News Regulation Changes
NEWS FOCUS 9
News Regulation Changes
October 2007 regulation changes
A number of new and changing regulations came into effect on 1 October and affect all businesses:
Taxes & Finance
Under the Companies Act 2006, the range of new measures include: A new statutory statement setting out directors’ duties and responsibilities; removal of the requirement to hold annual general meetings unless you decide to do so; easier decision making by written resolution of the company’ s shareholders. There will be certain changes to VAT invoicing for businesses that sell to business customers in other member states and / or those who use Margin Schemes or Tour Operators’ Scheme in the United Kingdom.
Employment
- Increases in national minimum wage rates.- If you provide all your workers an annual leave entitlement of 5.6 weeks, you do not have to make any changes. However, if your workers do not yet receive a holiday entitlement of 28 days per year- which can include bank and public holidays- your business will have to change its holiday entitlement policy and related outgoings. This is a twophased process- four additional days apply as of October 2007 and the final four days as of April 2009.- The right of private foster carers and people with residence orders to request flexible working will apply to very few individuals and to even fewer businesses.- The only other employment laws that could still meet the CCD in-force date would affect employment agencies rather than all employers. However, the expected changes are likely only to apply as of April 2008.
Health & Safety
- New workplace exposure limits( WELs) will apply in the chemical and other manufacturing industries and coal-mining industries. These sectors must use appropriate work procedures, testing methodologies and health surveillance systems to keep worker exposure to certain hazardous substances or coal dust below new lower levels.
Environment
If your business activities relate to primary food production, animals and / or the countryside. certain changes have been made: In order to monitor for zoonoses- ie diseases that can be transmitted to humans from domestic and wild animals- government inspectors will have new powers of entry to premises.- Holders of persistent organic pollutants should be aware of new bans and penalties that will come into effect.
Other
- Anyone in the retail sector that sells cigarettes, cigarette papers or any other tobacco products must cease to sell them to anyone younger than 18. To fully comply with the law, all your signs and vending machine displays must clearly show the new minimum age.- All trade mark holders and applicants will find changes in the process for examining new trade mark applications and for opposing them. Briefly, this means that new trade mark applications will no longer be automatically blocked if there is an earlier conflicting mark. Those in residential property can expect certain changes:- when you demand a variable service charge and / or an administration charge from your tenants, you must provide a summary of tenants’ rights and obligations at the same time- changes in licensing and management rules will apply to additional types of houses in multiple occupation Certain weight-based exemptions will also apply for the hallmarking of jewellery and other articles that incorporate small amounts of precious metals.
For further information visit Business Link at www. businesslink. gov. uk
ISSUE FIVE 2007 engage | uk