Competition weekly news summary
13 May 2016

Conferences/Speeches

  • Speech by Commissioner Vestager 'Competition is a consumer issue'
    BEUC General Assembly, Brussels
    13 May 2016
    "[…] because we have a choice between different businesses all competing for our custom, we as consumers can influence even the biggest companies. We can push them to give us better prices, fairer terms, more innovative products. That's why competition is the key to making markets work for us, as consumers."
    Read full speech>
  • Speech by Director-General Johannes Laitenberger  'Building economic communities: Competition policy’s contribution '
    ICN Annual Conference , Singapore
    27 April 2016
    "The ICN is the ideal place to look for examples of the unifying power of competition policy and enforcement and I commend the advocacy work carried out by the Network. In fact, we can never put enough emphasis on explaining to all our interlocutors in civil society, industry and government how openness, mutual trust and cooperation between competition authorities can help them deliver their goals more effectively."
    Read full speech>

Merger

  • Commission opens in-depth investigation into Wabtec’s proposed takeover of railway equipment manufacturer Faiveley
    12 May 2016
    The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether the proposed acquisition of Faiveley Transport of France by Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation ("Wabtec") of the US is in line with the EU Merger Regulation.
    Read more >
  • Commission prohibits Hutchison's proposed acquisition of Telefónica UK
    11 May 2016
    The Commission has blocked the proposed acquisition of O2 by Hutchison under the EU Merger Regulation. It had strong concerns that UK mobile customers would have had less choice and paid higher prices as a result of the takeover, and that the deal would have harmed innovation in the mobile sector.
    Read more >
    Read Commissioner Vestager's statement >
    See the factsheet >
  • Statement by Commissioner Vestager on announcement by Halliburton and Baker Hughes to withdraw from proposed merger
    2 May 2016
    The European Commission takes note of Halliburton and Baker Hughes' announcement that they are abandoning their proposed merger. This follows competition concerns against that proposed transaction expressed by a number of competition agencies across the world, including the Commission.
    Read more >

State Aid

  • Commission gives final approval to existing guarantee ceiling for German HSH Nordbank
    2 May 2016
    The European Commission has found a €3 billion re-increase of the guarantee ceiling granted in June 2013 by the German Länder of Hamburg and Schleswig Holstein to stabilise the German bank HSH Nordbank in line with EU state aid rules.
    Read more >

Court

  • Case T-693/14 Hamr-Sport a.s. vs. European Commission.
    12 May 2016
    A 2014 Commission decision found that support measures in favour of non-profit organisations providing sport services in the Czech Republic were in line with EU state aid rules. Hamr-Sport brought an action for annulment of that decision before the General Court. The Court has now dismissed the action and upheld the 2014 decision.
    See Court of Justice case page (FR)>
    Read more about the Commission's 2014 decision>
  • Case T-699/14 Trioplast Industrier AB vs- European Commission.
    12
    May 2016
    In 2005, the Commission had fined Trioplast for its participation in a cartel for industrial bags. In 2010, the General Court had reduced Trioplast's fine. Trioplast has paid the reduced fine, but brought an action for annulment of a Commission letter requesting the company to pay late payment interest. The General Court has now dismissed Trioplast's action as inadmissible. The Court held in particular that the contested letter does not constitute an act for which an action for annulment can be brought. 
    See Court of Justice case page>
    Read more about the Commission's 2005 decision >
  • Case T-47/15 Germany vs. European Commission.
    10 May 2016
    A 2014 Commission decision found that part of the exemptions from a surcharge to finance support for renewable energy granted by the German renewable energy act 2012 (EEG 2012) to energy intensive users was incompatible with EU state aid rules. Germany brought an action for annulment of this decision before the General Court. The Court has now upheld the Commission's decision and dismissed the action. The Court confirmed in particular that the measure involved state resources and procured a selective advantage to the beneficiaries.
    See Court of Justice case page>
    See the Court of Justice press release>
    Read more about the Commission's 2014 decision>

The tweet of the week

  • 11 May 2016

    EU Competition on Twitter



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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.

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