Security News > 2021 > November > UK government publishes guidance on security rules for tech takeovers
The UK government has published guidance describing what technologies may be caught within the National Security and Investment Act 2021, which is set to give ministers the power to halt mergers and acquisitions.
The guidance says that "If an entity you are acquiring performs a certain activity, it could put you in scope of the National Security and Investment Act and you may be legally required to tell the government about it. This guidance tells you what these activities are."
Technology areas covered by the National Security and Investment Act 2021, which comes into force in January 2022.
The Procedure for Service Statutory Instrument sets out how the government sends and receives documents under the Act while the Form and Content of Notification Forms Statutory Instrument sets out what information is required in the Act's notification forms, which parties can submit to the government under the Act.
In a statement on National Security and Investment Act 2021 the government made it clear it would not set out the circumstances in which national security is, or may be, considered at risk, reflecting a policy to ensure that national security powers are sufficiently flexible to protect the nation.
In September, the UK government issued a surprise public interest intervention notice against the proposed takeover of Welsh advanced materials specialist Perpetuus Group, claiming it represents a potential threat to national security.