June 2000

Anticompetitive practices

 The EU 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 contribution 342 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 (...)

Mergers

 The EU Commission approves a merger creating the third largest crop protection company worldwide (BASF / American Cyanamid)
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 contributions 11176 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 contributions 19334 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
33 contributions 8316 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 fact finding exercise addressed to companies following the Commission’s report on the application of the merger regulation threshold
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 contributions 11176 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 contributions 19334 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
33 contributions 8316 visits
"Merger Control: main developments between 1st September 2000 and 31st December 2000"* Following the Report from the Commission to the Council on the application of the Merger Regulation thresholds, an extensive fact finding exercise has been launched directly addressing companies involved in (...)

The European Commission launches a review of merger regulation and simplifies procedure for unproblematic mergers
European External Action Service (Brussels)
Belgium 36 contributions 11176 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 contributions 19334 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
33 contributions 8316 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 contributions 11176 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 contributions 19334 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
33 contributions 8316 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 of Economy clears a merger in the market for manufacturing and retail of locksmith hardware subject to hold separate retail networks (Assa Abloy / Fichet Serrurerie Bâtiment)
French Competition Authority (Paris)
France 78 contributions 273480 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 contributions 11176 visits
,
Financial Conduct Authority (London)
United Kingdom 80 contributions 19334 visits
,
DG COMP (Brussels)
33 contributions 8316 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
Spain 5 contributions 6726 visits
,
ARPA Abogados Consultores (San Sebastian)
Spain 6 contributions 7068 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 Authority clears a merger 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 contributions 30251 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 (Paris)
France 290 contributions 751706 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 contributions 293341 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 (...)

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