Focus Antitrust - 25 July 2018

In The News

European Commission fines Google €4.34 billion for abuse of dominance in relation to Android mobile devices

The European Commission has imposed on Google a record fine of €4.34 billion for the abuse of a dominant position in relation to Android mobile devices.  The Commission concluded that, since 2011, Google has imposed restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators to cement its dominant position in general internet search.  Click here.

European Commission fines four consumer electronics manufacturers €111 million for fixing online resale prices

The European Commission has fined consumer electronics manufacturers Asus, Denon & Marantz, Philips and Pioneer for imposing fixed or minimum resale prices on their online retailers in breach of Article 101.  The fines of €111 million were reduced in all four cases in recognition of the companies' cooperation with the Commission.  Click here.

CMA proposing to refer Experian/ClearScore merger

The CMA has found that Experian’s purchase of ClearScore may reduce competition for customers using credit score checking services.  The merger will be referred for a detailed phase 2 investigation, unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings.  Click here.

EU

Articles 101 and 102

• The European Commission has sent a supplementary statement of objections to Qualcomm as part of the Commission's ongoing investigation into whether Qualcomm engaged in predatory pricing for UMTS baseband chipsets.  The supplementary statement of objections focuses on certain elements of the price-cost test applied by the Commission to assess the extent to which UMTS baseband chipsets were sold by Qualcomm at prices below cost.  Click here.

Mergers

• The European Commission has opened an in-depth phase 2 investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Gemalto by Thales.  The Commission is concerned that the merger may reduce competition for hardware security modules.  Click here.
• The European Commission has opened an in-depth phase 2 investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of MKM by KME.  The Commission is concerned that the merger may reduce competition in the supply of rolled copper products and sanitary copper tubes.  Click here.

UK

CMA

• The Secretary of State has decided not to refer the Gardner Aerospace Holdings/Northern Aerospace merger on national security public interest grounds and so the merger has now been cleared.  Click here.

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