On 23 June 2020 the UK government brought into force emergency legislation imposing controls on any acquisitions of UK businesses that are critical to combating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and future public health emergencies.
The basis for the emergency legislation is a concern that the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may have made some UK businesses with critical capabilities more susceptible to takeovers. The controls are general in nature and not expressly directed against foreign investment.
Continue reading the full GT Alert, “Emergency Controls Over Acquisitions of UK Businesses Critical to Health Emergencies.”