European Union: International Trade & Investment

France's Office for Foreign Investment (IEF) has released its 2025 guidance on foreign direct investment screening, revealing key procedural changes and clarifications on sector-specific requirements. With the EU's Revised FDI Screening Regulation set to take effect in 2027, investors face new timelines, expanded mandatory screening sectors, and stricter compliance obligations that will fundamentally reshape cross-border transaction planning.

The Dutch government has prohibited a US IT company from acquiring Solvinity, the operator behind DigiD, the Netherlands' digital identity verification system. This decision raises important questions about how national security concerns intersect with foreign investment in critical telecommunications infrastructure and what legal mechanisms exist to protect public interests in the digital age.

Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has released its first annual report on the country's mandatory FDI screening regime, revealing 102 notifications in 2025 with a remarkably low intervention...

Transport Malta's Merchant Shipping Directorate has introduced revised seaworthiness assessment guidelines through Merchant Shipping Notice 127 Rev. 3, implementing stricter requirements for vessel age limits...

Swedish authorities have arrested two individuals and conducted raids across southern and western Sweden in connection with suspected violations of EU sanctions against Russia.

The German authorities have published the third instalment of their 6-monthly updates on their current enforcement actions.

The European Commission (Commission) on 4 March 2026 published its proposal for a Regulation establishing a framework of measures for the acceleration of industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors...

The European Commission intensifies its use of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation with new investigations into Chinese manufacturers, while the EU and UK establish a post-Brexit competition cooperation framework. Meanwhile, sweeping new maritime and industrial strategies signal Europe's shift toward strategic autonomy, combining decarbonization mandates with heightened scrutiny of foreign investment in critical sectors.

Irish M&A continued to show resilience in 2025, despite a challenging global backdrop. Over the full year, Ireland saw 524 deals worth a combined €19.5bn...