The OFT and Competition Commission have published a joint commentary on retail mergers. The commentary focuses on three of the questions that have most often arisen in past cases: the local catchment area for retail outlets; the extent to which competition takes place at the local and national levels; and the techniques used to assess how mergers might affect retail prices. Click here.
The OFT has referred the anticipated acquisition by MBL Holdings Limited of TrigoldCrystal Group Limited to the Competition Commission for further investigation. The OFT's investigation indicated that the parties are the two largest UK suppliers of mortgage sourcing software products, which are used by mortgage intermediaries to search for the most appropriate mortgage for consumers. Click here.
The OFT has announced that it has decided not to open a Competition Act investigation into Visa's sponsorship arrangements for the 2012 Olympics insofar as they confer payment card exclusivity on Visa for the purchase of official Olympic merchandise and for the use of ATM machines at official Olympic Games venues. The OFT considers that these aspects of the sponsorship arrangements are unlikely to give rise to material consumer harm. Click here.
EU
Courts
- The General Court has dismissed an appeal by Altstoff Recycling Austria AG against a 2003 European Commission conditional exemption decision under Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty (now Article 101(3) of the TFEU) in relation to a series of its collection and sorting contracts with regional disposal partners that contained an exclusive obligation. Click here.
- Appeals brought by Singapore Airlines and SAS Cargo against the European Commission's air cargo cartel decision. Click here.
Mergers – cleared
- Norbert Dentressangle/TDG. Click here.
Mergers – invitation to comment
- Caterpillar/MWM. Click here.
- ENI/AcegasAps/IRIS. Click here.
Speeches
- Joaquín Almunia, Competition Commissioner: the application of competition rules to the financial sector. Click here.
UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT)
- Judgment issued on the appeal by Durkan against the OFT decision in the construction cover pricing case, reducing the total fine from £6,720,551 to £2,436,000. Click here.
- Judgment issued on the appeal by BT against Ofcom's determination in relation to BT's charges for partial private circuits. The CAT has dismissed the appeal. Click here.
- Judgment issued striking out claims for damages brought against Mersen UK Portslade Ltd on the basis that the company was not mentioned in the European Commission's carbon and graphite products cartel decision. Click here.
OFT
- Further details of Procedural Adjudicator procedure published. Click here.
- Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Chinese competition authority committing to cooperation and the exchange of best practice on competition and consumer policy and enforcement. Click here.
- Unilever/Alberto Culver: undertakings in lieu being considered. Click here.
- Kingspan Group/CRH Insulation Europe: merger clearance. Click here.
- Securitas Services/Chubb Security Personnel: merger clearance. Click here.
- FGX Europe/Framed Vision: full text of merger clearance decision published. Click here.
- John Wood Group/Production Services Network: full text of merger clearance decision published. Click here.
- Pearson/Education Development International: merger invitation to comment. Click here.
Ofcom
- Consultation issued on the assessment of future mobile competition and proposals for the award of 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum and related issues. Click here.
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