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UK regulator faces independence stress-test; and European soccer has its day in court
15 July 2022 00:00
Duration: 29:45
Against the backdrop of the political turmoil affecting the UK, an interesting power dynamic is developing between the government, insurers and the central bank’s prudential regulator. Solvency II, a key piece of legislation for the insurance industry, is being overhauled and there’s a growing chasm between the government and the insurance industry on the one side, and regulators on the other. The stakes are high, with the government awarded powers to undermine anything the regulator does — powers that are prompting some soul-searching about regulatory independence. Also on today’s podcast: Judges ponder the future of European sport, with EU courts weighing up whether UEFA should be allowed special leeway to nurture grass-roots sport or whether it falls under competition laws and should allow the emergence of a rival Super League.
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06 July 2022 08:01 by Fiona MaxwellA row over UK insurance rules looks set to be the first post-Brexit test of the power dynamics
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07 July 2022 12:11 by Lewis Crofts, Nicholas HirstThe future of European sport will be invoked at back-to-back EU court hearings on skating and football.
Editorial Team
James Panichi Senior Editor, Asia Pacific

James, an Australian journalist with over 25 years’ experience in print and electronic media, helps to oversee MLex’s coverage of regulatory risk in Asia, with special attention to Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, James was appointed as MLex’s managing editor for continental Europe, overseeing the Brussels bureau’s coverage of EU regulatory affairs and managing a team of 16 journalists in Brussels and Geneva. Previously James worked for the European Voice newspaper, before joining the... Read more
Fiona Maxwell Chief Correspondent

Fiona Maxwell is a financial services chief correspondent at MLex in London. She began her career as a reporter for Risk.net, writing about EU post-crisis regulation, and later worked for POLITICO in Brussels, covering the intersect between financial policy and politics. Prior to joining MLex, Fiona worked at the Bank of England as a policy adviser in the prudential policy directorate.Connect with Fiona on Twitter.
Lewis Crofts Editor-at-Large

Lewis leads MLex's editorial strategy, content direction, quality and development. He has a reputation for breaking stories and providing analysis on complex legal disputes before regulators and courts around the globe. He has also developed MLex's unrivalled coverage of competition policy, litigation, regulation, Brexit and international investigations.A graduate of Oxford University, Lewis worked in academia at the Charles University in Prague prior to becoming a journalist.