Competition/antitrust

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Recent Articles

  •  
    27/03/2024
    Czech Republic

    New antitrust tools in the Czech Republic – the Antimonopoly Office requests new powers

    At the request of the Czech Government, the Antimonopoly Office (the Office) has prepared a proposal for potential legislative changes. These changes are designed to enhance the Office's effectiveness in uncovering and penalising anticompetitive conduct while fostering market competition. Some of the proposed measures include accessing telephone locations, conducting fishing expeditions, and prohibiting mergers of competitors that do not to meet turnover criteria.New tools to fight oligopoly marketsThe Office can now intervene in markets where competition is distorted, e.g. by cartel agreements,...
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  •  
    21/03/2024
    United Kingdom

    Proposed UK consumer legislation now clamps down on drip pricing and fake reviews

    The draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (the “DMCC Bill”) has recently been amended (on 13 March 2024) following the Report stage in the House of Lords to include measures that prohibit drip pricing and address fake and misleading reviews. The 3rd reading in the House of Lords will take place from 26 March 2024. The updated DMCC Bill now includes prohibitions on drip pricing, a practice that involves adding unavoidable hidden fees to the advertised price of a product or service. As the Government notes, drip pricing can mean consumers are ‘baited’...
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  •  
    18/03/2024
    Sweden

    New legislation on foreign direct investment screening in Sweden applies from 1 December 2023 – main features and challenges

    The new Foreign Direct Investment Screening Act (Sw: lag (2023:560) om granskning av utländska direktinvesteringar) applies in Sweden from 1 December 2023. The act covers a broad range of businesses and investments and thus needs to be taken into account before executing transactions relating to Swedish businesses.What are the main features of the new legislation?The FDI Act requires a specific screening procedure to be carried out prior to investments in certain protected activities (below Protected Activities). Given the wording of the act, Protected Activities is a rather broad concept...
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  •  
    13/03/2024
    International

    After EU Commission's first decision on Carbon Contracts for Difference, Germany initiates bidding of EUR 4bn

    The European Commission approved the first Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) scheme under the new Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy 2022 (CEEAG).Following the Commission's decision, on 12 March 2024 the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) initiated the first bidding process with a total volume of EUR 4bn. With this funding scheme, Germany is taking a pioneering role in Europe and internationally in the field of state aid for climate protection. Concept of contracts for differenceA contract for difference entitles...
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  •  
    13/03/2024
    EU

    Revised European Commission Notice on the definition of the relevant market for the purposes of Union competition law

    FR
    On 8 February 2024, the Commission adopted its revised Notice on the definition of the relevant market for the purposes of Union competition law. The objective of this Notice, which was the subject of a public consultation at the end of 2022, is to provide guidance on how the Commission applies the concept of the relevant market in its enforcement of competition law, taking into account the significant developments that have occurred since its original Notice of 1997. By publishing the methodology it follows and indicating the main criteria and evidence on which it relies to define relevant markets,...
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  •  
    07/03/2024
    Belgium

    Belgian Competition Authority publishes study on consumer goods price trends in Belgium and neighbouring countries

    FR
    Since 2013, the Belgian Competition Authority (the "BCA") has been mandated with additional jurisdiction over competition and price trends.Book V of the Code of Economic Law provides for a system in which:the Price Observatory analyses prices and margins, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister, and identifies any structural problems in the market; andin the event of structural market problems, problems with prices or margins, or abnormal price trends, the Collège de la Concurrence (Competition Board) may, at the request of the Price Observatory, issue decisions on...
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