234 results Brand owners beware: Commission tough on cross-border sales restrictions The European Commission recently imposed a EUR 6.2 million fine on Hello Kitty owner Sanrio for preventing its licensees from selling licensed merchandising products across the entire EEA. Wanted: fast solutions for fast-growing platforms Dominant digital companies be warned: calls for additional tools to deal with powerful platforms in online markets are increasing. ECJ answers preliminary questions on jurisdiction in cartel damage case On 29 July 2019, the ECJ handed down a preliminary ruling concerning jurisdiction in follow-on damages proceedings in what is termed the trucks cartel. Tackling Big Tech up-front? Time to stop thinking and start acting Benelux competition authorities have published a joint memorandum on how best to keep up with challenges in fast-moving digital markets. Safeguarding legal privilege: better safe than sorry? The European Court of Justice recently ruled that the European Commission does not have to take additional precautionary measures to respect the right of legal professional privilege when conducting a new dawn raid at the same company. The ACM has to pay: moral damages awarded to real estate traders The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) needs to cough up a total of EUR 120,000 in moral damages to three real estate traders. The postman will no longer ring twice: Minister unblocks postal merger The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) recently blocked postal operator PostNL's acquisition of its only national competitor, Sandd, because this would create "a monopolist on the postal delivery market". Big tech firms entering banking: be careful what you wish for Big tech firms, whether entering or already active on payments markets, are under scrutiny. PSD2 has opened up the payments markets to non-bank companies, but this comes with both risks and opportunities. Walking a thin line: cooperation and collusion Buying groups are under attack from competition authorities across Europe. ACM geeft bedrijven meer ruimte om samen te werken voor klimaat- en milieudoelen De Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM) wil dat Nederlandse bedrijven meer ruimte krijgen om samen te werken op het gebied van duurzaamheid. Stibbe represents Mylan On 27 July 2015, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced that it has withdrawn its previously announced hostile bid to acquire Mylan N.V. Stibbe represented Mylan in this successful takeover defence and advised Mylan on both litigation and EU competition 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. Extended access to electronic data for the Belgian Competition Authority The Belgian legislator has amended some competition law provisions in Book IV Code of Economic law. The new provision on access to data of electronic communications operators endows the Belgian Competition Authority with new investigation powers. 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. The long and (un)winding road of ‘killer acquisition’ Illumina/Grail Crystal ball gazing into prospective innovation rat races when assessing vertical mergers may soon be all in a day’s work for the European Commission. Innovation was a recurring theme in the Commission’s handling of the Illumina/Grail deal. 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. Gotta catch ‘em all? Upward referral of ‘killer acquisitions’ upheld Companies involved in intended or completed M&A transactions falling below EU and national merger notification thresholds should beware that their deals may still catch the European Commission’s eye. Pagination Previous page Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Current page 13
Brand owners beware: Commission tough on cross-border sales restrictions The European Commission recently imposed a EUR 6.2 million fine on Hello Kitty owner Sanrio for preventing its licensees from selling licensed merchandising products across the entire EEA.
Wanted: fast solutions for fast-growing platforms Dominant digital companies be warned: calls for additional tools to deal with powerful platforms in online markets are increasing.
ECJ answers preliminary questions on jurisdiction in cartel damage case On 29 July 2019, the ECJ handed down a preliminary ruling concerning jurisdiction in follow-on damages proceedings in what is termed the trucks cartel.
Tackling Big Tech up-front? Time to stop thinking and start acting Benelux competition authorities have published a joint memorandum on how best to keep up with challenges in fast-moving digital markets.
Safeguarding legal privilege: better safe than sorry? The European Court of Justice recently ruled that the European Commission does not have to take additional precautionary measures to respect the right of legal professional privilege when conducting a new dawn raid at the same company.
The ACM has to pay: moral damages awarded to real estate traders The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) needs to cough up a total of EUR 120,000 in moral damages to three real estate traders.
The postman will no longer ring twice: Minister unblocks postal merger The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) recently blocked postal operator PostNL's acquisition of its only national competitor, Sandd, because this would create "a monopolist on the postal delivery market".
Big tech firms entering banking: be careful what you wish for Big tech firms, whether entering or already active on payments markets, are under scrutiny. PSD2 has opened up the payments markets to non-bank companies, but this comes with both risks and opportunities.
Walking a thin line: cooperation and collusion Buying groups are under attack from competition authorities across Europe.
ACM geeft bedrijven meer ruimte om samen te werken voor klimaat- en milieudoelen De Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM) wil dat Nederlandse bedrijven meer ruimte krijgen om samen te werken op het gebied van duurzaamheid.
Stibbe represents Mylan On 27 July 2015, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced that it has withdrawn its previously announced hostile bid to acquire Mylan N.V. Stibbe represented Mylan in this successful takeover defence and advised Mylan on both litigation and EU competition
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.
Extended access to electronic data for the Belgian Competition Authority The Belgian legislator has amended some competition law provisions in Book IV Code of Economic law. The new provision on access to data of electronic communications operators endows the Belgian Competition Authority with new investigation powers.
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.
The long and (un)winding road of ‘killer acquisition’ Illumina/Grail Crystal ball gazing into prospective innovation rat races when assessing vertical mergers may soon be all in a day’s work for the European Commission. Innovation was a recurring theme in the Commission’s handling of the Illumina/Grail deal.
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.
Gotta catch ‘em all? Upward referral of ‘killer acquisitions’ upheld Companies involved in intended or completed M&A transactions falling below EU and national merger notification thresholds should beware that their deals may still catch the European Commission’s eye.