June 2000

Anticompetitive practices

 The European Commission persuades leading manufacturer of coffee machines to implement an international guarantee for its products addressing the issue of territorial restrictions (Saeco)
DG JUST (Brussels)
Belgium 1 article 294 visits
"The Commission persuades Saeco to implement an international guarantee for its products and closes the complaint file"* The Commission has addressed the problem of territorial restrictions of guarantees offered by manufacturers on many occasions and has always insisted that, where a (...)

Unilateral Practices

 The French Competition Authority rejects a request for interim measures on the movie theater market (UGCC)
French Competition Authority (Paris)
France 433 articles 99925 visits
Press release published on the official website of the French Competition Authority. Request for interim measures submitted by four film theatre operators* In a decision dated 25th July 2000, the Conseil de la concurrence examined the request for interim measures submitted by four film (...)

Mergers

 The European Commission approves a merger creating the third largest crop protection company worldwide (BASF/American Cyanamid)
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 articles 9380 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 articles 15300 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 33 articles 6858 visits
"Merger Control: main developments between 1st May 2000 and 31st August 2000"* The acquisition of American Cyanamid, the crop protection subsidiary of American Home Products, will create the third largest crop protection company worldwide. The deal raised serious competition concerns in (...)

The European Commission launches a review of merger regulation and simplifies procedure for unproblematic mergers
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 articles 9380 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 articles 15300 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 33 articles 6858 visits
"Merger Control: main developments between 1st May 2000 and 31st August 2000"* This report required by the last amendment to the Merger Regulation covers the period between March 1998, when the revised Regulation came into force, and the end of 1999. The 1997 revision of the Regulation (...)

The EU Commission prohibits a merger between two US telecommunications companies (MCI WorldCom / Sprint)
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 articles 9380 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 articles 15300 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 33 articles 6858 visits
"Merger Control: main developments between 1st May 2000 and 31st August 2000"* The Commission decided to prohibit the merger between US telecommunications firms MCI WorldCom Inc and Sprint Corp as it would have resulted in the creation of a dominant position in the market for top-level (...)

The French Minister cleared a merger in the manufacturing and retail of locksmith hardware sector subject to hold separate retail networks (Assa Abloy / Fichet Serrurerie Bâtiment)
French Competition Authority (Paris)
France 74 articles 257773 visits
The operation Acquisition of sole control of Fichet by Assa Abloy. The market(s) concerned by remedy(ies) Manufacturing and retail of locksmith hardware Remedy 1 In its opinion, the Competition council considered that, even if both parties operated well-known brands, competition concerns (...)

The EU Commission approves a merger between two German companies in the electricity industry, subject to commitments (VEBA / VIAG)
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 articles 9380 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 articles 15300 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
Belgium 33 articles 6858 visits
"Merger Control: main developments between 1st May 2000 and 31st August 2000"* The merger between the German groups VEBA and VIAG, together with the merger between RWE and VEW, which was investigated at the same time by the Bundeskartellamt, will change the face of the German power industry, (...)

The Spanish Supreme Court annuls a decision authorizing a merger on grounds other than competition law (Antena 3 de Radio, Sociedad Española de Radiodifusión, Sociedad de Servicios Radiofónicos Unión Radio)
Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira (Madrid)
Spain 5 articles 6485 visits
,
Cuatrecasas, Goncalves Pereira (Madrid)
Spain 6 articles 6660 visits
On June 9, 2000, the Spanish Supreme Court annulled, on other grounds than competition law, the Spanish Council of Ministers’ decision of May 20, 1994 (“the Decision”) to not oppose a merger involving transferring part of Antena 3 Radio, SA (“A3”) and Sociedad Española de Radiodifusión, SA (“SER”) (...)

The Czech Competition Office clears a merger between in the technical gas sector, subject to divestment of a viable stand-alone business and termination of exclusive vertical agreements (Linde/AGA Gas)
Clifford Chance (Prague)
Czech Republic 13 articles 29609 visits
The operation The merger concerned was a result of an operation, under which LINDE TECHNISCHE GASE (Germany) acquired 99,5 % shares over a Swedish company AGA AB. LINDE TECHNISCHE GASE was a 100 % shareholder of its Czech subsidiary, LINDE TECHNOPLYN a.s. ("LINDE"). AGA AB operated in the (...)

The OECD holds a roundtable on mergers in financial services
OECD - Competition Division
255 articles 421573 visits
Key documents: Executive Summary with key findings, Detailled Summary of the discussion, Background note Executive summary, by the Secretariat Considering the discussion at the roundtable, the delegate submissions, and the background paper, the following key points emerge: (1) In many OECD (...)

Procedures

 The Spanish Supreme Court holds that a single-branding agreement is null and void pursuant to Art. 81.2 EC, thus applying EC competition law for the first time (Rafael/DISA and Prodalca España)
London School of Economics
United Kingdom 56 articles 295059 visits
In February 1990 D. Rafael and DISA concluded a contract concerning the operation of a petrol station on premises owned by the latter and let to the former. DISA was obliged by virtue of the single-branding agreement to provide D. Rafael with petrol and other products, such as lubricants. As (...)

Regulatory

All issues

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