Dear Subscribers,
In view of the Easter period, there will be no competition news summary next week. The next edition is foreseen for Friday, 29 April.
Happy Easter
Conferences and Speeches
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The priority in competition enforcement
15th International Conference on Competition: A Spotlight on Cartel Prosecution, Berlin, Joaquín Almunia
14 April 2011
"... let me tell you about a couple of changes we are introducing to improve our enforcement practice:
The Commission will indicate already in the Statement of Objections [...] the elements for the calculation of the fine such as the value of the cartelised sales [...]
This innovation will open a channel for dialogue with the parties and will give them a better idea, at an early stage, of the size of the fines that may be imposed on them."
Read full speech >
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Detergent powder cartel settlement
Statement in Berlaymont press room, Brussels, Joaquín Almunia
13 April 2011
"The cartel affected consumers in eight European countries that use the products regularly in their washing machines.
I will not name the brands because I'm not here to advertise the companies' products, but they all feature prominently on the shelves of supermarkets and other shops."
Read full speech >
Antitrust
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Commission fines producers of washing powder € 315.2 million in cartel settlement case
13 April 2011
The Commission fined Procter & Gamble and Unilever a total of € 315.2 million for operating, together with Henkel, a cartel in the market for household laundry powder in eight EU countries.
The fine on the two companies includes a 10% reduction for acknowledging the facts and enabling a swift conclusion of the investigation.
Henkel got immunity for revealing the cartel to the Commission.
Read more >
Mergers
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Commission approves proposed acquisition of certain assets of Italian energy company IRIS by rivals Eni and AcegasAps
11 April 2011
The Commission’s examination of the proposed transaction showed that the horizontal overlaps between the parties' activities were limited and that the transaction would not change the competitive structure of the electricity and gas markets in Italy.
Read more >
Court
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T-461/07 Visa / Commission
14 April 2011
The General Court ruled on an appeal by Visa against a Commission decision of October 2007 that had fined the company for not admitting Morgan Stanley to its card payment network during over six years, without objective justification.
The GC upheld the Commission's decision and dismissed the appeal entirely.
The GC ruled, in particular, that the entry of a new player, such as Morgan Stanley, would have created scope for further competition
and that the essential factor on which the assessment thereof must be based is a player's ability to enter the market.
Read more >
Read full judgment >
Read more about initial Commission decision >
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C-331/09 Commission / Pologne
14 April 2011
The Court of Justice ruled that Poland had failed to fulfill its obligations under the Treaty by failing to implement a Commission decision of October 2007.
The decison had ordered Poland to recover incompatible aid from the Polish steel producer Technologie Buczek Group.
The Court concluded that the action undertaken by Poland to date had not led to an effective recovery and that, consequently, the normal conditions of competition had not been restored.
Read full judgment >
Read more about initial Commission decision >
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