William Simpson

The Luxembourg Competition Council has released a termination decision on 2 July 2009 (Décision n° 2009-FO-01) removing suspicions of competition law infringements by the Groupe de Presse Nicolas. Generally speaking, the case is interesting in the sense it shows how market players active in the (...)

On 20 May 2009, the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority released a decision which rules for the first time that a Public undertaking active in the sewerage services industry has abused its dominant position. In addition, the Jersey Competition Authority has imposed fines to sanction its (...)

Facts surrounding the case 1. On 15 March 2008, the Ministers’ Council of the government of Brussels-Capital Region invited tenders for the award of a concession for the setting-up of an automated and publicly accessible bicycle rental system in the Brussels-Capital Region for a nominal fee. (...)

The operation On 16 September 2008, the Jersey Competition Regulation Authority (“JCRA”) has cleared the acquisition of E.C. Le Feuvre Agricultural Machinery Limited (“E.C. Le Feuvre”) by Jersey Royal potato marketing Limited (“Jersey Royal”). Jersey Royal is the largest grower of potatoes in (...)

A merger in funeral services was examined by the OFT On 24 March 2006, Co-Operative Group (CWS) Limited (hereafter “CGL”) purchased and acquired the control of the undertaking Fairways Group UK Limited (“Fairways”). CGL provides funeral services through its subsidiary Funeralcare business. More (...)

Norwegian Competition Authority ( Konkurransetilsynet), 12 June 2007, Press release, Conditions for Media Norge Merger (English) Norwegian Competition Authority ( Konkurransetilsynet), 25 April 2007, Press release, Possible intervention against Media Norge merger (English) Norwegian Media (...)

The operation By a Court decision dated 27 June 2007, the French Administrative Supreme Court upheld a decision taken by the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment on 27 October 2004 granting TV channels TF1 and AB with an authorisation to acquire Télé Monte-Carlo in a Phase I (...)

Summary The UK’s Competition Commission has concluded that a completed merger in the egg industry is anti-competitive and therefore the merged entity is required to divest all or part of the business. The decision raises the general question as to what extent a business can legitimately (...)

On 3 July 2006, Svitzer Wijsmuller A/S made an Offer to acquire all the shares of Adsteam Marine Limited . This proposed merger between two tugboat operators was conditional on the clearance of the UK merger control authorities. Facts and timing of the merger transaction The acquiring (...)

On 29 November 2006, the Court of Appeal reversed the High Court ruling of 19 January 2006 on the claim arising from the Ministry of Defense (hereinafter “the MoD”) on repayments of metered sewerage services provided by the company, Thames Water Limited Utilities (hereinafter “Thames Water”). (...)

On 22 November 2006, the Latvian Competition Council (hereinafter “the Council”) ruled that Riga International Airport (hereinafter “the Airport”) infringed article 82 of the EC Treaty (hereinafter “ECT”) by applying the regulation n° 3 (hereinafter “the regulation”) adopted on 23 July 2004 by the (...)

On 31 October 2006, the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT” or “Tribunal”) unanimously upheld the Office of Fair Trading’s decision (“OFT”) imposing financial penalties on check pad suppliers guilty of horizontal price fixing. This decision was challenged by Achilles Paper Group Limited (...)

The operation The Jersey Competition Regulation Authority (“JCRA”) has granted permission for freight firm Ferryspeed (C.I) Limited (“Ferryspeed”) to take over rival Channel Express (C.I) Limited (“Channel Express”) on condition that it gives up a harbourside warehouse. In a decision issued on 3 (...)

1. The facts The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is increasingly willing to pursue criminal price-fixing cartels affecting US markets. The Ian Norris decision is a landmark decision for the reason that it is the first time the US is seeking the extradition of a foreigner for an antitrust crime. (...)

The operation By letter dated 25 July 2005, the French Minister of Economic Affairs (“the Minister”) authorised a merger where France Handling, an undertaking jointly held by Aéroports de Paris (AdP), Danzas and Aérofret, was acquired by Groupe Vinci via its subsidiary Vinci Services (...)

The operation By letter dated 5 November 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs cleared a merger after a Phase I procedure where the Group Lactalis acquired cheese producers or parts of their businesses controlled by the Family Pochat Cotilloux (namely the SCI de la Pointe Percée, the (...)

The operation By letter dated 24 November 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs cleared a merger where Group Arc International acquired the exclusive control of the entities Callens-Lesage, Financière Saint-Laurent, Vachaud Distribution, Francis Piffaut & Fils. A Phase II (...)

The operation By letter dated 18 November 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs (“the Minister”) authorised the merger where the oil producer Lesieur acquired the oil brands of Uniliver Bestfoods France (namely, “Puget Classique”, “Puget Sélection douce”, “Puget Sélection fruitée” and “Puget (...)

The operation By a decision dated 27 October 2004, the French Minister of Economy (the “Minister”) authorised the joint acquisition of Télé Monte-Carlo (a Monaco based TV channel called “TMC”) in a Phase I procedure by the TV channels TF1 and AB. Both parties were mainly active in the (...)

The operation By letter dated 2 September 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs (“the Minister”) authorised a merger where Charles André SAS acquired Citaix. Both parties were active in the road transport business (Charles André in the road transport by tank trucks and Citaix in the road (...)

The operation By letter dated 2 August 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs cleared a merger where General Electrics (“GE”) acquired the exclusive control of InVision Technologies Inc (“InVision”). After a Phase I investigation the French Minister cleared the merger conditional to (...)

The operation On 19 April 2004, the European Commission received a notification of a proposed merger in which the companies Accor and Colony and the Barrière-Desseigne family would join forces to set up the Lucien Barrière Group, a company which would bring together the casinos currently (...)

The operation By letter dated 11 February 2004, the French Minister of Economic Affairs cleared a merger after a Phase I procedure where the Group Bayard Press acquired the publishing group Milan. Competition problems were raised for the reason that both Parties were active on the market of (...)

The operation On 30 October 2002, the European Commission received notification of Leroy Merlin’s plan to acquire control of Brico France, Brico Spain and Brico Portugal. Leroy Merlin, a French-based company controlled by the Mulliez family, which likewise controls Auchan, is also present in (...)