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Latest News issue: May 2022

General antitrust

 The UK Competition Authority publishes its second State of Competition report, finding that the economy remains more concentrated than it was prior to the 2008 financial crisis and that the concentration disproportionately affects the least well-off New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
CMA publishes second state of competition report* The CMA has published its second assessment of how well competition is working in the UK and what that means for people and businesses. Effective competition helps make sure shoppers and households get a fair deal when buying goods and (...)

The US FTC extends the public comment period for request for information on the impact of pharmacy benefit managers
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (Washington)
United States 113 contributions 26374 visits
Federal Trade Commission Extends Public Comment Period for Request for Information on Impact of Pharmacy Benefit Managers* The Federal Trade Commission is extending the public comment period, until May 25, 2022, on a request for information that covers a wide range of issues in the PBM (...)

The German Competition Authority publishes the annual report of its market transparency unit for fuels and launches an ad-hoc examination of the mineral oil sector
German Competition Authority (Bonn)
Germany 387 contributions 96954 visits
Annual report of the Market Transparency Unit for Fuels – Bundeskartellamt launches ad-hoc examination of the mineral oil sector * With high prices and a rapidly changing market, the provision of immediate information for consumers via price information apps has become even more valuable. Some (...)

The Japanese FTC conducts a market study on credit card transactions and proposes that standard interchange fee rates be disclosed New
White & Case (Tokyo)
Japan 11 contributions 2386 visits
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White & Case (Tokyo)
Japan 11 contributions 2386 visits
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White & Case (Tokyo)
Japan 11 contributions 2386 visits
On April 8, 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (’JFTC’) published the Market Survey Report on Credit Card Transactions (’Report’). The JFTC conducted a survey on credit card transactions in order to ascertain disclosure of standard interchange fee rates and to determine whether there are any (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority analyses the impact of tax consultancy and financial audit legislation on national competition
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The competition council analyses the impact of tax consultancy and financial audit legislation on competition* The Competition Council carries out a study to analyse the impact on competition of the legislative provisions that oblige companies in the field of tax consultancy and financial (...)

The EU Commission issues Guidance on FDI from Russia and Belarus and calls for greater scrutiny due to increased risk of harm to security or public order New
Herbert Smith Freehills (New York)
1 contribution 84 visits
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Herbert Smith Freehills (Brussels)
Belgium 87 contributions 59471 visits
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Herbert Smith Freehills (Brussels)
Belgium 31 contributions 12026 visits
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On 6 April 2022, the European Commission (“Commission”) issued Guidance to Member States on how to screen foreign direct investment (“FDI”) from Russia and Belarus into the EU, in light of the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine (“FDI Guidance”). Following Russia’s unjustified attack against (...)

The Australian Competition Authority finds significant falls in retail prices in the major capital cities a week after the cut in fuel excise came into effect
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Canberra)
Australia 293 contributions 64635 visits
Petrol retailers starting to pass through fuel excise cut* ACCC monitoring of petrol prices has found significant falls in retail prices in the major capital cities a week after the cut in fuel excise came into effect. The fuel excise cut, announced in last week’s Federal Budget, is being (...)

The Indonesian Competition Authority announces end to relaxation of competition rules put in place over the COVID-19 pandemic Free
Hogan Lovells (Jakarta)
4 contributions 1395 visits
KPPU, the Indonesian Competition Authority, announced that the relaxation measures which were in place due to the pandemic will no longer be applicable as of 1 May 2022. Corporations carrying out business in Indonesia or related to the Indonesian market should buckle up for more rigorous (...)

The Irish Competition Authority opens further consultation on proposed guidelines for exercising new competition law powers
Irish Competition Authority (Dublin)
Ireland 62 contributions 11761 visits
CCPC opens further consultation on proposed guidelines for exercising new competition law powers * The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) today opens the second in a series of public consultations on how it intends to use the expanded competition law enforcement powers (...)

The Chinese Supreme Court releases its interpretation on several issues concerning the application of the Anti-unfair competition law
AnJie Law (Beijing)
China 7 contributions 1009 visits
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AnJie Law (Beijing)
China 35 contributions 11079 visits
Supreme People’s Court releases interpretation of Anti-Unfair Competition Law* On 17 March 2022, the Supreme People’s Court of China released the Interpretation on Several Issues Concerning the Application of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. The document, which took effect on 20 March 2022, (...)

The Middle East and North Africa Competition Authorities launch the Arab Competition Network New
Allen & Overy (Brussels)
Belgium 3 contributions 2843 visits
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Allen & Overy (Brussels)
Belgium 4 contributions 2745 visits
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Allen & Overy (Brussels)
Belgium 1 contribution 125 visits
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Middle East and North Africa Competition Authorities launch the Arab Competition Network Enhanced cooperation among antitrust regulatory authorities in the MENA region On 16 March 2022, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) competition authorities officially launched the Arab Competition (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority monitors the fuels market and investigates the increase in prices New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition Council monitors the fuels market and investigates the increase in prices* The Romanian Competition Council monitors the fuel market and investigates situations where prices have raised without any economic justification. The anticipation of a certain price that should be (...)

The Canadian Competition Authority releases new guidelines for consumers to recognize and report online reviews in violation of the Canadian federal competition Act New
Steve Szentesi Law Corporation (Vancouver)
Canada 55 contributions 13389 visits
New Competition Bureau Guidelines for Online Reviews* On March 2, 2022, the Competition Bureau released new guidelinesfor consumers to recognize, reject and report false and misleading online reviews, which can violate the general civil or criminal misleading advertising provisions of the (...)

The US DoJ announces initiative to protect supply chains from anticompetitive behaviour amid global disruptions and persistent inflation New
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (New York)
United States 14 contributions 4041 visits
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Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (New York)
United States 13 contributions 6392 visits
On February 17th, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an initiative to protect supply chains from anticompetitive behavior amid global disruptions and persistent inflation. The initiative is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s aggressive approach to antitrust enforcement (...)

The Canadian Competition Authority recommends sweeping amendments to core provisions of the Canadian Competition Act New
Steve Szentesi Law Corporation (Vancouver)
Canada 55 contributions 13389 visits
Canada’s Competition Bureau Recommends Sweeping Amendments to the Competition Act, Including Deceptive Marketing Amendments On February 8, 2022, Canada’s Competition Bureau released a submission entitled Examining the Canadian Competition Act in the Digital Era in response to Senator Howard (...)

The European Commission drafts new competition rules for Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) and guidelines for vertical restraints scheduled to take effect in June 2022 New
Jones Day (Brussels)
Belgium 16 contributions 7552 visits
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Jones Day (Brussels)
Belgium 6 contributions 2340 visits
I. The context The European Commission (“EC”) is currently revising the rules governing vertical agreements under EU competition law, which will expire on May 31, 2022. In this respect, on July 9, 2021, the EC published its long-awaited draft revised Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (“Draft (...)

Anticompetitive practices

 The Dutch Competition Authority conducts investigation into possible cartel in the street-furniture and road-furniture market
Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) (The Hague)
Pays-Bas 162 contributions 26925 visites
ACM investigates possible cartel in street-furniture and road-furniture market* The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is currently conducting an investigation into a possible cartel in the street-furniture and road-furniture market. As part of that investigation, ACM (...)

The French Competition Authority states objections against two companies in the outdoor advertising sector
Autorité de la concurrence (Paris)
France 682 contributions 325609 visites
The general rapporteur of the Autorité de la concurrence has stated objections to two companies in the outdoor advertising sector* The companies in question are criticised for having concluded and implemented, in the outdoor advertising sector, an agreement to share upstream markets, in (...)

The US District Court for the District of Colorado enters a federal jury’s acquittal in first of its kind criminal case against a company and its CEO for no-poach agreements with rivals (DaVita / Thiry) New
McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago)
États-Unis 2 contributions 347 visites
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McDermott Will & Emery (Washington)
États-Unis 6 contributions 1640 visites
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McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago)
2 contributions 347 visites
In a landmark case of first impression, the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division (Division) indicted and brought to trial a federal criminal prosecution alleging agreements between DaVita, Inc., its former CEO Kent Thiry and other companies not to solicit each other’s employees. (...)

The US FTC publishes a statement regarding the verdict by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas that the former owner of a physical therapy staffing company obstructed the FTC’s investigation (Neeraj Jindal)
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (Washington)
United States 113 contributions 26374 visits
Statement Regarding Texas Jury’s Verdict that Former Owner Neeraj Jindal Obstructed FTC’s Antitrust Investigation into Physical Therapy Staffing Company* Today, a Texas federal jury found the former owner of a physical therapist staffing company guilty of obstructing a Federal Trade Commission (...)

The US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas convicts a former healthcare staffing executive for obstructing an investigation (Neeraj Jindal)
US Department of Justice (Washington)
États-Unis 126 contributions 41405 visites
Former Health Care Staffing Executive Convicted of Obstructing FTC Investigation into Wage-Fixing Allegations* Today, a Texas man was convicted of obstructing a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation, following an eight-day trial in the Eastern District of Texas. “Lying to federal (...)

The US DoJ indicts individuals in Florida for bid-rigging and for conspiring to eliminate competition among their companies and secure sales for a pre-arranged winner (O’Brien / LaRoche / Dailey)
US Department of Justice (Washington)
États-Unis 126 contributions 41405 visites
Three Florida Men Indicted for Rigging Bids and Defrauding the U.S. Military* Defendants Submitted Sham Bids for More than Five Years A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging three Florida men with conspiring to rig (...)

The US District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento receives a plea agreement from a former contract manager for his role in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme (Yong)
US Department of Justice (Washington)
États-Unis 126 contributions 41405 visites
Former Caltrans Contract Manager Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and Bribery* First Guilty Plea in Ongoing Investigation at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) A former contract manager for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) pleaded guilty today for his (...)

The Spanish Competition Authority analyses the proposals from a professional football league to market audiovisual rights in the national and Asian markets (La Liga)
Spanish Competition Authority (Madrid)
Espagne 89 contributions 21504 visites
The CNMC has analysed the proposals from La Liga to market certain broadcasting rights of the 1st and 2nd divisions in the national and Asian markets * The tender includes, among others, the rights to a free-to-air 1st division match, 2nd division and play-off rights, and broadcasting in (...)

The US FTC approves a final order prohibiting a professional association from fixing prices for appraisal services in Louisiana (Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board)
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (Washington)
United States 113 contributions 26374 visits
FTC Approves Final Order Prohibiting Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board from Fixing Prices for Appraisal Services in Louisiana * Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that the Louisiana Real Estate Appraisers Board (...)

The Latvian Competition Authority permits entrepreneurs to make joint purchases of raw materials due to disruptions from sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus subject to the Authority’s clearance
Latvian Competition Council (Riga)
107 contributions 19537 visites
The CC: Entrepreneurs may agree to jointly purchase raw materials in the event of a shortage of raw materials As a result of the Russian Federation’s military aggression supported by the Republic of Belarus and the associated sanctions imposed on these countries, businesses in several sectors (...)

The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal rules that class action proceedings may only be brought on an opt-in basis where the class of potential complainants is sophisticated and thus opt-in is practicable (O’Higgins / Evans)
Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 35 contributions 5786 visites
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Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 1 contribution 279 visites
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Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 1 contribution 279 visites
The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT“) has ruled for the first time that collective proceedings can only proceed on an opt-in basis, rather than the opt-out basis sought by the class applicants. The ruling came in the O’Higgins/Evans case, concerning two competing applications for a Collective (...)

The Polish Competition Authority issues decision on bid rigging during public tender process for greenery maintenance and passenger transport services and imposes penalty on liable bidders
Polish Competition Authority (Warsaw)
Pologne 77 contributions 14269 visites
Bid rigging - two decisions of the President of UOKiK* Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK, issued two decisions on bid rigging, in which he imposed penalties totalling nearly PLN 330,000. Entrepreneurs tried to affect the outcome of procurement procedures for greenery maintenance in the (...)

The Hellenic Competition Authority imposes an administrative fine on four electrical engineering associations for restriction of competition in engineering public procurement contracts (OSEHK / SEE / SEHK / SEMEEK / ACEEME) New
Hellenic Competition Authority (Athens)
Grèce 55 contributions 10899 visites
The Commission for the Protection of Competition imposed an administrative fine on OSEHK, SEE, SEHK, SEMEEK and ACEEME for infringements of section 3(1)(b) of the Protection of Competition Laws and of the corresponding article 101 (1)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.* (...)

The EU Commission seeks feedback on commitments offered by an Irish insurers’ association concerning access to its data sharing platform (Insurance Ireland) New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Antitrust: Commission seeks feedback on commitments offered by Insurance Ireland concerning access to its data sharing platform* The European Commission invites comments on commitments offered by Insurance Ireland, an association of Irish insurers, to address competition concerns regarding (...)

The Hellenic Competition Authority imposes a fine of €271,385.11 on a pasteurized cow milk company for abuse of dominance and excessive pricing (Charalambides-Christis) New
Hellenic Competition Authority (Athens)
Grèce 55 contributions 10899 visites
The Commission for the Protection of Competition imposed a fine on Charalambides-Christis Ltd amounting to €271,385.11 for infringements of article 6(1)(a) of the Protection of Competition Laws and corresponding article 102(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union* The (...)

The Indonesian Competition Authority continues active enforcement against bid-rigging conduct following two decisions concerning a fishing port tender and the second one related to the construction of a swimming pool (Cipta Karya Multi Teknik / Bangun Persada...) (Cahayahikmah Jayapratama / Karya Kandangan...) New
Ashurst (Singapore)
Singapour 11 contributions 13263 visites
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Ashurst (Abū Dhabī)
3 contributions 425 visites
In February 2022, the Indonesia Competition Commission ("ICC") published two decisions involving bid-rigging conduct pursuant to government funded tenders. The first case related to a fishing port tender in Tulungagung and the second case related to the construction of a swimming pool in South (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority coordinates with counterpart international competition authorities to identify potential cartel conduct in global supply chains New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Competition agencies working together to identify potential cartel conduct in global supply chains* The Commerce Commission has joined with international counterparts in a working group focussing on identification of potential cartel conduct in global supply chains. The working group includes (...)

The US DoJ announces initiative to protect supply chains from anticompetitive behavior amid global disruptions and persistent inflation New
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (New York)
États-Unis 2 contributions 278 visites
,
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (New York)
United States 13 contributions 6392 visits
On February 17th, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an initiative to protect supply chains from anticompetitive behavior amid global disruptions and persistent inflation. The initiative is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s aggressive approach to antitrust enforcement (...)

The South-African Competition Authority takes motor vehicle finance institutions to the competition tribunal on allegations of collusion (Firstrand / Wesbank / Toyota Financial Services) New
Primerio (Johannesburg)
Afrique du Sud 2 contributions 292 visites
South Africa: Motor vehicle finance institutions referred to the Competition Tribunal for alleged collusion* On 3 February 2022, the South African Competition Commission (“SACC”), released a press statement confirming that the SACC has made a referral to the Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) to (...)

The Indian Competition Authority fines 7 advertising enterprises for bid rigging and geographical market allocation New
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 55 contributions 4088 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4857 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4859 visites
KEY POINTS Actual participation in the tender is not a mandatory for a finding of bid rigging in terms of the Act. the absence of loss to the tendering authority due to alleged conduct does not rebut the presumption of an appreciable adverse e-ect on competition (“AAEC”). BRIEF FACTS The case (...)

The US DoJ in a landmark case indicts and brings to trial a healthcare company and its former CEO for employee no-poach agreements (DaVita / Thiry) New
McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago)
États-Unis 2 contributions 347 visites
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McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago)
2 contributions 347 visites
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McDermott Will & Emery (Washington)
États-Unis 6 contributions 1640 visites
In a landmark case of first impression, the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division (Division) indicted and brought to trial a federal criminal prosecution alleging agreements between DaVita, Inc., its former CEO Kent Thiry and other companies not to solicit each other’s employees. (...)

The US District Court for the District of Colorado acquits a Denver-based healthcare company and its former CEO on no-poach agreements in alleged violation of the Sherman Act (DaVita / Thiry) New
Dechert (Philadelphia)
États-Unis 3 contributions 548 visites
Key Takeaways Colorado federal jury acquitted a healthcare company and its former CEO of antitrust charges that they violated the Sherman Act by entering into agreements with other health care companies not to recruit each other’s employees. As an early test of the Antitrust Division’s 2018 (...)

The Canadian Competition Authority fines interior company $750,000 for participating in criminal bid-rigging (CPL Interiors) New
Steve Szentesi Law Corporation (Vancouver)
Canada 55 contributions 13389 visits
CPL Interiors Fined More Than $750,000 In Toronto Condo Refurbishment Bid-Rigging Case* On January 17, 2021, Canada’s Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that CPL Interiors Ltd. (CPL) was fined $761,967 after pleading guilty before the Ontario Superior Court for participating in a criminal (...)

The Spanish Competition Authority fines 12 companies for bid-rigging of road maintenance and operation services tenders (Acciona Mantenimiento / Aceinsa / Alvac...) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
The cartel operated through meetings where the cartel members periodically coordinated the bids to be submitted in the tenders issued by the government for road maintenance services of the State Road Network. The cartel allocated a “pool” of points to each group of tenders, used as reference by (...)

The UK Competition Authority fines two pharmaceutical companies £260 million for excessive pricing on hydrocortisone tablets (Auden Mckenzie / Actavis) New
Van Bael & Bellis (Brussels)
Belgique 26 contributions 4815 visites
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Van Bael & Bellis (Brussels)
Belgique 24 contributions 9287 visites
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Van Bael & Bellis (Brussels)
Belgique 20 contributions 22583 visites
On 31 March 2022, the CMA published one of its longest decisions (1077 pages), in which it imposed fines of £155 million on Accord-UK (previously Auden McKenzie/Actavis) for excessive price increases on hydrocortisone tablets after they were de-branded and fell outside the UK NHS price (...)

The Spanish Commercial Court of Granada grants the first €1.8m award for damages in milk cartel case (Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta / Puleva Food / Central Lechera de Galicia) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
By Decision of 26 February 2015, INDUSTRIAS LACTEAS, file S/0425/12, the CNMC declared the existence of a cartel in the dairy industry, sanctioning several dairy companies for having reached agreements on purchase prices and distribution of supply sources, allowing the companies total control (...)

The EU Commission re-adopts a decision to fine a broker in Yen trading for facilitating several cartels (ICAP) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
The European Commission has re-adopted a cartel decision against ICAP for having breached EU antitrust rules by facilitating several cartels in the area of the Yen Interest Rate Derivatives (YIRD) trading market. YIRDs are financial products, used by banks to manage the risk of interest rate (...)

The Spanish Commercial Court of Madrid makes Article 267 reference to EU Courts of Justice regarding the creation of a new exclusive football league comprising of Europe’s top teams (European Super League) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
Twelve European football clubs signed on 17 April 2021 a framework agreement to form the European Super League (ESL). The ESL was announced as a major European football tournament in competition with the current UEFA Champions League. According to the Real Madrid president and one of the main (...)

Unilateral Practices

 The EU Commission preliminarily finds abuse of dominant position by a Big Tech firm based on denying access to essential hardware that would allow other apps to compete with its payment feature (Apple Pay) New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Apple over practices regarding Apple Pay* The European Commission has informed Apple of its preliminary view that it abused its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets on iOS devices. By limiting access to a standard technology (...)

The UK Competition Authority secures legally binding commitments from a manufacturer of six cancer drugs to maintain reduced prices for 10 years (Aspen) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
CMA helps NHS secure price and supply commitment for cancer drugs* The CMA has worked to ensure that pharmaceutical company Aspen’s commitments to reduce prices for life-saving cancer medicines can be enforced in the UK following its exit from the European Union. The European Commission opened (...)

The UK Competition Authority opens an investigation into the largest provider of information management systems to schools (Education Software Solutions) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
CMA to investigate ESS’s move to three-year contracts for schools* The CMA is investigating whether education software company ESS is abusing a dominant position to push schools into accepting a new 3-year contract. The investigation will assess concerns around a contract change made by (...)

The German Competition Authority issues statement of objections against contractual clauses used in train mobility platforms as constituting abuse of market power (Deutsche Bahn)
German Competition Authority (Bonn)
Germany 387 contributions 96954 visits
Fair competition for digital mobility services – Bundeskartellamt issues statement of objections against Deutsche Bahn due to possible hindrance of mobility platforms * The Bundeskartellamt has come to the preliminary conclusion that certain practices and contractual clauses used by Deutsche (...)

The Italian Competition Authority fines ferry operator for excessive pricing (Caronte & Tourist) New
Link Campus University (Rome)
Italie 4 contributions 2607 visites
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Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (Washington)
États-Unis 1 contribution 108 visites
The Italian Competition Authority (the “ICA”) fined ferry operator Caronte & Tourist (“C&T”) €3.7 million for having charged excessive prices on a ferry transportation route between Sicily and Calabria between 2017 and 2019 (the “Decision”). I. The investigation In July 2020, the ICA opened (...)

The Indian Competition Authority orders an investigation into abuse of dominance by a national broadcasting company through discriminatory discounts (Asianet Digital Network /Star India Private /Disney Broadcasting (India) /Asianet Star Communications) New
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 55 contributions 4088 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4859 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4857 visites
BRIEF FACTS: An information was filed by Asianet Digital Network (P) Ltd. (“Asianet”) against Star India (P) Ltd. (“Star”), Disney Broadcasting (India) Limited (“Disney”) and Asianet Star Communications Private Limited (“ASC”) alleging abuse of dominance. Asianet, is a multi-system operator engaged in (...)

The Indian Competition Authority issues a cease and desist order against a limestone logistics company for anti-competitive price determination, limitation and control of supply (CJ Darcl Logistics / Dumper Truck Union) New
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 55 contributions 4088 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4857 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4859 visites
BRIEF FACTS: An information was filed by CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd. (“CJD”) against Dumper and Dumper Truck Union Lime Stone (“DTU”) and All Members of Dumper and Dumper Truck Union Lime Stone (“AMDTU”), collectively (“OPs”) for restrictions imposed by DTU and its members by not letting CJD, a logistics (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority investigates alleged abuse of dominance on the market for technical approvals of locations (Orange / RCS&RDS) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council investigates both Orange SI RCS & RDS for abuse of dominant position* The Competition Council has opened two investigations aimed at a possible abusive behaviour of both undertakings Orange Romania S.A. and RCS & RDS S.A. on the market of service for issuing the (...)

The US district court for the District of Northern California rules that app stores are not a monopoly but prohibits ban on app creators directing consumers to external links (Epic / Apple) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
The Judgment of the US Court of the Northern District of California (Court) of 10 September 2021 , Epic v. Apple (Judgment), has concluded that Apple Inc. (Apple) is not a monopolist in light of current US and California antitrust laws. However, what could be seen as a neat victory for Apple is (...)

The Hamburg Data Protection Authority bans a social media company from sharing user data from its subsidiary company (Facebook / WhatsApp)
Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
2 contributions 300 visites
Order of the HmbBfDI: Ban of further processing of WhatsApp user data by Facebook* The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (HmbBfDI) issued an order prohibiting Facebook Ireland Ltd. from processing personal data from WhatsApp for its own purposes. The order is (...)

Mergers

 The Turkish Competition Authority sees new merger control regime enter into force, amending notification thresholds and scope of applicable sectors New
ELIG Gürkaynak Attorneys-at-Law (Istanbul)
Turkey 132 contributions 53894 visits
(1) Introduction On March 4, 2022 the Turkish Competition Authority (“Authority”) published the Communiqué No. 2022/2 on the Amendment of Communiqué No. 2010/4 on the Mergers and Acquisitions Subject to the Approval of the Competition Board (the “Amendment Communiqué”). The Amendment Communiqué (...)

The UK Competition Authority provisionally clears the acquisition of a supermarket’s petrol station business by the largest independent operator of petrol stations following a promise to divest from 87 sites (CD&R / Morrisons) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
Petrol station proposals provisionally clear way for Morrisons deal* The CMA proposes to accept an offer from buyer of Morrisons to sell 87 petrol stations to address competition concerns. In January, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened its investigation into Clayton, Dubilier (...)

The UK Competition Authority cancels its investigation into the proposed acquisition of the largest auction provider for heavy machinery by the second largest after firms abandon the deal (Ritchie Bros / Euro Auctions) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
Ritchie Bros has abandoned its planned purchase of Euro Auctions after the CMA referred the deal for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation* Ritchie Bros has abandoned its planned purchase of Euro Auctions after the CMA referred the deal for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation. The Competition and (...)

The UK Competition Authority announces potential Phase II investigation into the proposed acquisition of an undertaking that helps financial institutions reduce risk by the owner of major national financial infrastructure (London Stock Exchange Group / Quantile) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
LSEG’s anticipated Quantile purchase raises competition concerns* LSEG’s anticipated purchase of Quantile could now be referred for an in-depth investigation after finding that the deal raises competition concerns. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened its investigation into London (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority clears an acquisition of a water dispenser company by a drinking water solutions company subject to divestments (Zenith Water / Waterlogic) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Commission clears Zenith Water / Waterlogic merger subject to divestment* The Commerce Commission has given clearance to Osmosis Buyer Limited (Osmosis) to acquire Firewall Holdings S.À R.L (Firewall) as part of a global transaction, subject to an undertaking to divest Firewall’s Merquip (...)

The UK Competition Authority decides that a completed merger between two software providers may be anti-competitive and remedies will need to be offered or a phase II investigation will proceed (NEC / SSS) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
CMA finds competition concerns in merger of emergency service software suppliers* NEC Software Solutions’ purchase of SSS raises competition concerns in the supply of vital software to emergency services and transport customers. NEC and SSS are 2 of a small number of suppliers that supply (...)

The UK Competition Authority deems a merger between two veterinary firms as likely to be anti-competitive and gives the firm time to offer remedies or will proceed with a phase II investigation (VetPartners / Goddard) New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
VetPartners’ purchase of Goddard raises competition concerns* VetPartners’ completed purchase of Goddard could now be referred for an in-depth investigation after the CMA found that the deal raises competition concerns. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened its investigation into (...)

The French Competition Authority unconditionally authorizes the acquisition of a furniture retailer by a furniture retail distribution company under the failing firm defence (Mobilux / Conforama) New
White & Case (Brussels)
Belgique 17 contributions 10516 visites
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White & Case (Paris)
France 6 contributions 1412 visites
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White & Case (Paris)
France 4 contributions 867 visites
The French Competition Authority (’FCA’) has unconditionally authorized the acquisition of furniture retailer Conforama by Mobilux under the failing firm defence (’FFD’). Background On 8 July 2019, Mobilux group (’Mobilux’) announced its intention to acquire Conforama. Mobilux is the parent company (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority asks interested parties to offer submissions on a proposed takeover of a company which leases recreational vehicles by a large Australian tourism company (THL / Apollo) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Statement of Unresolved Issues issued for proposed THL/Apollo merger* The Commerce Commission has published a statement of unresolved issues relating to an application from THL Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Tourism Holdings Limited, seeking clearance to acquire 100% of the shares (...)

The UK Competition Authority finds that a merger could increase operating costs for oil and gas producers in the North Sea (Noble / Maersk)
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
Offshore drilling merger raises competition concerns* The CMA has found that the merger of Noble and Maersk Drilling could increase operating costs for oil and gas producers in the UK North Sea. In February, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into the (...)

The EU Commission Executive Vice-President Vestager comments on the decision by Europe’s two largest producers of insulating panels to drop their proposed merger following a Statement of Objections (Kingspan / Trimo) New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Statement by Executive Vice-President Vestager on the decision by Kingspan and European Architectural Systems to abandon the proposed transaction involving the purchase of Trimo* The European Commission takes note of the decision by Kingspan and European Architectural Systems (i.e. the parent (...)

The US FTC requires two companies to sell off three facilities amid concerns that the deal would increase concentration in the North American market for porcelain enamel frit (Prince / Ferro)
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (Washington)
United States 113 contributions 26374 visits
FTC Requires Prince and Ferro to Sell Off Three Facilities amid Concerns that Deal would Increase Concentration in North American Market for Porcelain Enamel Frit* Absent a Remedy, the Merger Would Also Likely Harm Competition in Markets for Forehearth Colorants and Glass Enamel The Federal (...)

The Spanish Competition Authority initiates three sanctioning proceedings against two funeral home companies for breach of the duty to notify the commission of mergers and acquisitions before execution (Albia / Funespana) New
Spanish Competition Authority (Madrid)
Espagne 89 contributions 21504 visites
The CNMC initiates three sanctioning proceedings for breach of the duty to notify mergers or acquisitions before executing them* The sanctioning proceedings affect Albia Gestión de Servicios, S.L.U. (a subsidiary of the Santa Lucía group), which acquired exclusive control of the funeral homes (...)

The UK Government publishes its response to the consultation proposing a wide range of far-reaching changes to the competition and consumer protection regimes New
Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 35 contributions 5786 visites
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Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 17 contributions 5310 visites
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Herbert Smith Freehills (London)
Royaume-Uni 42 contributions 14070 visites
On 20 April 2022 the UK government published its response to the consultation launched in July 2021, proposing a wide range of far-reaching changes to the UK competition and consumer protection regimes (see our blog post on the consultation here). Taking into account the feedback received from (...)

The Canadian Competition Authority reaches an agreement with a solid waste and environmental solutions company on sustaining competition in the industrial waste and oil recycling market following its acquisition of a major competitor (GFL Environmental / Terrapure Environmental)
Canadian Competition Bureau (Gatineau)
Canada 31 contributions 5449 visites
Competition Bureau reaches agreement with GFL to preserve competition for industrial waste and oil recycling services in western Canada* The Competition Bureau announced today that it has reached an agreement with GFL Environmental Inc. to resolve litigation related to its purchase of (...)

The German Competition Authority closes in-depth preliminary investigation and clears a purchasing agreement between hypermarket acquirers and supermarket chain (Real / Dr Tischendorf / REWE)
German Competition Authority (Bonn)
Germany 387 contributions 96954 visits
No proceeding initiated on account of purchasing agreement for further operation of 63 “real” stores* Following an in-depth preliminary examination, the Bundeskartellamt has decided not to initiate a proceeding under competition law on account of a planned purchasing cooperation between the (...)

The French Competition Authority fines a company for gun-jumping in a case relating to a progressive takeover and de facto control in the spirit market (Cofepp / Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits) New
White & Case (Paris)
France 1 contribution 137 visites
,
White & Case (Paris)
France 6 contributions 1412 visites
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White & Case (Brussels)
Belgique 17 contributions 10516 visites
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On 12 April 2022, the FCA fined the Compagnie Financière Européenne de Prises de Participation ("COFEPP") EUR 7 million for both (i) failure to notify its merger with Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits ("MBWS") and (ii) completion of the merger prior to the FCA’s approval. The FCA launched the (...)

The Dutch Competition Authority decides that further investigation is needed for the acquisition of a waste-management company (AEB / AVR)
Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) (The Hague)
Pays-Bas 162 contributions 26925 visites
Further investigation needed into acquisition of waste-management company AEB by AVR* The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has decided that a further investigation is needed into the acquisition of waste-management company Afval Energie Bedrijf Amsterdam (AEB) by rival (...)

The French Competition Authority fines a company for an acquisition of control without prior notification of the transaction and without waiting for a clearance decision in the market of spirits (Cofepp / Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits)
Autorité de la concurrence (Paris)
France 682 contributions 325609 visites
The Autorité fines Cofepp for acquiring control of MBWS without prior notification of the transaction and without waiting for its decision* Background The Autorité de la concurrence has fined Cofepp (Poliakov, Label 5, Cruz, Saint James, Old Nick, etc.) for acquiring control of Marie Brizard (...)

The French Competition Authority fines a wine and spirits company €7 million for gun jumping (Cofepp/ Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits) New
McDermott Will & Emery (Washington)
21 contributions 2345 visites
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McDermott Will & Emery (Paris)
France 15 contributions 1941 visites
By a decision dated 12 April 2022, the French Competition Authority (FCA) fined the Compagnie Financière Européenne de Prises de Participation (“Cofepp”) up to 7 million euros, for having closed the takeover of the company Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (i) without first notifying the operation (...)

The EU Commission approves an acquisition between two leading global aerospace component suppliers, subject to conditions (Parker / Meggitt)
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Mergers: Commission approves Parker’s acquisition of Meggitt, subject to conditions * The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Meggitt by Parker. The approval is conditional on full compliance with commitments offered by Parker. (...)

The EU Commission opens an in-depth investigation into a proposed acquisition in the market for wood-based panels (Pfleiderer Polska / Kronospan)
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Mergers: Commission opens in-depth investigation into proposed acquisition of Pfleiderer Polska by Kronospan* The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Pfleiderer Polska by Kronospan, under the EU Merger Regulation. The Commission is (...)

The UK Competition Authority blocks the merger of two Finnish suppliers of equipment to port operators rejecting remedies offered by the parties (Cargotec / Konecranes) New
Morrison & Foerster (Washington)
États-Unis 2 contributions 255 visites
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Morrison & Foerster (London)
Royaume-Uni 3 contributions 391 visites
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Morrison & Foerster (Brussels)
Belgique 1 contribution 136 visites
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Cargotec/Konecranes: Failed shipping equipment merger illustrates aggressive UK/U.S. enforcement and increased skepticism of remedies* On March 29, 2022, global container handling equipment providers [Cargotec and Konecranes] abandoned their proposed $5 billion merger after the United Kingdom (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority publishes Statement of Issues on merger between two tourism companies (THL / Apollo) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Statement of Issues released for proposed THL/Apollo merger The Commerce Commission has published a statement of issues relating to an application from THL Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Tourism Holdings Limited, seeking clearance to acquire 100% of the shares in Apollo Tourism (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority receives merger clearance notification for the merger between two cold storage service companies (Lineage Logistics / Cold Storage Nelson) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Lineage Logistics seeks clearance to acquire Cold Storage Nelson* The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Lineage Logistics New Zealand (Lineage) in relation to its proposed acquisition of Cold Storage Nelson Limited (CSN). Lineage and CSN both supply cold storage (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority releases a statement of unresolved issues on a proposed acquisition of an animal health research company by the world’s biggest animal drug manufacturer (Zoetis / Jurox) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Statement of Unresolved Issues released for proposed acquisition of Jurox by Zoetis* The Commerce Commission has published a Statement of Unresolved Issues relating to the application from Zoetis Inc. seeking clearance to acquire Betrola Pty Limited. Betrola owns the Jurox group of companies. (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority approves the takeover of active assets of a steel production company by an alloy production company (COS Targoviste / AFV Acciaierie) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council approved the taking over of active assets of COS Târgoviște by AFV ACCIAIERIE BELTRAME SPA, Italia* The Competition Council approved the transaction by which AFV Acciaierie Beltrame SpA, Italy, takes over the functional assets related to the production of steel and long (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority receives merger clearance notification for merger between two water filtration companies (Zenith Water / Waterlogic) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Clearance sought for Zenith Water / Waterlogic merger* The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Osmosis Buyer Limited (Osmosis) to acquire Firewall Holdings S.À R.L (Firewall) as part of a global transaction. Osmosis’ New Zealand subsidiary, Zenith Heaters Limited (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority approves takeover of an authorized car dealership company by a multi-brand car retail company (Colina / Roadhill) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council approved the taking over of some activities of Colina Motors by Roadhill Automotive SRL* The Competition Council approved the transaction by which Roadhill Automotive SRL intends to take over some activities of Colina Motors SRL., respectively the retail of Ford and (...)

The EU Commission finds that Hungary’s decision to block a merger between two insurance firms breached EU law because the Commission has exclusive competence to assess mergers with a Union dimension (AEGON / Vienna Insurance) New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
Mergers: Commission finds that Hungary’s veto over the acquisition of AEGON’s Hungarian subsidiaries by VIG breached Article 21 of the EU Merger Regulation* The European Commission has concluded that Hungary’s decision to veto the acquisition of the Hungarian subsidiaries of the AEGON Group by (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority unconditionally approves the takeover of an automobile spare parts import and distribution company by an automobile spare parts wholesaler (Augsburg / Autonet) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition Council approved the taking over of Augsburg International Impex SRL by Autonet Group Holding* The Competition Council approved the transaction by which Autonet Group Holding AG, Switzerland, takes over Augsburg International Impex SRL. Autonet Group Holding AG, Switzerland, (...)

The Indian Competition Authority approves the acquisition of the Asian marketing subsidiary of a major pharmaceutical company by its UK and global healthcare subsidiaries (GSK Healthcare Overseas / GSK Healthcare UK / GSK Asia) New
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4859 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 55 contributions 4088 visites
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Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (New Delhi)
Inde 61 contributions 4857 visites
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Overseas Limited (“GSK Healthcare overseas”) and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare UK Trading Limited (“GSK Healthcare UK”), (collectively referred to as “Acquirers”) are wholly owned subsidiaries of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings (No.2) Limited (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority unconditionally approves the takeover of an infertility diagnosis medical center by a clinical and paraclinical medical center (Life Line / Unirea) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council approved the taking over of life line-medical center S.R.L by Unirea medical center S.R.L* The Competition Council approved the transaction through which Centrul Medical Unirea S.R.L. takes over Life Line - Medical Center S.R.L. Unirea Medical Center is the operator (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority receives merger clearance notification for merger between two concrete additives manufacturing and supply companies (Sika / MBCC) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Sika seeks clearance to acquire MBCC Group* The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application for Sika AG to acquire the MBCC Group. Sika and MBCC manufacture and supply additives (known as "chemical admixtures") that are used to modify the performance characteristics of concrete, (...)

The UK Competition Authority opens a Phase I investigation into a transcription software merger in the healthcare market (Microsoft / Nuance)
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
Anticipated acquisition by Microsoft Corporation of Nuance Communications Inc.* Notice under section 96(2a) of the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) published pursuant to section 107(1)(I) of the Act The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) hereby gives notice pursuant to section 96(2A) of (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority receives merger clearance notification for the acquisition of a tourism company by an international tourism company (Camplify / THL) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Camplify seeks clearance to acquire THL’s Mighway and SHAREaCAMPER* The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Camplify Co (NZ) Limited, a subsidiary of ASX-listed Camplify Holdings Limited, to acquire the New Zealand assets and business of Tourism Holdings Limited’s (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority receives merger clearance notification for merger between two telecommunication service providers (Vocus / 2degrees) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Clearance sought for Vocus / 2degrees merger* The Commerce Commission has received an application for clearance in relation to a transaction that would see the merger of the Vocus Group with 2degrees. Vocus and 2degrees are both telecommunications providers that primarily supply retail fixed (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority approves takeover of oil services of a crude oil company by a technology services provider in the oil industry (Forasol / Schlumberger) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council approved the taking over of some activities belonging to Schlumberger group by GSP* The Competition Council authorized the transaction by which Forasol S.R.L., a member of the GSP Group, took over some business related to activities in the field of oil services (...)

The Romanian Competition Authority conditionally approves takeover in the online food delivery service market (Glovoappro / Foodpanda) New
Romanian Competition Council (Bucharest)
Romania 100 contributions 18820 visits
The Competition council approved with conditions the taking over of Foodpanda Ro by Glovoappro SRL* The Competition Council approved with conditions the transaction through which Glovoappro SRL will take over the Foodpanda Ro SRL and, indirectly, Pandamart, which is operated by Delivery Hero (...)

The German Federal Court of Justice rules that where consideration in a public acquisition is not adequate shareholders may be entitled to sue New
Morgan Lewis (Frankfurt)
Allemagne 1 contribution 254 visites
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Morgan Lewis (Frankfurt)
Allemagne 1 contribution 254 visites
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Morgan Lewis (Frankfurt)
Allemagne 1 contribution 254 visites
RECENT CASE LAW RELATING TO PUBLIC TENDER OFFERS UNDER THE GERMAN SECURITIES ACQUISITION AND TAKEOVER ACT (WPÜG): The German Federal Court of Justice (FCJ) pronounced on November 23, 2021 two judgments in parallel proceedings that may have landmark effect. In contrast to the FCJ’s earlier (...)

State Aid

 The EU Commission approves €169 million Spanish scheme to support milk producers in context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €169 million Spanish scheme to support milk producers in context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine* The European Commission has approved a €169 million Spanish scheme to support the milk producers sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The scheme was (...)

The EU Commission approves €18 million Irish support scheme to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €18 million Irish scheme to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine* The European Commission has approved an €18 million Irish scheme to support the road haulage sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The scheme (...)

The EU Commission approves €700 million French scheme to support research, development and innovation projects by companies of all sizes and across all sectors New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €700 million French scheme to support research, development and innovation projects across all sectors* The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €700 million French scheme to support research, development and innovation projects by (...)

The EU Commission approves €130 million Lithuanian scheme to support companies affected by China’s discriminatory trade restrictions New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €130 million Lithuanian scheme to support companies affected by discriminatory trade restrictions* The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €130 million Lithuanian scheme to support and facilitate access to finance by companies affected by (...)

The EU Commission approves €2 billion Italian scheme under the recovery and resilience facility to support roll out of 5G mobile networks New
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €2 billion Italian scheme under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support roll out of 5G mobile networks* The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €2 billion Italian scheme made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (...)

The EU Commission approves a €7 billion French scheme to support investment towards a sustainable recovery
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €7 billion French scheme to support investment towards a sustainable recovery* The European Commission has approved a €7 billion French scheme aimed at providing investment support towards a sustainable recovery. The scheme was approved under the State aid (...)

The EU Commission approves a €836 million Polish scheme to support the agricultural sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €836 million Polish scheme to support agricultural sector in context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine* The European Commission has approved a €836 million (PLN 3.9 billion) Polish scheme to support the agricultural sector in the context of Russia’s invasion of (...)

The EU Commission approves a €250 million Portuguese measure to facilitate access to finance for small and medium enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (Banco Português de Fomento) Free
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves €250 million Portuguese measure under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to further capitalise Banco Português de Fomento* The European Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, a €250 million Portuguese aid measure, made available through the Recovery and (...)

The EU Council announces fifth round of sanctions on Russia following aggression in Ukraine, including a prohibition on State aid to firms where there is at least 50% Russian public ownership and the firm continues to operate in Russia
Arendt & Medernach (Luxembourg)
Luxembourg 1 contribution 331 visites
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Arendt & Medernach (Luxembourg)
Luxembourg 51 contributions 104370 visites
Restrictive measures against individuals The Council adopted restrictive measures against an additional 217 individuals. These include Russian high-net-worth individuals, high-ranking Kremlin officials, individuals responsible for disinformation and information manipulation, as well as family (...)

The EU Commission approves a French liquidity scheme to support companies in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 1030 contributions 2142739 visits
State aid: Commission approves French liquidity scheme to support companies in context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine* The European Commission has approved a French scheme that enables up to €155 billion in liquidity support for companies across all sectors in the context of Russia’s invasion (...)

The EU Commission finds that the benefits earned from State aid by an Italian company are valid and compatible with the internal market (Toremar)
Maastricht University
Belgique 303 contributions 49593 visites
Another Altmark Compliant Case!* Introduction It is very rare for measures of compensation for public service obligations to be found by the European Commission to be compliant with the Altmark conditions. Nonetheless, in the past two years the Commission has concluded that two Italian (...)

Procedures

 The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit questions the implications of "Certificate of Need" laws for market competition (Tiwari / Friedlander) New
Sheppard Mullin (Century City)
États-Unis 9 contributions 1544 visites
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Sheppard Mullin (Washington)
États-Unis 4 contributions 753 visites
Sixth Circuit Questions Efficacy of State “Certificate of Need” Laws, Question Whether Reduces Competition The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal recently voiced skepticism of Kentucky’s Certificate of Need (“CON”) laws while simultaneously ruling that they met the Fourteenth Amendment’s “rational (...)

The Spanish Supreme Court affirms injunction against Competition Authority’s decision to stop a transport company from bidding for public contracts (Transporte Escolar Murcia) New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
The Judgment of the Supreme Court (the Judgment) addressed an appeal brought by the CNMC against an Order of the High Court provisionally staying the sanctions in Decision of 20 June 2019, Transporte Escolar Murcia, file SAMUR/02/2018. The importance of the Judgment lies on the nature of the (...)

Regulatory

 The UK Competition Authority publishes its annual concurrency report outlining inter-agency cooperation throughout the year New
United Kingdom’s Competition Authority - CMA (London)
United Kingdom 278 contributions 72852 visits
Regulators promote competition across sectors in 2021 to 2022* The CMA’s Annual Concurrency Report shows how competition authorities have helped deliver benefits to households in 2021 to 2022 in the regulated sectors. Competition law in the UK is enforced by the Competition and Markets (...)

The Dutch Competition Authority imposes orders on pilgrimage travel service providers which mandate provision of travel guarantee measures to pilgrimage customers (Alferdoos / Amlex Travel / Elfourssan Reizen / Salsabil Travel / Taoufik Reizen / Wadi Alrafidein) New
Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) (The Hague)
Pays-Bas 162 contributions 26925 visites
Providers of pilgrimage packages have stopped selling them or have taken travel guarantee measures following ACM action* Six providers of pilgrimage packages that the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) had previously compelled to take the necessary travel guarantee measures (...)

The UK Parliament revamps antitrust rules with broader jurisdictional reach, tougher penalties and more flexible procedure for merger control New
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (London)
Royaume-Uni 40 contributions 18553 visites
,
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (London)
Royaume-Uni 14 contributions 4040 visites
,
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (Brussels)
Belgique 28 contributions 8600 visites
…
On April 20, 2022, the U.K. government announced amendments to the U.K. competition and consumer law regimes. Changes to merger control include: Expanded conditions for killer acquisitions, which will eliminate the need for a U.K. overlap in acquirer and target activities intended to cover (...)

The Dutch Competition Authority accepts the commitments made by a telecom operator and a fiber-optic company to lower tariffs for competitors to access their networks (KPN / Glaspoort)
Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) (The Hague)
Pays-Bas 162 contributions 26925 visites
ACM anticipates savings for Dutch households of up to 200 million euros per year because of fiber-optic arrangements* The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has published a draft decision following recent proposals from Dutch telecom operator KPN and fiber-optic company (...)

The Belgian Government sees the act transposing the ECN+ Directive and introducing several other amendments to competition law and the criminal code enter into force New
Ashurst (Brussels)
Belgique 7 contributions 898 visites
On 17 March 2022, the Belgian Act transposing the ECN+ Directive and also introducing several other amendments to Belgian Competition law (ie, Book IV of the Code on Economic Law) and the Belgian Criminal Code entered into force. Key takeaways The ECN+ Directive aims to empower EU National (...)

The New Zealand Competition Authority issues a compliance advice letter to an electricity utility for failure to comply with industry standards for three successive years between 2018 and 2020 (Transpower) New
New Zealand Commerce Commission (Wellington)
Nouvelle-Zélande 101 contributions 14597 visites
Transpower issued with compliance advice following Commission investigation* The Commerce Commission has issued Transpower New Zealand Limited (Transpower) with a compliance advice letter after an investigation into its contraventions of quality standards for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 years. (...)

The Spanish Parliament passes new Competition Act implementing the ECN+ Directive broadly reinforcing and clarifying existing powers of the Spanish Competition Authority rather than making sweeping reforms New
Callol, Coca & Asociados (Madrid)
Espagne 145 contributions 40432 visites
Royal Decree-Law 7/2021, of 27 April, has implemented into Spanish law EU Directive 2019/1 of 11 December 2018 empowering the competition authorities of Member States (OJ L11/3, 14.1.2019) (ECN+ Directive). The reform approved is less ambitious than anticipated by the preparatory works. No (...)
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