Competition weekly news summary
27 November 2015

Publications

  • Ex-post evaluation analysis of two mobile telecom mergers: T-Mobile/tele.ring in Austria and T-Mobile/Orange in the Netherlands
    26 November 2015
    This pilot study presents an ex-post evaluation of two past mergers in the mobile telecommunications industry, and identifies methodological issues and develops insights that can be useful in future ex-post evaluation projects. This study was independently assessed by two academic experts. Read the assessments of Prof. Eugenio Miravete and Prof. Matthew Weinberg.
    Read the report>

Mergers

  • Commission clears Avago's acquisition of Broadcom
    23 November 2015
    The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Broadcom Corporation by Avago Technologies Limited. Both companies are global manufacturers of semiconductors. The Commission concluded that the merged entity would continue to face effective competition in Europe.
    Read more >

State Aid

  • Commission approves amended restructuring plans for Alpha Bank and Eurobank
    26 November 2015
    The European Commission welcomes that capital to meet the shortfalls identified by the SSM's comprehensive assessment for Alpha Bank and Eurobank has been fully raised from private investors. As a result, no state capital injections will be necessary. The Commission has also found the amended restructuring plans of Alpha Bank and Eurobank to be in line with EU state aid rules. It concluded that the measures already implemented as part of the two banks' existing restructuring plans, in addition to those envisaged in the amended plans, will enable Alpha Bank and Eurobank to return to viability in line with EU state aid rules.
    Read more >
  • Commission approves financing of Polish Post's universal service obligation via a compensation fund
    26 November 2015
    The European Commission has found the compensation granted by Poland to Polish Post for delivering universal postal services from 2013 to 2015 to be in line with EU state aid rules. In particular, the Commission approved the measure because the compensation paid to Polish Post is limited to the additional costs it faces to fulfil its public service mission (so-called "universal service obligation"). Moreover, the design of the mechanism to finance the compensation does not lead to a significant distortion of competition in the Polish postal market.
    Read more >
  • Commission opens in-depth investigation into Hungarian investment support for Paks II nuclear power plant
    23 November 2015
    The European Commission has opened an in-depth state aid investigation into Hungary's plans to provide financing for the construction of two new nuclear reactors in Paks. The Commission will in particular assess whether a private investor would have financed the project on similar terms or whether Hungary's investment constitutes state aid. If the project is found to involve state aid, the Commission will investigate whether as planned it would lead to distortions of competition in particular on the Hungarian energy market.
    Read more >
  • Commission approves resolution plans for four small Italian banks Banca Marche, Banca Etruria, Carife and Carichieti
    22 November 2015
    The European Commission has in separate decisions approved the resolution plans of four small Italian banks under EU state aid rules. The intervention by the Italian resolution fund will allow the orderly resolution of the banks while preserving financial stability. The European Commission has found the resolution plans of Banca delle Marche, Banca Popolare dell'Etruria e del Lazio, Cassa di Risparmio di Ferrara and Cassa di Risparmio della Provincia di Chieti (combined market share of about 1% in Italy) to be in line with EU state aid rules. This follows the decision of the Bank of Italy to put the four banks, all of which had already been under special administration, into resolution in line with EU rules on Bank Recovery and Resolution. In particular, the Commission found that Italy's plans to use the national resolution fund minimise the need for state aid and limits distortions of competition, while preserving financial stability. Customer deposits will remain fully protected.
    Read more >

Court

  • Commission welcomes Court rulings confirming Commission's findings that Spanish subsidies selectively funding only digital terrestrial television operators are incompatible aid (Cases T-461/13, T-462/13, T-463/13, T-464/13, T-465/13, T-487/13, T-541/13)
    26
    November 2015
    The European Commission welcomes today's judgments of the EU General Court dismissing seven actions for annulment brought against a Commission decision of June 2013. The 2013 decision had concluded that public funding granted by Spain to facilitate the transition from analogue to digital television in remote and less urbanised areas procured a selective advantage to terrestrial platform operators over their competitors using other transmission technologies, in breach of EU State aid rules. The General Court has now confirmed that the Spanish measure favored digital terrestrial technology over other possible technologies (cable, satellite, fibre), in violation of the principle of technological neutrality. These judgments are important because they confirm the Commission's analysis of how Member States can ensure TV coverage in line with EU law in a technologically neutral way.
    Read the press release>
    See the Court of Justice press release>

  • Preliminary ruling case C-345/14 SIA 'Maxima Latvija" vs. Konkurences padome.
    26
    Month 2015
    The EU Court of Justice ruled on preliminary questions referred by the Latvian Supreme Court regarding Article 101(1) TFEU. These concern a case where rental agreements of commercial property in shopping centres included a clause that granted the main lessee the right to oppose the letting of property to other tenants. The CoJ ruled that the mere fact that such a clause is included in a rental agreement does not mean that the whole agreement was set up to restrict competition in the meaning of Article 101 (no restriction by object). The court held however that such agreements may result in restricting competition (possible restriction by effect), depending on the concrete facts of the case and the context in which the agreements occur.

    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, 2015. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

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