The UK competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will be conducting in-depth investigations of investment consultancy and fiduciary management services after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) initiated an investigation. The CMA has a wide range of powers enabling them to investigate and impose remedies. Industry participants should expect requests from the CMA to … Continue Reading
On 10 May 2017, the European Commission published its final report on its two-year e-commerce sector inquiry (the Final Report). Many of the conclusions in the Final Report closely follow the Commission’s preliminary report, which were analysed and summarised in our last client alert on the e-commerce inquiry, and were also featured in our webinar … Continue Reading
Competition authorities at both European and national levels are turning their attention to markets affecting the retail sector. The shift in focus is illustrated by the recent inquiries by the European Commission into e-commerce and by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into the modelling agencies sector, in an effort to discover instances of … Continue Reading
In a case regarding Post Danmark’s rebate structure, the European Court provided further guidance on the legality of rebates and discounts offered by dominant firms. While this case involves bulk mail services, the lessons learned are applicable to a wide variety of industries in determining whether discount structures practiced by market leading firms comply with … Continue Reading
As of April 1, 2015, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has acquired new functions and powers in relation to competition including powers under the Enterprise Act 2002 (the 2002 Act) to conduct market studies and make references to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and powers under the Competition Act 1998 (the 1998 Act) to … Continue Reading
A decision by the UK’s former competition authority, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT – now replaced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)) to accept commitments to settle its investigation into on-line prices for hotel rooms has been quashed by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal and sent back to the CMA to decide again. … Continue Reading
Member States’ ambassadors to the EU, known as the Committee of Permanent Representatives, have endorsed the agreement between the Council Presidency and representatives of the European Parliament on a proposed new EU Directive on rules governing actions for damages for infringements of competition law. The final text is expected to be voted through by the … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Richard Webb. The UK’s new competition body, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), was officially launched on 1st October 2013. The launch was preceded by the publication of Draft Guidance on the authority’s new powers under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (the “2013 Act”), such as its … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Angela Gregson and Laura-May Scott. The European General Court has upheld a € 20M fine imposed on the Belgian electricity company, Electrabel, for failing to notify changes to its minority holding in a joint venture under European merger control rules, even though the changes did not result in a majority shareholding … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Angela Gregson and Laura-May Scott. The UK Government has announced that the Groceries Code Adjudicator (“Adjudicator”) will have the power to fine supermarkets if they breach the Groceries Code of Practice (“Code”). After complaints from food manufacturers, farmers and campaigners about the lack of influence the body would have, the … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Angela Gregson. The OFT has afforded itself an enhanced ability to set higher fines in UK competition cases. Changes made by the OFT to its procedure for determining the appropriate level of fine include an increase in the starting point of the fine from a maximum of 10% of relevant … Continue Reading
This post was written by Edward S. Miller, Marjorie C. Holmes, Katherine Holmes and Angela Gregson. The European General Court has held that employed lawyers do not have the right to represent their in-house clients before it. Building on the controversial rejection of the application of legal privilege to communications with in-house counsel in the … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Katherine Holmes and Angela Gregson. Background The current European public procurement rules, intended to ensure open EU-wide competition for public contracts are contained in two directives: The Public Sector Directive (Directive 2004/18) sets out the rules that apply to contracts awarded by public sector bodies (e.g. government, schools, and health … Continue Reading
The Advocate General of the European Court recently issued an opinion in a case referred by the French court regarding distribution of Pierre Fabre cosmetics. In its agreements for the distribution of its Avène, Klorane, Galénic and Ducray brands, Pierre Fabre had included a clause banning its distributors from selling on the internet. The Opinion … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Richard J. Waite and Susan Riitala. The UK Government recently announced proposals to merge the UK’s two main competition bodies, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Competition Commission, to create a single competition regulator. Currently the OFT, as well as being responsible for conducting antitrust and cartel investigations, … Continue Reading
This post was also written by Susan Riitala. On 14 September 2010, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) dismissed an appeal by Akzo Nobel Chemicals Ltd and Akcros Chemicals Ltd made against a decision of the General Court not to allow e-mails exchanged between a client and an in-house lawyer to be covered by legal … Continue Reading
