The General Court has annulled the European Commission’s decision of May 11, 2016, in which it blocked the proposed acquisition of Telefonica UK (O2) by Hutchison 3G UK (Three). The General Court found that the Commission failed to prove that
Antitrust & Competition Blog
The Antitrust & Competition Blog, published by Steptoe LLP, covers developments and analysis in antitrust and competition law. It addresses topics such as regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and litigation trends involving antitrust statutes like the Robinson-Patman Act. The blog discusses issues related to patent settlements and their antitrust implications, digital market regulations including the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act and the EU Digital Markets Act, and the role of business users under these frameworks. It also examines competition authority investigations and policy shifts affecting various industries, including pharmaceuticals, technology, and retail sectors.
Latest from Antitrust & Competition Blog - Page 7
How Will the European Commission Monitor Competitiveness of the Digital Market?
On June 2, 2020, the European Commission opened a public consultation to seek views on the contents of the Digital Services Act (DSA), an ambitious legislative package intended to regulate digital markets in EU.
The European Commission will be seeking…
EU Competition Law: A Powerful Tool in Post-COVID-19 Business Recovery
By Paul Hughes
Competition law is a powerful tool that businesses can employ to recover from a crisis. Join members of Steptoe’s EU Competition team for a series of short On Demand videos that will help guide your business through the economic uncertainty…
CMA Guidance on its Approach to Merger Assessments during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The CMA has provided guidance on its expected approach to merger assessments during the Covid-19 pandemic. While the timescales and substantive assessment of a merger’s effects on competition remain unchanged, the CMA has made a number of adjustments to its…
FCA’s Statements about Insurance and the Coronavirus: Competition Considerations
In a series of recent statements, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out how it expects the insurance industry to help consumers and businesses affected by the coronavirus.
The FCA would like to see a degree of consistency…
Joint DOJ/FTC Antitrust Statement on US Labor Markets in the COVID-19 Crisis
On Monday April 13, 2020, DOJ and the FTC issued a joint statement warning employers that COVID-19 does not provide a reason to tolerate anticompetitive conduct that harms workers. The agencies said that they are on alert for collusion and…
COVID-19 and Cooperation Among Companies in the Health Sector
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, not a single day passes without the news on shortages of medicines or medical equipment. The issue of ‘shortages of essential products and services’ is not specific to the UK, Italy or Spain. …
The Court of Justice of the EU Gives a Preliminary Ruling Clarifying and Reinstating Certain Aspects of the “by Object” Assessment
At the beginning of April 2020, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) handed down a preliminary ruling in Case C-228/18, Gazdasági Versenyhivatal v Budapest Bank Nyrt. and others and thus clarifying and reinstating certain aspects of the “by…
Changes to Merger Rules
At the EU level, Commission staff have adapted to working from home but are aware of the challenges in dealing with tight timeframes presented by merger notifications (including securing meaningful input from industry participants which may be affected by a…
Changes to State Aid Rules
In these extraordinary times, economies around the World including Member States are pumping money into their economies. Businesses and whole sectors are crying out for special support. State support in the EEA above a low de minimis threshold is subject…