The European Commission (EC) has launched public consultations on a new draft directive on intermediaries that facilitate tax evasion and "aggressive tax planning".

The combination of an exponential increase in potential blockchain applications has become a real reason for the emergence of a new format of the digital economy. It is an entirely new product that has launched a mechanism for additional control by regulatory authorities.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is consulting on a proposal to expand the existing Investment Manager Exception (IME Exception) to include crypto assets. The IME exemption defines the types of investment transactions that UK collective investment agreement managers may undertake on behalf of non-UK resident investors.

The European Commission has published proposals to tighten its rules on emergency freezing, return and confiscation of assets, including confiscating the wealth of unknown origin without a conviction.