Photo of Seán Finan

Seán Finan is an associate in the Life Sciences team.  His practice covers environmental, food and beverage and pharmaceutical regulation. 

Seán has specific experience in a number of key areas for EU and UK clients in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and consumer goods industries, including:

  • General food regulation; novel food regulation; genetically modified and "precision bred" products;
  • Advertising claims, particularly environmental claims and "greenwashing";
  • Environmental and ESG compliance issues (Extended Producer Responsibility, ); and
  • Chemicals legislation (REACH, CLP, Biocides).

Seán is qualified in both England & Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.

The relationship between the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) came into sharp focus recently, as US President Joe Biden visited ROI.  Biden’s visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 1998 (GFA) which brought an end to 30 years of Troubles in Northern Ireland (NI).  The UK government will have welcomed the fact that President Biden described the Windsor Framework (WF) as one of two pillars (along with the GFA) which are key to future peace and prosperity in NI.  The WF is also fundamental to the recent improvement of the tripartite UK-EU-ROI relationship.

The Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP) was part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and sought to square the circle of respecting the GFA, whilst maintaining NI’s place in the UK Single Market. But the Unionist community in NI felt the NIP left NI being treated differently from the rest of the UK – a feeling which led to the 2022 suspension of the Stormont Assembly. The negotiation of the WF demonstrated a new and welcome willingness of the UK and the EU to negotiate mutually acceptable solutions to some of the problems created by Brexit (even if the WF has not (so far) achieved one of its objectives of re‑starting power-sharing at Stormont).

What has Changed under the WF?

Continue Reading The Implications of the Windsor Framework

The UK government has proposed legislation to open the way for gene‑edited food products in England.  The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill (“Precision Breeding Bill”) sets out a new regulatory regime that may provide a faster and easier path to market for certain gene-edited plants, animals and derived products.

Continue Reading UK Draft Bill Permits ‘Precision Bred’ Gene-Edited Plants, Animals and Products