In The News

CMA sets out case for energy market reform

The CMA has published its provisional findings after a year-long investigation into the energy market. The provisional provisional findings highlight a range of issues that the CMA considers hinder competition in the market, including the extent to which consumers are engaged in the market and shortcomings in regulation and the ability to deliver change across the market. It also sets out the CMA's views on the need for a coherent and transparent approach to responsibilities and policy implementation by those overseeing the industry. The CMA will now consult and hold detailed discussions with interested parties on the findings and possible remedies as it moves to publish its final report by the end of the year. Before then it will also publish its provisional decision on remedies where it will indicate the measures and actions it intends to include in that final report. Click here.

EU

Articles 101 and 102

  • The General Court has partially annulled the European Commission's refusal to grant access to documents in car glass cartel, finding that the Commission had failed to justify its refusal to provide access to references to leniency documents in the table of contents of the case file.   Click here.

UK

CMA

  • The CMA has issued a further update in relation to its investigation into suspected breaches of competition law in the hotel online booking sector.  The CMA has stated that it is examining the announcement made by Expedia that from 1 August 2015 it will waive its rate, conditions and availability parity clauses with its hotel partners for a period of five years in line with the formal commitments offered by Booking.com and accepted by the national competition authorities in France, Italy and Sweden in April 2015.  Click here.
  • The CMA has formally cleared the completed acquisition by Sonoco Products Company of Weidenhammer Packaging Group. This confirms the CMA's provisional findings, which were published in May.  Click here.
  • The CMA has issued an update in relation to its investigation into certain agreements relating to paroxetine under the Competition Act 1998 and Article 101.  The update states that additional time is needed to consider parties' responses to the statement of objections and supplementary statement of objections and so the estimated timing of the final decision has been put back by around 6 months.  Click here.

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