On 10 May 2022, the UK Government announced that it intends to legislate on measures to promote competition, strengthen consumer rights and protect households and businesses as part of its Digital Markets, Competition and...more
On 10 May 2022, the European Commission (EC) published the revised Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER), together with the accompanying revised Guidelines on Vertical Restraints (Vertical Guidelines), which will replace...more
UK competition rules are facing unprecedented levels of change. Last month we reported on the UK Government’s intentions for broad reforms to the competition and consumer law regimes. Now, the Government has set out the...more
Following a consultation in summer 2021, which set out a suite of wide-ranging proposals for reforms to UK competition and consumer laws, the UK Government has now confirmed the changes that it plans to take forward.
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This newsletter is a summary of the antitrust developments we think are most interesting to your business. Louise Tolley, PSL Counsel based in London, is our editor this month (learn more about Louise in our Q&A feature at...more
3/29/2022
/ Antitrust Division ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Competition ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
European Competition Network (ECN) ,
International Competition Network ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
Price-Fixing ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
In a significant move, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Competition has prohibited Delivery Hero’s planned acquisition of rival food delivery app The Chefz....more
In a move aimed at driving growth and delivering competitive markets that work for consumers, the UK government has published two consultations on proposals for reform of the UK competition and consumer rules.
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Since the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its Digital Markets Strategy in 2019 (see our alert on its 2019 priorities) it has completed many of the priority tasks it had assigned itself – including...more
Following Brexit, with some limited exceptions, the EU State aid rules no longer apply in the UK. The UK Government (the Government) has made clear that it intends to establish a new UK subsidy regime, with the UK-EU Trade...more
The end of the Brexit transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020 gives rise to significant changes to the application of antitrust and merger control rules in the UK.
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Adverse economic or social conditions have not historically tended to affect the general application and enforcement of antitrust rules. This remains the overall position in the circumstances of Covid-19, with many antitrust...more
On 8 December 2020, the UK Digital Markets Taskforce published its recommendations to the UK Government on the possible design and implementation of a new regulatory regime to govern the behaviour of digital firms with market...more
Adverse economic or social conditions have not historically tended to affect the general application and enforcement of antitrust rules. This remains the overall position in the circumstances of Covid-19, with many antitrust...more
UK Digital Markets Unit to start operations in April as Government takes forward CMA’s calls for new regulatory regime for online platforms....more
Merger review processes are being impacted worldwide as merger control authorities adapt to take account of the consequences of Covid-19. While critical transactions are likely to be reviewed, as far as possible, in...more
11/13/2020
/ Competition ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Investment ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Jurisdiction ,
Merger Controls ,
Regulatory Standards
The table below sets out an overview, based on our current awareness of the position as regards foreign investment control, of the different approaches being taken by authorities around the world in response to the Covid-19...more
Under State aid rules, UK and EEA Member State governments may not generally provide selective assistance to businesses without prior approval from the European Commission (EC). This includes assistance in the form of...more
11/13/2020
/ Agribusiness ,
Airlines ,
Competition ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Relief Measures ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) ,
State Aid
Adverse economic or social conditions have not historically tended to affect the general application and enforcement of antitrust rules. This remains the overall position in the circumstances of Covid-19, with many antitrust...more
Adverse economic or social conditions have not historically tended to affect the general application and enforcement of antitrust rules. This remains the overall position in the circumstances of Covid-19, with many antitrust...more
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM)’s Wholesale Fixed Access decision in the telecoms sector is the first Dutch market analysis based on a theory of joint dominance. The highest Dutch court for these...more
As we have previously reported, governments and antitrust authorities around the globe are in the midst of a fierce policy debate over whether and how antitrust rules should be adapted to deal with rapidly-evolving digital...more
The European Commission (Commission) has the power to order companies suspected of engaging in anti-competitive behaviour to stop their conduct pending a final decision in an investigation – so-called “interim measures”. The...more
On 13 March the UK Government published a report by an expert panel established by the Chancellor and led by Harvard economist and former White House economic adviser, Jason Furman, on reforms to competition rules and...more