The UK Bribery Act– Upping the Ante on Anti-Corruption/Anti-Bribery Enforcement

is being presented by Jamie L. Kendall, Esq., Senior Director, with Compliance Implementation Services and airs on Thursday, February 9th, 2012. For more details or to register, please visit our site at www.fxconferences.com

Since 1977, international pharmaceutical manufacturers have had to ensure their local affiliates abide by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when interacting with government officials. Just this past April, Johnson & Johnson came to settlement terms with the SEC for FCPA charges to the tune of $48.6 million stemming from allegations of bribing and providing kickbacks to public doctors in Europe and Iraq.

In 2010, the United Kingdom threw its hat into the anti-corruption/anti-bribery ring by enacting the UK Bribery Act, which went into effect July 1, 2011. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph the day it went into effect, the director of the UK Serious Fraud Office emphasized the intention to use the UK Bribery Act to go after non-UK corporations. While most companies may be familiar with best practices to avoid criminal investigations and civil penalties under the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act creates an additional layer of scope and raises the floor of compliance by including parties and actions not contemplated by the FCPA.

Pharmaceutical companies with UK connections will no longer be able to rely on anti-corruption policies and procedures that were predicated solely on FCPA compliance. Indeed, such policies and procedures must now account for the wider net that the UK Bribery Act casts. The enactment of the UK Bribery Act increases fraud and abuse risk exposure and an understanding of its provisions and how it differs from the FCPA is essential for creating a comprehensive compliance policy.

This presentation provides attendees with an overview of the differences between the UK Bribery Act and the FCPA and emphasizes the wider scope the UK Bribery Act represents in the anti-corruption/anti-bribery regulatory and legal framework.

The UK Bribery Act and What US Companies Need to Know About It

is being presented by Adam Greaves & William Boddy, with McGuireWoods and airs on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011. For more details, or to register please visit our site at www.fxconferences.com

The UK Bribery Act, which comes into force July 1, 2011, is a comprehensive piece of legislation modeled after, but going beyond, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The Bribery Act is broad in scope and will have implications not just for UK businesses, but for any foreign organizations having business interests in that country. The British government has recently released Guidance on the Act, intended to help organizations understand how it will work, and how to deal with the risks of bribery. But while the Guidance provides insights into how the Act might be interpreted, it does not give assurances. And while it suggests procedures that might be adequate, it does not set down rules.

When the Act comes into force, its provisions will impact not only companies and partnerships formed or incorporated in the UK, but all foreign organizations that carry out business in the UK. This audio conference presentation provides an overview of the provisions of the Act, and how they will impact US companies.