Focus Antitrust - 1 February 2017

In The News

CMA proposes referring fostering services merger

The CMA has announced that NFA’s purchase of rival fostering placement services provider Acorn faces a phase 2 merger investigation, unless NFA can offer suitable undertakings in lieu of a reference.  Click here. 

EU

Articles 101 and 102

• The ECJ has dismissed the majority of the appeals brought by companies against the European Commission’s decision in relation to the cartel on the bathroom fixtures and fittings market.  However, the Court upheld the Commission’s appeal, on the basis that the General Court had failed in its appraisal of certain evidence, and upheld one of the companies’ appeals, on the basis that the Commission had wrongly taken into account the turnover of a parent company prior to its acquisition of the relevant subsidiary.  Click here.

UK

CMA

• The CMA has decided to review long-standing undertakings covering FirstGroup and local authority tendered bus services in the Greater Bristol area.  The undertakings followed the 1989 merger of local bus companies Badgerline and Midland Red West, which was investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.  Click here.

Courts

• The High Court has ruled on liability issues in the damages action by various retailers against MasterCard, finding that the majority of MasterCard’s fees did not infringe the competition rules.  Click here.

This article was written by Paul Stone. For more information, please contact Paul on +44 (0)20 7203 5110 or at paul.stone@crsblaw.com.