed from the EU’s control, London insists, the United Kingdom could become a hub for new technologies. To this end, besides setting out some other objectives, it has prepared a ten-year strategy to foster innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Impacts UK plans to adapt GDPR to favour business and innovation will be opposed by consumer and privacy activists, possibly in courts. Regulatory divergence with the EU in critical sectors such as the digital economy will hurt UK-EU ties. The UK government may struggle to benefit from partnerships developed in the EU-US Trade and Technology Council.


Subject Economic impact of Brexit. Significance The latest Brexit deal differs significantly from that agreed by former Prime Minister Theresa May. The United Kingdom (except for Northern Ireland) will leave the EU’s customs territory. Moreover, if the UK government refuses to sign up to “level playing field” provisions, any future EU-UK trade deal is likely to be considerably more limited in scope. As a result, the long-term economic impact of Brexit will be greater. Impacts The key issue concerning trade talks is the extent to which London is prepared to accept constraints on its future regulatory flexibility. Substantial regulatory divergence could damage future UK-EU security and defence cooperation. It is possible that the United Kingdom will leave the EU at the end of 2020 without a trade deal in place.


Significance Johnson's cabinet overhaul is the largest in decades, replacing 17 cabinet ministers from the previous government mostly with individuals who support Johnson’s hard-line stance on Brexit. Impacts Brussels could offer London a ‘Northern Ireland only’ backstop, but this will be rejected by the UK government. The government will likely pass legislation to protect EU citizens’ rights in the United Kingdom if there is a no-deal Brexit. The EU will only grant another extension if a deal is almost agreed, or if there is a UK general election or second Brexit referendum.


Significance Reaching an agreement with the UK government will support Australia’s efforts to secure new markets for goods affected by political tensions with China, but early benefits once the FTA is signed are likely to be limited. Impacts The Liberal Party’s coalition partner may demand changes if it sees the FTA as failing to protect rural interests. Pending regulatory clauses, including tough UK standards on data protection, could create tensions in final negotiations. The FTA will allow ships flagged in the United Kingdom or Australia to provide feeder services between the respective ports.


Significance The role for the ECJ after Brexit will be a key sticking point as negotiations between London and Brussels progress. Impacts Fragmentation in regulatory standards would make it much harder for the United Kingdom to trade with the EU. The dissonant position adopted by the UK government increases the risk of delay, and ultimately of failing to secure a deal. Unless London settles on stable guidance for interpretation of EU law post-Brexit, uncertainty for firms, investors and citizens will rise.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Dunbar

In spite of the long-term dominance in Britain and Ireland of English, other indigenous languages continue to be spoken, and in relatively recent years several of those languages have benefited not only from a more coherent and supportive language policy but also from significant language legislation. One of the interesting features of these other indigenous languages is that, although strongly associated with rural ‘heartlands’ in the particular jurisdictions with which they are associated, they are also spoken in other parts of those jurisdictions, and, indeed, in other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. In this article, the ways in which the concept of territoriality has impacted upon legislation and on broader policy for two of these languages, Irish and Scottish Gaelic, will be considered.


Author(s):  
Thomas Klammer ◽  
Neil Wilner ◽  
Jan Smolarski

Capital expenditures can be crucial to firms long-term success, especially in a complex global environment. As companies increasingly compete in the global market place, it is important to study project evaluation processes from an international perspective. Capital investments involve substantial monetary commitments and risks that affect long-term firm profitability and influence capital allocation decisions in the future. Survey research in the area of capital expenditure analysis has been extensively done in both the United States [US] and the United Kingdom [UK]. This research is the first comparative survey of practices in both countries that we are aware of. A direct comparison of the use of project evaluation, management science, and risk management techniques in the two countries is made. The survey instrument used is an adaptation of the Klammer [1970] instrument that has been used repeatedly in surveys of American firms. This is the first time that it has been applied to British firms. The use of a common instrument allows for more meaningful comparisons. The samples consisted of 127 American and 59 British firms with sales of at least $100 million and capital expenditures of at least $10 million. Preliminary results indicate a continued extensive use of discounted cash flow techniques by US firms. Techniques such as payback or urgency continue to be used, but to a lesser degree than discounting. Firms in the UK also make extensive use of discounting but do so to a lesser degree than their American counterparts. Payback is widely used in the UK. Risk management techniques are widely used in both countries, with sensitivity analysis being the most popular technique in both countries. Extensive use of technical and administrative procedures, such as detailed budgets, standardized forms and post-audits, are evidenced in both countries. The paper offers reasons that have to do with organizational structure and form, as well as market differences, to explain our results.


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