Annual Competition Law Update

Short Reads - The European Commission is adding powers to its toolbox to ensure a level playing field between European and foreign(-backed) companies active on the EU market. On top of merger control and Foreign Direct Investment screening obligations, companies may also need to account for future rules allowing scrutiny of subsidies granted by non-EU governments if those subsidies might distort the EU Single Market.

Short Reads - Eerder berichtten wij over de Kaderregeling inzake staatssteun ter ondersteuning van de economie vanwege de huidige COVID-19-uitbraak ("Kaderregeling"). Met deze regeling geeft de Europese Commissie ("EC") mogelijkheden voor overheden om staatssteun te verstrekken ter bestrijding van de Coronacrisis.

Short Reads - The Rotterdam District Court has annulled the Dutch Minister’s very first clearance of a blocked merger (between postal operators PostNL and Sandd), on grounds of public interest.

Short Reads - There may soon be a new competition tool available to tackle structural competition concerns in dynamic tech and platform markets. Until then, competition authorities resort to existing tools to deal with these markets. The Dutch competition authority (ACM) recently subjected the merger of two emerging platforms – without significant market footprint – to behavioural remedies. On 20 May 2020, the ACM cleared the merger between the travel apps of Dutch rail operator NS and transport company Pon.