269 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. 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). European Commission adopts merger simplification package to reduce red tape The European Commission recently adopted a package to simplify its procedures for reviewing concentrations under the EU Merger regulation. Under the new rules, more cases can benefit from the simplified procedure. 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”. Gun jumping: beware, the Commission will take action The Commission has imposed interim measures on Illumina and GRAIL. These measures include the obligation to run GRAIL by independent management. 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. ECJ: private enforcement in aviation sector also a national court's game Recently, the ECJ ruled that national courts dealing with private enforcement cases are competent to apply EU competition law to historical behaviour in the aviation sector. Dominant firm may refuse to supply retailer after initial delivery The Brussels Court of Appeal has held that a dominant producer firm may have valid reasons to refuse further supplies to a retailer, despite its dominance and despite previous deliveries. Google Shopping: self-preferencing is a form of abuse of dominance On 10 November 2021, the General Court (GC) almost entirely dismissed Google’s action against the European Commission’s Google Shopping decision. 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. 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. 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.
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).
European Commission adopts merger simplification package to reduce red tape The European Commission recently adopted a package to simplify its procedures for reviewing concentrations under the EU Merger regulation. Under the new rules, more cases can benefit from the simplified procedure.
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”.
Gun jumping: beware, the Commission will take action The Commission has imposed interim measures on Illumina and GRAIL. These measures include the obligation to run GRAIL by independent management.
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.
ECJ: private enforcement in aviation sector also a national court's game Recently, the ECJ ruled that national courts dealing with private enforcement cases are competent to apply EU competition law to historical behaviour in the aviation sector.
Dominant firm may refuse to supply retailer after initial delivery The Brussels Court of Appeal has held that a dominant producer firm may have valid reasons to refuse further supplies to a retailer, despite its dominance and despite previous deliveries.
Google Shopping: self-preferencing is a form of abuse of dominance On 10 November 2021, the General Court (GC) almost entirely dismissed Google’s action against the European Commission’s Google Shopping decision.
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.
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.