The European Commission has issued a Statement of Objections to a number of companies that import and marketing bananas. The objections relate to the companies alleged participation in a cartel.
Category Archives: EU News
EC Conducts Surprise Raids of Pharmaceutical Companies On Suspicion of Anticompetitive Practices
December 14, 2009 – 11:31 am
The European Commission conducted surprise raids of several pharmaceutical companies, including Lundbeck A/S as part of the investigation into suspected anti-competitive practices. In raiding the companies, EC had reason to believe that prohibitions on restrictive business practices or the abuse of a dominant position may have been infringed.
US Supreme Court Denies Cert in FTC v. Rambus
December 8, 2009 – 5:16 pm
Update December 2009: The EC has agreed to close its investigation of Rambus in exchange for Rambus’s agreement to issue royalty free licenses for its SDR and DDR chips and to charge 1.5% for patents necessary for later chip standards, a percentage point reduction from the company’s current royalties for DDR chips. Ramus is not […]
EC Objects to S&P Licensing Fees for Securities ID Numbers
December 2, 2009 – 10:15 am
The European Commission has formally objected to Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC’s required licensing fees for its securities identification numbers, bringing to light the first public results of an investigation it kicked off in January. According to EC’s preliminary findings, S&P, the sole-appointed National Numbering Agency for U.S. securities, is abusing its monopoly position by […]
EC Fines Heat Stabilizer Manufacturers
December 1, 2009 – 2:24 pm
The EC has issued fines totally $259 million on 24 companies that produce chemicals used to enhance the heat resistant properties of PVC pipe and to enhance the quality of PVC in other ways. The companies were found to have engaged in price fixing, allocated markets and customers, and exchanged sensitive competitive information from 1987 through […]
EC Investigating Thomson Reuters
November 28, 2009 – 5:48 pm
The EC has opened formal anti-trust proceedings against Thomson Reuters, a Canadian news and financial data company, concerning a potential abuse of the company’s dominant position, in particular Thomson Reuters‘ conduct with respect to real-time market datafeeds, and whether customers or competitors are prevented from translating or mapping Reuters Instrument Codes (RICs) to alternative identification codes of other datafeed suppliers and […]
EC Imposes Fines in Heat Stabilizer Cartel
November 28, 2009 – 5:46 pm
The EC has fined on 24 companies from 10 different undertakings – Akzo, Baerlocher, Ciba, Elementis, Elf Aquitaine (Arkema France), GEA, Chemson, Faci, Reagens and AC Treuhand – €173m for violating the Article 81 by allegedly fixing the prices of heat stabilizers used in plastic products.
Carbon/Graphite Cartel Participants Lose Appeal
November 28, 2009 – 5:43 pm
French graphite firm Carbone Lorraine and German electrodes maker SGL Carbon must pay antitrust fines after the European Court of Justice rejected their appeals. The EC had fined Carbone Lorraine €43.1m ($64.6 million) and SGL 23.6m in 2003 for taking part in a carbon and graphite products cartel in 1998-99.
Commission Closes Qualcomm Investigation
November 28, 2009 – 5:41 pm
The EC has closed formal antitrust proceedings against Qualcomm Incorporated, a US chipset manufacturer, concerning an alleged abuse of a dominant market position.
EC Inspects Czech Energy Company
November 28, 2009 – 5:39 pm
On 24 November 2009, the EC conducted unannounced inspections at the premises of ČEZ and other undertakings all located in the Czech Republic. The Commission believes that the energy company, either unilaterally or in concert with others, may have substantially distorted of competition.