18 results General Court confirms: no proof, no dawn raid The Commission should think twice before conducting a dawn raid. The General Court partially annulled three Commission decisions ordering dawn raids at the premises of French supermarkets for a lack of sufficiently strong evidence. EU merger control: Dutch clause to catch future killer acquisitions Competition Commissioner Vestager presented a sneak peak of her plans for the future of EU merger control on the 30th anniversary of the EU Merger Regulation. Home, but not alone: Commission may complete dawn raids from home The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rejected Nexans’ appeal in the power cables cartel case. The Commission started the dawn raid at Nexans’ premises, but due to lack of time finished the raid at the Commission’s premises in Brussels. COVID-19 impacts level and payment of antitrust fines As well as granting companies leeway on certain COVID-19 initiated collaborations (see our May 2020 newsletter), the coronavirus outbreak has also led competition authorities to take a more lenient stance towards fine calculations and payments. Public Consultation on the Industry Carbon Tax Act: levy and trade in dispensation rights The public consultation on the Industry Carbon Tax Act (Wet CO2-heffing industrie) began on 24 April 2020. The government has already announced the carbon tax in the Climate Agreement. The effects of the coronavirus crisis on the European Emissions Trading System - amended 29 April 2020 Coronavirus measures are impacting many different areas of society and the economy. The European Emission Trading System (ETS) for CO2 emission allowances is also being affected. Back to the future – Commission publishes roadmap for green and digital challenges The Commission’s Communication “A competition policy fit for new challenges” (the “Communication”) identifies key areas in which competition law and policy can support European efforts in dealing with the challenges of the green and digital transitions. Amsterdam Court of Appeal rules on the applicable law to air freight cartel damages claims On 6 July 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had to decide whether the pragmatic approach of the Amsterdam District Court, which had applied Dutch law to all air freight cartel damages claims, could be upheld. Netherlands FDI regime protecting national security is getting closer On 30 June 2021, a legislative proposal introducing an investment screening on grounds of national security in the Netherlands was submitted to the House of Representatives. The new VBER is here! Time to update your distribution agreements The new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) entered into force on 1 June 2022. The new VBER is stricter on dual distribution and across-platform retail parity obligations than the old one, but is more lenient towards active sales and online sales r Nieuwe vervaldatum Tijdelijke Wet COVID-19 Justitie & Veiligheid vastgesteld op 1 juni 2021 De werkingsduur van de Tijdelijke Wet COVID-19 Justitie & Veiligheid (“de Tijdelijke wet”) is wederom verlengd. De nieuwe vervaldatum is bij Koninklijk Besluit vastgesteld op 1 juni 2021. No-deal Brexit and the internal market: what implications for trade of food products, animals and plants? Following the June 2016 referendum on European Union ("EU") membership in the United Kingdom ("UK"), the UK notified the European Council of the UK's intention to withdraw from the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. Industrial plastic-bag makers lose out on EUR 800,000 at European Court of Justice Companies awaiting the outcome of appeal proceedings should carefully consider whether to pay the imposed fine by bank guarantee or direct payment. Anna Collignon speaks at study day of the VMA/Grotius advanced course in Environmental Law On Tuesday 8 September, the Association of Environmental Lawyers (VMA) is organising a study day of the VMA/Grotius advanced course in Environmental Law. Anna Collignon will speak about the current legal framework for nitrogen deposition and jurisprudence Termination of an agreement: compelling grounds? When does a reason given for termination of an agreement qualify as a compelling ground? That was the central question in the Dutch Supreme Court's decision of 29 March 2019 (ECLI:NL:HR:2019:446). Loyalty rebate scheme 'saved' by pharma company's market misconceptions The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently closed its investigation into a discount scheme by dominant pharma company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) aimed at preventing the National Health Service (NHS) from switching to competing biosimilars. What is the Major Accidents (Risk) Decree 2015 and to which companies does it apply? The Major Accidents (Risk) Decree 2015 (Besluit risico's zware ongevallen 2015) (Brzo) imposes far-reaching and immediate obligations on companies falling under its scope. Swifter merger clearance and shorter merger filings in Belgium Companies can expect swifter merger clearance and simpler filing rules in Belgium. The Belgian Competition Authority has published a communication with additional rules concerning the simplified procedure for certain types of concentrations.
General Court confirms: no proof, no dawn raid The Commission should think twice before conducting a dawn raid. The General Court partially annulled three Commission decisions ordering dawn raids at the premises of French supermarkets for a lack of sufficiently strong evidence.
EU merger control: Dutch clause to catch future killer acquisitions Competition Commissioner Vestager presented a sneak peak of her plans for the future of EU merger control on the 30th anniversary of the EU Merger Regulation.
Home, but not alone: Commission may complete dawn raids from home The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rejected Nexans’ appeal in the power cables cartel case. The Commission started the dawn raid at Nexans’ premises, but due to lack of time finished the raid at the Commission’s premises in Brussels.
COVID-19 impacts level and payment of antitrust fines As well as granting companies leeway on certain COVID-19 initiated collaborations (see our May 2020 newsletter), the coronavirus outbreak has also led competition authorities to take a more lenient stance towards fine calculations and payments.
Public Consultation on the Industry Carbon Tax Act: levy and trade in dispensation rights The public consultation on the Industry Carbon Tax Act (Wet CO2-heffing industrie) began on 24 April 2020. The government has already announced the carbon tax in the Climate Agreement.
The effects of the coronavirus crisis on the European Emissions Trading System - amended 29 April 2020 Coronavirus measures are impacting many different areas of society and the economy. The European Emission Trading System (ETS) for CO2 emission allowances is also being affected.
Back to the future – Commission publishes roadmap for green and digital challenges The Commission’s Communication “A competition policy fit for new challenges” (the “Communication”) identifies key areas in which competition law and policy can support European efforts in dealing with the challenges of the green and digital transitions.
Amsterdam Court of Appeal rules on the applicable law to air freight cartel damages claims On 6 July 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had to decide whether the pragmatic approach of the Amsterdam District Court, which had applied Dutch law to all air freight cartel damages claims, could be upheld.
Netherlands FDI regime protecting national security is getting closer On 30 June 2021, a legislative proposal introducing an investment screening on grounds of national security in the Netherlands was submitted to the House of Representatives.
The new VBER is here! Time to update your distribution agreements The new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) entered into force on 1 June 2022. The new VBER is stricter on dual distribution and across-platform retail parity obligations than the old one, but is more lenient towards active sales and online sales r
Nieuwe vervaldatum Tijdelijke Wet COVID-19 Justitie & Veiligheid vastgesteld op 1 juni 2021 De werkingsduur van de Tijdelijke Wet COVID-19 Justitie & Veiligheid (“de Tijdelijke wet”) is wederom verlengd. De nieuwe vervaldatum is bij Koninklijk Besluit vastgesteld op 1 juni 2021.
No-deal Brexit and the internal market: what implications for trade of food products, animals and plants? Following the June 2016 referendum on European Union ("EU") membership in the United Kingdom ("UK"), the UK notified the European Council of the UK's intention to withdraw from the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.
Industrial plastic-bag makers lose out on EUR 800,000 at European Court of Justice Companies awaiting the outcome of appeal proceedings should carefully consider whether to pay the imposed fine by bank guarantee or direct payment.
Anna Collignon speaks at study day of the VMA/Grotius advanced course in Environmental Law On Tuesday 8 September, the Association of Environmental Lawyers (VMA) is organising a study day of the VMA/Grotius advanced course in Environmental Law. Anna Collignon will speak about the current legal framework for nitrogen deposition and jurisprudence
Termination of an agreement: compelling grounds? When does a reason given for termination of an agreement qualify as a compelling ground? That was the central question in the Dutch Supreme Court's decision of 29 March 2019 (ECLI:NL:HR:2019:446).
Loyalty rebate scheme 'saved' by pharma company's market misconceptions The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently closed its investigation into a discount scheme by dominant pharma company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) aimed at preventing the National Health Service (NHS) from switching to competing biosimilars.
What is the Major Accidents (Risk) Decree 2015 and to which companies does it apply? The Major Accidents (Risk) Decree 2015 (Besluit risico's zware ongevallen 2015) (Brzo) imposes far-reaching and immediate obligations on companies falling under its scope.
Swifter merger clearance and shorter merger filings in Belgium Companies can expect swifter merger clearance and simpler filing rules in Belgium. The Belgian Competition Authority has published a communication with additional rules concerning the simplified procedure for certain types of concentrations.