Law Society notices

Recent information from the Law Society's library

CostsHamilton v Al Fayed, The Times 13 October 2000 (CA)The financial backer of Neil Hamilton in his unsuccessful libel action against Mohamed Al Fayed could not be joined as a party in the appeal proceedings.

Available at: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/

EuropeThe European Commission has adopted a proposal for a regulation standardising health requirements for pets travelling between European Union (EU) Member States.

The requirements will include identification by microchip or tattoo and rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs.

Available at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex

A proposal to establish a network responsible for facilitating judicial co-operation between Member States in civil and commercial matters has been published.

COM (2000) 592 final/2 is available at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex

Changes to the Money Laundering Directive 1991/308/EC have recently been considered at a meeting of the EU Council of Finance Ministers (ECOFIN).

The changes require lawyers, financial advisors, accountants and other professionals to report on any clients that they believe may be involved in money laundering.

COM (1999) 352 sets out details of the original proposed amendments; the main points concerning the legal profession are summarised in a memorandum EU Doc 101, which is available at the library.

The European Court of Justice has annulled Directive 98/43/EC on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

In the Joined Cases C-376/98 and C-74/99, the Court ruled that the Community legislature had no power to adopt the Directive under the legal basis relating to the internal market, as the Directive did not increase trade and competition.

A Press Release is at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex and the full Judgment at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex

ImmigrationThe Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (Commencement No.

7) Order 2000.

SI 2000: 2698 (C.76).

Brings into force on 1 January 2001 provisions relating to the reporting of suspicious marriages, Registrar's certificates procedure, notice of marriage and marriage certificates.

PensionsA number of Instruments relating to Personal Pension Schemes came into force on 1 October 2000.

Statutory Instruments numbers 2314, 2315, 2316 and 2317 of 2000 are all available at http://www.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm

Various Statutory Instruments relating to the sharing of pensions come into force on 1 December 2000.

Statutory Instrument No's 2691 and 2693 are available at: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm

Social securityThe Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (Commencement No.

1) Order 2000.

SI 2000: 2666 (C.74).

Brings into force provisions of the Act concerning the sharing of state pension rights on divorce (on 29 September 2000) and entitlement to child benefit (on 9 October 2000).

Available at: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm

Library Open 4 NovemberThe Law Society library will open on Saturday, 4 November from 11am to 4pm during the Solicitor's Annual Conference at Chancery Lane.

Library staff will be on hand to advise visiting solicitors on the services and legal resources which the library offers to solicitors.

The document delivery service and free telephone enquiry service will be closed but the legal databases, self-service photocopying, CD Rom services, internet access and studying facilities will all be open for the day.

Contact Library Administration on 020 7320 5699 for any further details.

This list has been compiled by the Law Society's Library.

For further information about items or other legal research enquiries please contact the library's enquiry Service tel: 0870 606 2511 or e-mail Lib-Enq@lawsociety.org.uk.

Copies of most items are available via the library's charged document delivery service: a photocopying application form is available on the library's Web page at: www.library.lawsociety.org.uk