Logistics, packaging and shipments companies are using M&A to expand their service coverage and future proof.

Heightened interest in medical suppliers, contract research organizations and biotech firms resulted in an impressive year for healthcare dealmaking.

Recent legislative reforms have increased the New Zealand government's ability to take national interest considerations into account, but have also looked to exclude lower-risk transactions

Japan continues to tighten foreign direct investment reviews but also offers a prior notification exemption

Government approval is required for all foreign investments from countries sharing a land border with India

China continued to strengthen its national security regulatory regime by introducing the new Data Security Law in 2021

Australia requires a wide variety of investments by foreign businesses to be reviewed and approved

The National Security and Investment Act introduces a mandatory obligation to secure clearance for certain types of transactions

Recent political pressure has been pushing toward a specific legal regime for foreign investment in Switzerland.

Measures enacted to protect the Spanish economy against the COVID-19 crisis may persist longer than expected

Further developments to Russian foreign investment laws introduce new requirements for investors and simplify regulation in some spheres

Investments relevant to national security are subject to review

In the Netherlands, there are only FDI rules and FDI-like rules in place that apply to specific sectors

In response to the COVID-19 emergency, the screening powers of the Italian government were significantly expanded

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy continues to tighten FDI control, but the investment climate remains liberal in principle

Following major reforms, the French Foreign Investments Control regime is now reaching cruising speed

Member States are introducing or expanding investment screening regimes, and the European Commission is now playing an active role

New rules require transactions involving Swedish security-sensitive activities or assets to undergo a security screening

Deals are generally not blocked in Finland

The Investment Screening Act requires a careful assessment of investments involving Danish entities

Foreign direct investments, whether undertaken directly or indirectly, are generally allowed without restrictions or the need to obtain prior authorization

Expanded jurisdiction, mandatory filings and a substantially increased pursuit of non-notified transactions have changed the landscape 

Since COVID-19, deals involving foreign state-owned enterprises or enterprises related to public health or the supply of critical goods and services are increasingly subject to review

A guide to navigating the rules for investing in countries that require foreign direct investment approval

Deal volume has reached new highs as dealmaking confidence in the region returns  

Intense competition to deliver on-demand content accelerates dealmaking in the sector

Investors eager to maintain high levels of capital deployment have kept terms and pricing highly flexible for bond and loan issuers, but that does not mean easy access for borrowers—lenders are still pushing back against credits that fall short of the quality bar

Reopening economies have transformed the credit landscape with ratings upgrades rising sharply through the year, after 2020 recorded the highest number of downgrades in more than two decades.

European Leveraged Finance Client Alert Series: December 2021

Traditionally a powerhouse of European M&A, the DACH region—D for Germany, A for Austria and CH for Switzerland—did not disappoint in the first three quarters of the year.