222 results The Foreign Subsidies Regulation – beware and get your data ready! Earlier this year, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) entered into force to close a loophole in EU regulations aimed at creating a level playing field within the internal market. Mondelēz’s fine takes the biscuit: cross-border trade crusade peaks The European Commission has fined Mondelēz EUR 337.5 million for restricting cross-border trade. Brand owners are advised to double-check their licensing and distribution systems, as well as their commercial conduct, for possible territorial restraints. No impairment of the EC’s impartiality: ECJ upholds Scania judgment The ECJ upheld the Commission’s fine on Scania for participating in a cartel. The Commission’s impartiality is not necessarily impaired by having the Commission case team in charge of the settlement procedure also deal with the penalty decision. The honeymoon phase of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation is over! Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. The industry voices have been clear about the Foreign Subsidies Regulation. But what is the authority’s view? We provide an update on recent developments, including the European Commission’s first policy brief. European Court of Justice plays hardball in Sports rulings The rulings by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the discretionary powers of international sports associations to authorise alternative competitions show that the specifics of sports are no reason to tread lightly when applying EU competition rules. Employers beware: the Commission joins the ‘labour party’ Companies should review their recruitment and hiring policies and practices. The Commission has joined the hunt for ‘job cartels’ with its first ever cartel in the labour market. Spooked no more: antitrust safe harbour for solo self-employed persons The Commission’s guidelines on collective agreements clarify the manoeuvre room solo self-employed persons have under the competition rules to collectively boost their working conditions. A Directive on platform work working conditions is on the way. Digital Markets Act: “with great power must come great responsibility” The countdown is on for digital giants. The entry into force of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on 1 November 2022 triggered a to do list for potential gatekeepers with 2 May 2023 as the next key date to keep in mind: see our DMA infographic. Google Android-ruling: Commission flunks AEC test once again The AEC test has likely assumed mythic status at the European Commission with the EU courts striking down its AEC analysis for a third time. Nevertheless, the Commission seems on the right track to tackling abuse of dominance in the digital sector. Sense and sensibility in sustainability collaborations The ACM’s push for companies to come forward for an antitrust blessing of their sustainability solutions is paying off. The ACM has again given informal guidance to companies wishing to make sustainability agreements. Competition law developments in 2022 While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent. ECJ in Towercast: plan C for tackling concentrations? Companies beware: completed non-notifiable concentrations do not necessarily go scot-free. An ex post abuse-of-dominance investigation by national competition authorities (NCA) could still loom. Levelling the playing field in 2023: new tools and hurdles While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent. Meta fined for Facebook Marketplace’s Unfair Trading Conditions and Tying Unfair trading conditions and tying are gaining traction as alleged abusive practices in the digital industry, as the European Commission fines Meta EUR 797.72 million for hindering competitors of Facebook Marketplace. EU merger guidelines review: catching up with the times? A potential major overhaul of EU merger control review began on 8 May 2025. Time for stakeholders to speak up about whether and particularly how the European Commission should incorporate wider strategic or societal objectives into its merger assessments. The ECJ’s ruling in Servier: Never Settle For Less Patent settlement agreements between originator pharmaceutical companies and generics manufacturers are a risky business. Originator medicine company Servier and five generic companies rolled the dice and the ECJ largely confirmed their antitrust fines. Commission steers market definition to the 21st century Companies have a new and improved tool for the competitive assessment of their conduct and intended acquisitions. The European Commission has updated its guidance on how to define relevant markets for the purpose of EU competition law enforcement. Sharing is caring? Commission can take over NCA probe The EU case cooperation mechanism does not create any rights for companies to have their case dealt with by a particular competition authority. Companies should therefore factor the dynamics of this cooperation mechanism into their defence strategies. Pagination Previous page Page 10 Page 11 Current page 12 Page 13 Next page
The Foreign Subsidies Regulation – beware and get your data ready! Earlier this year, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) entered into force to close a loophole in EU regulations aimed at creating a level playing field within the internal market.
Mondelēz’s fine takes the biscuit: cross-border trade crusade peaks The European Commission has fined Mondelēz EUR 337.5 million for restricting cross-border trade. Brand owners are advised to double-check their licensing and distribution systems, as well as their commercial conduct, for possible territorial restraints.
No impairment of the EC’s impartiality: ECJ upholds Scania judgment The ECJ upheld the Commission’s fine on Scania for participating in a cartel. The Commission’s impartiality is not necessarily impaired by having the Commission case team in charge of the settlement procedure also deal with the penalty decision.
The honeymoon phase of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation is over! Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. The industry voices have been clear about the Foreign Subsidies Regulation. But what is the authority’s view? We provide an update on recent developments, including the European Commission’s first policy brief.
European Court of Justice plays hardball in Sports rulings The rulings by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the discretionary powers of international sports associations to authorise alternative competitions show that the specifics of sports are no reason to tread lightly when applying EU competition rules.
Employers beware: the Commission joins the ‘labour party’ Companies should review their recruitment and hiring policies and practices. The Commission has joined the hunt for ‘job cartels’ with its first ever cartel in the labour market.
Spooked no more: antitrust safe harbour for solo self-employed persons The Commission’s guidelines on collective agreements clarify the manoeuvre room solo self-employed persons have under the competition rules to collectively boost their working conditions. A Directive on platform work working conditions is on the way.
Digital Markets Act: “with great power must come great responsibility” The countdown is on for digital giants. The entry into force of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on 1 November 2022 triggered a to do list for potential gatekeepers with 2 May 2023 as the next key date to keep in mind: see our DMA infographic.
Google Android-ruling: Commission flunks AEC test once again The AEC test has likely assumed mythic status at the European Commission with the EU courts striking down its AEC analysis for a third time. Nevertheless, the Commission seems on the right track to tackling abuse of dominance in the digital sector.
Sense and sensibility in sustainability collaborations The ACM’s push for companies to come forward for an antitrust blessing of their sustainability solutions is paying off. The ACM has again given informal guidance to companies wishing to make sustainability agreements.
Competition law developments in 2022 While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent.
ECJ in Towercast: plan C for tackling concentrations? Companies beware: completed non-notifiable concentrations do not necessarily go scot-free. An ex post abuse-of-dominance investigation by national competition authorities (NCA) could still loom.
Levelling the playing field in 2023: new tools and hurdles While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent.
Meta fined for Facebook Marketplace’s Unfair Trading Conditions and Tying Unfair trading conditions and tying are gaining traction as alleged abusive practices in the digital industry, as the European Commission fines Meta EUR 797.72 million for hindering competitors of Facebook Marketplace.
EU merger guidelines review: catching up with the times? A potential major overhaul of EU merger control review began on 8 May 2025. Time for stakeholders to speak up about whether and particularly how the European Commission should incorporate wider strategic or societal objectives into its merger assessments.
The ECJ’s ruling in Servier: Never Settle For Less Patent settlement agreements between originator pharmaceutical companies and generics manufacturers are a risky business. Originator medicine company Servier and five generic companies rolled the dice and the ECJ largely confirmed their antitrust fines.
Commission steers market definition to the 21st century Companies have a new and improved tool for the competitive assessment of their conduct and intended acquisitions. The European Commission has updated its guidance on how to define relevant markets for the purpose of EU competition law enforcement.
Sharing is caring? Commission can take over NCA probe The EU case cooperation mechanism does not create any rights for companies to have their case dealt with by a particular competition authority. Companies should therefore factor the dynamics of this cooperation mechanism into their defence strategies.