The UK Bribery Act 2010: what you need to know

Organizer

American Chamber of Commerce
in the Czech Republic

When

8.12.2010, 09:00 - 8.12.2010, 10:30

Where

AmCham Office, Dušní 10, Prague 1 Show on map

What

CMS and American Chamber of Commerce have the pleasure to invite you to a seminar on the UK Bribery Act 2010. The Act creates new offences which can affect businesses operating anywhere in the world if they have a relevant UK connection. It comes into force in April 2011. The Act will make a corporate carrying on a business or part of a business in the UK automatically criminally liable if someone performing services on its behalf anywhere in the world (including agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures and others in appropriate circumstances) commits an act of bribery to win or retain business for the corporation. It does not matter whether the corporation is registered in the UK, as long as it does business there. The only defence is if the corporate can prove that it had adequate procedures in place designed to prevent bribery. The Act also creates separate offences of offering, paying, requesting or accepting bribes in the public and private sectors and a discrete offence of bribing a non-UK public official. Unlike the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, there is no special defence for corporate hospitality or facilitation payments. Omar Qureshi, an anticorruption specialist and partner from CMS London office and Joe Smith, solicitor from CMS London office will lead the presentation together with Tomas Matejovsky, a Czech business criminal law expert, from CMS Prague office, who will share his observations from the perspective of Czech Republic. During the seminar we will provide practical guidance on the new law and its consequences for Czech lawyers and managers, including the steps businesses can and should take now to minimise the risk of liability. The information on differences between British and American Act will also be included in the presentation. Introduction to the presentation will be made by Erik Best, Board Member of American Chamber of Commerce. Speakers: Guy Pendell, Partner, CMS London Tomáš Matějovský, Czech business criminal law expert of CMS Prague Moderator: Erik Best, Publisher of Fleet Sheet and AmCham Board Member