Defence and the UK National Security and Investment Regime – What you need to know

Governments across Europe are committing to increased defence spending to match a changing security environment, with both established and new companies in the sector attracting significant investment.

In the UK, The National Security and Investment Act 2021 gives the government power to scrutinise a wide range of transactions on national security grounds, applies to all buyers and investors (not just those outside the UK or from certain jurisdictions), and enforces mandatory notifications of transactions in some sectors.

Veronica Roberts, our UK head of competition/antitrust, regulation and trade, explains the recent increases in defence spending across Europe, what businesses should know about the NSI regime, and how it could change moving forward.