Competition weekly news summary
15 July 2016

Conferences/Speeches

  • Speech by Commissioner Vestager at the EESC Plenary
    EESC Plenary, Brussels
    14 July 2016
    "Competition enforcement can help to deal with the biggest concerns that Europeans face. So this is not the time to ease up on our efforts to defend competition. On the contrary, we need to work harder than ever. Not just because competition saves consumers and businesses money - important though that is. But because it helps to make sure the system works fairly."
    Read full speech >

 Antitrust

  • Antitrust: Commission takes further steps in investigations alleging Google's comparison shopping and advertising-related practices breach EU rules
    14 July 2016
    The Commission has sent two Statements of Objections to Google. The Commission has reinforced, in a supplementary Statement of Objections, its preliminary conclusion that Google has abused its dominant position by systematically favouring its comparison shopping service in its search result pages.
    Separately, the Commission has also informed Google in a Statement of Objections of its preliminary view that the company has abused its dominant position by artificially restricting the possibility of third party websites to display search advertisements from Google's competitors.
    Read more >
    Statement by Commissioner Vestager>

Mergers

  • Commission clears acquisition of an automotive component business of Faurecia by Plastic Omnium, subject to conditions
    11 July 2016
    The Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the automotive plastic exterior component business of Faurecia by Compagnie Plastic Omnium, both of France. The clearance is conditional upon divestment of some production facilities in France, Spain and Germany.
    Read more >

State aid

  • Special Eurobarometer: Most Europeans want more transparency on beneficiaries and results of state aid
    13 July 2016
    The European Commission published the results of a Special Eurobarometer - the survey was conducted before the new transparency requirements for state aid entered into force. State aid is considered transparent if it is easy to perceive and detect. 27 818 Europeans were asked about their awareness of state aid and the perceived ease of finding relevant information, and about attitudes towards state aid transparency.
    Special Eurobarometer>

Court

  • Case T-143/12 Germany vs. European Commission (Deutsche Post)
    14 July 2016
    The General Court ruled on an action for annulment of a Commission decision of 2012 ordering Germany to recover incompatible state aid related to pension payments for former civil servants in the postal sector from Deutsche Post. The Court annulled the decision.
    See General Court case page (DE)>

    See General Court press release>
    Commission's decision>
  • Case T-146/09 RENV Parker Hannifin Manufacturing and Parker-Hannifin vs. European Commission
    14 July 2016
    The General Court ruled on Parker's action for annulment of a Commission decision of 2009 fining the company for its participation in a cartel in the sector of marine hoses. The General Court confirmed the Commission's main findings but reduced Parker's fine.
    See Court of Justice case page>
    See Commissions' 2009 Decision>
  • C-271/15 P Sea Handling SpA, en liquidation, anciennement Sea Handling SpA vs European Commission
    14 July 2016
    The EU Court of Justice ruled on SEA Handling's appeal against a General Court ruling of March 2015. The 2015 ruling had upheld a Commission decision of June 2013 rejecting SEA Handling's request to access certain documents related to a state aid investigation concerning the company. The Court of Justice confirmed the Commission's findings rejecting SEA Handling's request. The Court held in particular that the disclosure of documents in a competition investigation would harm the commercial interests of companies and the objectives of the investigation.
    See Court of Justice case page>

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Published by the Competition Directorate General of the European Commission. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission. Neither the Commission nor any person acting on its behalf is responsible for the use which might be made of the above information.

© European Union, 2016. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

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