28 February 2008 saw the birth of the Spanish competition authority's ("CNC") leniency programme, inspired mainly by the programme available at EU level.

The Competition Commission of India ("CCI") has imposed a fine of 10 million rupees (c. € 160,000) on Kingfisher Airlines for failing to provide sufficient information further to an information request from the CCI's director general of investigations.

The Code Committee of the Takeover Panel is consulting on a proposal to liberalise rule 5.2(c)(iii) of the Takeover Code, which it considers is currently unduly restrictive.

EU Competition Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia ("Almunia"), said on Monday that the European Commission (the "Commission") is considering permitting state aid to airlines in the wake of the Icelandic volcanic eruption.

Over the last ten years the OFT has dramatically increased its enforcement activity in the construction industry.

The government has published its response to the consultation on the Competition Act 1998 (Land Agreements Exclusion and Revocation Order) 2004 (the "Order") with the government deciding to repeal the Order from 6 April 2011.

On 16 September 2010, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Competition Commission (CC) (together the "Authorities") published the final version of their new joint merger assessment guidelines (the "Guidelines") which will in principle, be applied in their decisions with immediate effect.

On 4 January, the OFT wrote to Ryanair advising that it believes it is 'in time' to review Ryanair's acquisition of a minority shareholding in Aer Lingus under the UK merger control rules.

On 14 December 2010, the OFT announced its plan to launch a market study into the private healthcare market (the 'Study'). The Study is being launched as a result of the OFT's initial research and information from market participants which suggests that the market may not be working well for private healthcare patients.

On 14 March 2011, the OFT announced that it was launching a market study into off-grid energy.

On 26 August 2010, Defra announced a review of Ofwat, led by David Gray, to ensure that it is fit for future challenges facing the water industry.

Competition Commissioner designate Joaquín Almunia has advised that he anticipates the long awaited revised Vertical Agreements Block Exemption Regulations ("VABE") will be formally adopted in May, to come into force on 1 June 2010.

Postcomm, the Postal Services Commission, has concluded that, following an investigation into Royal Mail, the company failed to comply with certain licence conditions relating to the independent monitoring of its performance.

The UK Supreme Court ('UKSC') has rejected an application to hear an appeal which may have clarified the way in which competition infringement decisions can be relied upon in private 'follow-on' damages claims.

The consumer body Which? has submitted a super-complaint to the Office of Fair Trading ('OFT') asking it to investigate the surcharges that are payable when customers pay for goods or services by debit/credit card.

On 11 February 2011, the consumer organisation Which? announced its intention to lodge a super-complaint with the Office of Fair Trading (the OFT) relating to surcharge payments imposed by some companies when consumers pay by debit or credit card.

Recently, a court in the US analysed for the first time whether "club deals", where private equity firms join forces to bid for a target company, can be anti-competitive.

A discussion on the US FATCA regime, which represents the new rules by which the US tax authority is seeking to prevent US taxpayers from avoiding their US tax obligations by moving money abroad.

The former CEO of Morgan Crucible, Ian Norris, has been sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to obstruct a US federal grand jury investigation.

The European Commission ('Commission') has opened a formal competition investigation against Czech electricity incumbent CEZ for potential abuse of dominance.