213 results French supermarket dawn raids down the drain On 9 March 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the European Commission should properly record interviews if they are used to gather information regarding the subject matter of the investigation. Dawn raid drama: bycatch and data rooms Beware of the fine line in antitrust investigations between illegal fishing expeditions and accidental discoveries pointing at a separate antitrust infringement. If at first you don’t succeed ... Court unblocks two blocked healthcare mergers The ACM needs to ‘try, try again’ when assessing healthcare mergers. The Rotterdam District Court overturned two of the ACM’s healthcare merger prohibitions within less than two months. Dutch national security screening regime enters into force The Dutch national security screening regime (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames or Wet Vifo) enters into force today, 1 June. FSR zorgt voor nieuwe uitdagingen bij transacties en aanbestedingen Op 12 januari van dit jaar trad de Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) in werking, die per 12 oktober een meldplicht bij de Europese Commissie voor bepaalde transacties en aanbestedingen introduceert. Not so fast - General Court clarifies merger control test There is no magical number when it comes to “4-to-3” telecom mergers. On 28/5/2020, the EU’s General Court handed down a landmark judgment annulling a 2016 decision of the European Commission blocking the merger between O2 UK and Three. Colour shifting risks: cartel fines for alleged indirect info exchange upheld National courts upheld the approach by two national competition authorities towards indirect information exchange, lowering the standard of proof for collusion by competitors when receiving competitively sensitive information from a buyer (or supplier). Dutch court confirms: Samsung's 'price recommendations' practices were unlawful The Rotterdam District Court has delivered its judgment in the ACM's first-ever vertical restraints case. It upholds the fine imposed on Samsung for coordinating its retailers' online consumer prices under the pretence of 'price recommendations'. 2022: the big reveal of 2021’s competition law promises 2021 was riddled with sneak previews of a “review of competition policy tools with unprecedented scope and ambition”. Europese Commissie herziet en verruimt een belangrijk staatssteunkader: consultatie wijzigingen AGVV geopend tot 8 december 2021 De Europese Commissie zet in op meer staatssteun voor innovatieve ondernemingen en duurzaamheid. Dit blijkt uit de voorgestelde wijziging van de Algemene groepsvrijstellingsverordening waarover tot 8 december a.s. een consultatie loopt. Upward referral of killer acquisitions: enlightened or one-stop shop flop? Companies involved in M&A deals falling below the EU and national notification thresholds need to think twice about their deal’s potential impact on competition from now on. Abuse of economic dependence: lessons drawn from the first judgments On 22 August 2020, the ban on abuse of economic dependence was implemented in Belgium. Now that almost a year has passed and the first judgments have been rendered, we assess what first lessons can be drawn from these judgments. Bekrachtiging Europese Klimaatwet en onthulling klimaatpakket ‘Fit for 55’ Met de bekrachtiging van de Europese Klimaatwet door het Europees Parlement en de introductie van het klimaatpakket 'Fit for 55', wordt het duidelijker hoe de weg naar een klimaatneutraal Europa er uit gaat zien. Highest Dutch Court: ACM has not proved dominance of Dutch railway operator NS A high market share is not always proof of a dominant position. The Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb) upheld the annulment of the ACM’s fine of nearly EUR 41 million on Dutch railway operator NS for alleged abuse of dominance. Triple-check merger info to prevent costly fines – or worse Companies should check their merger information for accuracy, truthfulness and completeness before handing it over to the European Commission. Foreign subsidies: another addition to the M&A checklist Checking for merger control notification obligations and Foreign Direct Investment screening mechanisms will be on the list for most companies involved in M&A deals. Slovak Telekom: ECJ on essentials of the ‘essential facilities’ doctrine Only dominant companies with a “genuinely tight grip” on the market can be forced to grant rivals access to their infrastructure. Court bundles educational publishers merger off to ACM for reassessment Digital mergers have steered competition authorities away from their usual mantra of structural over behavioural remedies. The Rotterdam District Court recently gave its blessing to the ACM’s remedies for securing access to a digital school platform. Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Next page
French supermarket dawn raids down the drain On 9 March 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the European Commission should properly record interviews if they are used to gather information regarding the subject matter of the investigation.
Dawn raid drama: bycatch and data rooms Beware of the fine line in antitrust investigations between illegal fishing expeditions and accidental discoveries pointing at a separate antitrust infringement.
If at first you don’t succeed ... Court unblocks two blocked healthcare mergers The ACM needs to ‘try, try again’ when assessing healthcare mergers. The Rotterdam District Court overturned two of the ACM’s healthcare merger prohibitions within less than two months.
Dutch national security screening regime enters into force The Dutch national security screening regime (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames or Wet Vifo) enters into force today, 1 June.
FSR zorgt voor nieuwe uitdagingen bij transacties en aanbestedingen Op 12 januari van dit jaar trad de Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) in werking, die per 12 oktober een meldplicht bij de Europese Commissie voor bepaalde transacties en aanbestedingen introduceert.
Not so fast - General Court clarifies merger control test There is no magical number when it comes to “4-to-3” telecom mergers. On 28/5/2020, the EU’s General Court handed down a landmark judgment annulling a 2016 decision of the European Commission blocking the merger between O2 UK and Three.
Colour shifting risks: cartel fines for alleged indirect info exchange upheld National courts upheld the approach by two national competition authorities towards indirect information exchange, lowering the standard of proof for collusion by competitors when receiving competitively sensitive information from a buyer (or supplier).
Dutch court confirms: Samsung's 'price recommendations' practices were unlawful The Rotterdam District Court has delivered its judgment in the ACM's first-ever vertical restraints case. It upholds the fine imposed on Samsung for coordinating its retailers' online consumer prices under the pretence of 'price recommendations'.
2022: the big reveal of 2021’s competition law promises 2021 was riddled with sneak previews of a “review of competition policy tools with unprecedented scope and ambition”.
Europese Commissie herziet en verruimt een belangrijk staatssteunkader: consultatie wijzigingen AGVV geopend tot 8 december 2021 De Europese Commissie zet in op meer staatssteun voor innovatieve ondernemingen en duurzaamheid. Dit blijkt uit de voorgestelde wijziging van de Algemene groepsvrijstellingsverordening waarover tot 8 december a.s. een consultatie loopt.
Upward referral of killer acquisitions: enlightened or one-stop shop flop? Companies involved in M&A deals falling below the EU and national notification thresholds need to think twice about their deal’s potential impact on competition from now on.
Abuse of economic dependence: lessons drawn from the first judgments On 22 August 2020, the ban on abuse of economic dependence was implemented in Belgium. Now that almost a year has passed and the first judgments have been rendered, we assess what first lessons can be drawn from these judgments.
Bekrachtiging Europese Klimaatwet en onthulling klimaatpakket ‘Fit for 55’ Met de bekrachtiging van de Europese Klimaatwet door het Europees Parlement en de introductie van het klimaatpakket 'Fit for 55', wordt het duidelijker hoe de weg naar een klimaatneutraal Europa er uit gaat zien.
Highest Dutch Court: ACM has not proved dominance of Dutch railway operator NS A high market share is not always proof of a dominant position. The Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb) upheld the annulment of the ACM’s fine of nearly EUR 41 million on Dutch railway operator NS for alleged abuse of dominance.
Triple-check merger info to prevent costly fines – or worse Companies should check their merger information for accuracy, truthfulness and completeness before handing it over to the European Commission.
Foreign subsidies: another addition to the M&A checklist Checking for merger control notification obligations and Foreign Direct Investment screening mechanisms will be on the list for most companies involved in M&A deals.
Slovak Telekom: ECJ on essentials of the ‘essential facilities’ doctrine Only dominant companies with a “genuinely tight grip” on the market can be forced to grant rivals access to their infrastructure.
Court bundles educational publishers merger off to ACM for reassessment Digital mergers have steered competition authorities away from their usual mantra of structural over behavioural remedies. The Rotterdam District Court recently gave its blessing to the ACM’s remedies for securing access to a digital school platform.