July 1999

Unilateral Practices

 The EU Commission closes its probe into major EU airlines’ incentive schemes for travel agents (Virgin / BA / KLM)
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 5 contributions 1757 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 8 contributions 2248 visits
"Commission closes probe into major EU airlines’ incentive schemes for travel agents"* The Commission has recently closed its investigations into the incentive schemes for travel agents operated by several EU airlines. It had to ascertain that these incentive schemes were not used by dominant (...)

The EU Commission sets out its policy on commissions paid by airlines to travel agents (Virgin / British Airways)
National Shared Services Office (Dublin)
Ireland 2 contributions 401 visits
"Commission sets out its policy on commissions paid by airlines to travel agents"* The European Commission is investigating a series of complaints it has received in relation to commissions paid by airlines to travel agents. These complaints concern a possible abuse of a dominant position by (...)

Mergers

 The EU Commission approves a joint venture between British and US telecommunications operators after examining possible coordinated effects (British Telecom / AT&T)
European Commission - DG TRADE (Brussels)
Belgium 12 contributions 3868 visits
,
European Commission - DG TRADE (Brussels)
Belgium 25 contributions 5501 visits
"Mergers: Recent developments and important decisions"* In BT/AT&T the Commission investigated possible coordination effects of the proposed joint venture between British telecom and the US company AT&T. BT is currently the fifth biggest telecommunications operator. Its principal (...)

The Lithuanian State Competition and Consumers’ Rights Protection Authority clears a merger in the retail stores market with remedies, including commitments not to set prices or limit alternative supplies (Aibë stores)
Amazon (Singapore)
Singapore 18 contributions 38276 visits
The operation By a letter dated 16 July 1999, the State Competition and Consumers Rights’ Protection Authority authorized establishment of Aibë chain of retail stores. UAB Aibës maþmena («Aibës maþmena») decided to establish a chain of retail stores Aibë by concluding contracts with retail companies (...)

The Dutch NCA cleared a merger in the sector of milk with divestment remedy (FCDF - De Kievit)
Booking.com
Netherlands 15 contributions 38771 visits
,
Fieldfisher (Amsterdam)
Netherlands 15 contributions 38771 visits
The operation FCDF (Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods Group) is the fifth largest dairy distributor in the world and De Kievit is a dairy farm. FCDF proposed acquiring the whole of De Kievit’s issued share capital (para. 10). The market(s) The NMa assessed the effects of the merger in relation to (...)

State Aid

 The French Administrative Supreme Court rules that the mere fact an undertaking may benefit from State aid can not interfere with the regularity of a tendering procedure (Bouygues)
University of Aix-Marseille
France 132 contributions 443122 visits
The French administrative supreme Court had already ruled in the Société Générale case (French Administrative Supreme Court (Conseil d’État, Assemblée), 18 December 1998, Société Générale, Banque Nationale de Paris, Crédit Commercial de France v. Ministre de l’économie, des finances et de l’industrie, Case (...)

The EU Commission approves restructuring aid granted by the German Government in favor of heavy machinery manufacturer (SKET Maschinen- und Anlagenbau / Saxony-Anhalt)
DG COMP (Brussels)
52 contributions 8941 visits
"Germany – Commission approves restructuring aid to SKET Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, Saxony-Anhalt"* By decision of 21 July 1999, the European Commission decided to approve restructuring aid in the amount of DM 57,800,000 (some 29.5 million EURO) to SKET Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, (...)

The European Commission decides that restructuring aid granted by Germany in favor of textile company is incompatible with the common market (Lautex)
DG COMP (Brussels)
52 contributions 8941 visits
"Germany - Commission decides aid to Lautex GmbH Weberei und Veredelung (Saxony) intended for restructuring to be incompatible with the common market"* In July 1999, the Commission ruled that restructuring aid of around DM 120 M (some € 61 M) to Lautex was incompatible with the common market. (...)

The EU Commission opens a 88 § 2 procedure into aid in favor of the producers of energy from renewable sources resulting from the impact of a new electricity tax in Germany (Stromeinspeisungsgesetz)
DG COMP (Brussels)
52 contributions 8941 visits
"Germany - Commission opens the 88 § 2 procedure into aid in favour of the producers of energy from renewable sources resulting of the impact of a new electricity tax on Grid Feed-In Law (Stromeinspeisungsgesetz)"* On 20 July 1999, the Commission decided to initiate a state aid investigation (...)

The EU Commission approves aid granted by the Netherlands in favor of a long-term research program conducted by an oil and chemicals company (Shell Chemicals)
DG COMP (Brussels)
52 contributions 8941 visits
"The Netherlands – Commission approved aid to a long-term research programme at Shell Chemicals"* In July 1999, the European Commission has approved aid up to 11.3 million Euro (NLG 25m) to stimulate a long-term research programme at Shell Chemicals BV expected to cost up to 30 million Euro (...)

All issues

  • Latest News issue 
  • All News issues
  • Latest Special issue 
  • All Special issues