Offering discounts can amount to breach of competition laws in the Pharmaceutical industry
First published by Admin on December 24, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cma
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation in December 2015 for a suspected breach of EU and U.K. competition laws in the pharmaceutical industry.
The CMA are looking at whether an unnamed pharmaceutical company has abused a dominant market position by offering discounts on products, which may have breached Chapter II of the Competition Act (CA), and Article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
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Director has been disqualified for five years for infringement of Competition law
First published by Admin on December 23, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cma
This case shows the range of powers of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Recently, the CMA managed to secure the disqualification of a director who breached competition law.
Daniel Aston, a former director of Trod Limited, infringed the Competition Act from March 2011 to July 2015 by making an anti-competitive agreement with GB Eye Limited. The agreement detailed that both companies wouldn’t offer to sell licensed sport and entertainment posters and frames for a lower cost than the other.
This is a clear breach of fair competition rules.
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“Leased line charges to be reviewed by the CMA” – CityFibre and TalkTalk appeals to the CAT
First published by Admin on December 22, 2016 in the following categories: Latest
The Competition and Markets Authority has recently opened a case to investigate the prices that BT charges in providing lease line services to other telecom providers.
Two telecom providers – CityFibre and TalkTalk – have appealed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) following an Ofcom decision in their three-year Business Connectivity Market Review (BCMR).
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“Is there a lack of competition in the Euro Car Parts acquisition?” – The CMA are investigating whether the acquisition between Euro Car Parts has decreased competition
First published by Admin on December 21, 2016 in the following categories: Latest
Recently, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) served an initial enforcement order (IEO) against the LKQ Corporation Group, who owns the U.K. subsidiary Euro Car Parts Limited. The order was served on the LKQ Group following their recent acquisition of the Andrew Page business.
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“A lack of competition in SSCP’s recent acquisition?” – CMA are investigating whether SSCP has acted anti-competitively in Acorn acquisition
First published by Admin on December 20, 2016 in the following categories: Acquisitions and tagged with cma
In September this year, the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) served an Initial Enforcement Order (IEO) on Stirling Group and SSCP Spring Topco for an allegation that they acted anti-competitively in their recent acquisition.
Earlier this year, Acorn Care 1 Ltd was acquired by SSCP Spring. Acorn is a reputable care service provider who offers special needs education, residential and foster care, for children and young adults with complex needs.
But the acquisition may be in breach of the rules!
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“Suspected anti-competitive agreements in the solid fuel industry” – Agreements that could infringe EU and national competition laws
First published by Admin on December 19, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cma
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are looking into an alleged anti-competition agreement made between companies for the supply of solid fuel products in the U.K.
There are no substantive grounds to find that there has been a breach of national and EU competition laws at present, but the CMA was notified of the suspicions, and an investigation was recently launched.
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“Anti-competitive agreements in the Tobacco industry” – Authorities have fined two manufacturers and nine retailers £225 million
First published by Author on December 16, 2016 in the following categories: Latest
In April 2008 there were concerns into whether the tobacco manufacturing industry was unlawfully fixing cigarette prices.
As a result of the concerns, the Competition and Markets Authority (formerly the Office for Fair Trading) investigated several manufacturers and retailers, including Imperial Tobacco, Gallaher Group, Asda, Somerfield Stores, and Co-operative Group Food for their potential infringements of competition law: specifically in relation to the retail pricing of certain tobacco products.
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“Are the U.K. government guilty of anti-competitive agreements?” – Speculations that the U.K. government has made an anti-competitive deal with Nissan post-Brexit
First published by Admin on December 15, 2016 in the following categories: Latest
Claims of the U.K. entering in to anti-competitive agreements have surfaced following assurances supposedly given to Nissan Motor Company following the recent referendum result for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union – i.e Brexit.
The EU anti-competitive regulator is looking into the allegations in accordance with currently active anti-competitive regulations, like the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
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Financial Price Fixing – a look back at the 2003 ABN Amro Scandal
First published by Author on November 25, 2016 in the following categories: Latest
In 2003, the London office of the investment bank and security trading group based in the Netherlands, ABN Amro, received a fine of £900,000.00 for helping a US client to rig share prices.
The Financial Services Authority (who are now the Competition and Markets Authority) imposed the £900,000.00 fine after discovering that the Dutch investment bank had allowed for the prices of the US companies shares to be increased. This reportedly happened on three separate occasions over a six month period between April and October 1998.
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Construction companies cover pricing case in 2008
First published by Admin on November 21, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with cover pricing
Our Competition Lawyers take a look back at this huge cover pricing case from 2008.
In 2008 the Office of Fair Trading named 112 construction companies who they believed had been engaging in cover pricing. Cover pricing is where artificially high bids for contracts are made with no intention to win the bid, therefore increasing the final bid price by distorting the look of the competition.
Construction companies involved in this case were found to have worked together illegally to increase the cost of a large number of contracts, including bids for the developments and extensions of schools, universities, and hospitals.
i.e. – public sector ventures, meaning taxpayers money was used to fund these projects!
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