Focus Antitrust - 2 August 2017

In The News

Advocate General issues opinion upholding ban on selective distributors using third party platforms

The Advocate General's Opinion has been issued in the case of Coty Germany GmbH v Parfümerie Akzente GmbH. The Advocate General considers that a supplier of luxury goods may prohibit its authorised retailers from selling its products on third party platforms such as Amazon or eBay. Click here.

CMA launches investigation into supply of design, construction and fit-out services

The CMA has launched an investigation into suspected anti-competitive arrangements in relation to the supply of design, construction and fit-out services in the UK which may infringe Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998. Click here.

EU

Articles 101 and 102

• The ECJ has dismissed an appeal by AGC Glass against a European Commission's decision refusing to grant confidential treatment to parts of the car glass cartel decision. Click here.
• The European Commission has confirmed that on 16 May 2017 its officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in ethylene purchasing, in several Member States. The Commission has concerns that the companies concerned may have infringed Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Click here.

Mergers

• The European Commission has conditionally approved FMC's proposed acquisition of parts of DuPont's crop protection business and DuPont's acquisition of FMC's Health and Nutrition business. Both transactions are related to the Dow/DuPont merger divestment commitments. Click here.

UK

CMA

• The CMA has announced that it considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that undertakings in lieu offered by Origin UK Operations Limited in relation to its anticipated acquisition of the business of Bunn Fertiliser Limited might be accepted by the CMA. Click here.
• The CMA has cleared the proposed merger between Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust. The CMA found that the merger will give rise to substantial benefits for the care of patients and that these outweigh any harm caused by a loss of competition between the merging trusts. 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.