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Certain states around the U.S. are dishing out their own laws seeking to regulate the presence or use of PFAS in food packaging.  Thus far, and while there is limited federal legislation addressing these chemicals in food packaging, 14 (fourteen) states have enacted laws related to PFAS substances in food containers and packaging materials (“Food Packaging”).  There are an additional 10 (ten) proposed bills currently pending in various states.  According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), commonly cited examples of Food Packaging that have historically contained PFAS substances include “grease-resistant paper, fast food containers/wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, and candy wrappers.”

As 2026 approaches, the UK financial services sector stands at a pivotal moment in its AI journey. What began as cautious pilots has matured into widespread deployment, prompting regulators to sharpen their focus on governance and risk. The FCA’s recent oral evidence to the Treasury Committee inquiry on AI in financial services — and Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi’s recent remarks at the FT Global Banking Summit — highlight the delicate balance: promoting innovation while protecting consumers and financial stability.

In July we wrote about the Competition and Markets Authority's proposed study into the road and rail sectors, aimed at supporting the government’s ambitious 10-year strategy for infrastructure growth. The CMA has now published its interim report, setting out its emerging findings and possible remedies. The CMA’s final report is due to be released in April 2026 and the focus is on how market interactions between public bodies and the business supply chain can best incentivise cost-effective delivery of rail and road infrastructure. It also considers whether public procurement and regulatory processes could make it easier for firms to enter, expand, invest and innovate. As noted in the interim report, rail and road,  excluding HS2, accounted for 70-75% of government expenditure on economic infrastructure in 2022 and in 2023-24 the total annual expenditure on public roads was expected to be about £10.3 billion, with about £8.7 billion spent on railways. Importantly, whilst the focus is on the road and rail sectors, the CMA has previously stated that its “findings may identify lessons that may be equally as informative for civil engineering in other areas of economic infrastructure”.

As anticipated in our 2024 privacy round up, 2025 has proven to be a defining year for data privacy and the broader digital landscape. Significant developments in AI regulation and cybersecurity have emerged, with legislative updates and regulatory activity accelerating as expected. Geopolitical dynamics continue to influence the adoption of new technologies, and questions remain over whether the EU will advance its tech regulation agenda, particularly following steps to delay certain implementation phases (most notably in AI) through its Digital Omnibus. With global data protection developments continuing at pace and further changes expected in 2026, now is an opportune moment to reflect on what 2025 delivered for businesses and to consider what 2026 may hold for the EMEA region.

Claims based on restitution and unjust enrichment are not common in a commercial context when there will almost always be some form of agreement that governs the parties’ rights and obligations. But in October 2025 there were two decisions that dealt with claims for unjust enrichment, one of which concerned the FIDIC form of contract. This is therefore a useful opportunity to look again at when and how such claims might exist in a construction context.