Freshfields secures key DoJ hire to expand US antitrust group
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has added a new antitrust partner to its Washington DC office from the US Department of Justice (DoJ).
Abrupt end to spectrum case as Linklaters challenge to Ofcom thrown out
Ofcom can press ahead with the auction of spectrum for 4G and 5G services after the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge by Three and BT on the first day of a two-day appeal.
Ofcom challenge: Court of Appeal hears EE and BT’s spectrum case
The Court of Appeal is gearing up to hear Hutchinson 3G, EE and BT’s challenge to Ofcom’s auction of spectrum for 4G and 5G services.
Ashurst hires DLA office head to boost Frankfurt base
DLA Piper Frankfurt managing partner Michael Holzhäuser is to join Ashurst’s competition team in Germany.
Four firms on call for CMA probe into “unfair” gambling promotions
A quartet of firms won roles for Ladbrokes Coral, William Hill and PT Entertainment on the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) investigation into online betting and gambling companies.
Closing in China won’t solve Cadwalader’s problems
Cadwalader’s decision to close its Beijing and Hong Kong offices will provide short-term relief to the firm’s financial results, but it won’t solve the real problems the firm has in the US.
The Lawyer Awards 2016: transactional teams
Slaughter and MayCompetition team of the year The award-winning Slaughter and May competition team won an advisory spot last year on a groundbreaking appeal in the electricity and gas sector. The firm advised Northern Powergrid as it lodged an appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) against Ofgem’s decision to modify the electricity […]
Star legal writers: Regulatory/competition
The complexities of sleeping on the job and the perils of loose talk are among the subjects tackled by this week’s experts.
Star legal writers: regulatory and competition
This week’s top briefings writers from TheLawyer.com cover the regulatory and competition sectors, including how philanthropic fundraising through crowdfunding can clash with insurance claims, new UK public procurement rules, and Ukraine sanctions law.
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It’s all go in Silicon Wadi: Israel’s lawyers get busy
A hi-tech sector on a roll, growing Chinese investor interest, rows over competition law and booming M&A – things are buzzing for Israel’s lawyers.
Competition: what lawyers really think about changes to the UK’s regulatory regime
UK competition lawyers have a new regulator and new rules to follow when handling mergers. Is it ‘business as usual’ as the old OFT and CC promised? April 2014 marked the beginning of a new era for the UK’s competition lawyers. Partly due to the Government’s drastic programme of spending cuts, the UK scrapped its […]
Briefing live: Romania
Panellists at The Lawyer’s recent Romania briefing heard much to encourage them to get involved in the country When it comes to investing in Romania there’s no time like the present, according to panellists at The Lawyer’s recent Briefing Live event on the country, held in association with Popovici Nitu & Asociatii. The watchword was […]
Freshfields’ competition team still sets the pace in spite of market shift
Magic circle firm’s ACT dept refuses to play second fiddle to corporate. By Gavriel Hollander Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s antitrust, competition and trade (ACT) team has, it is fair to say, stood head and shoulders above its UK rivals for some time. But with merger control not the lucrative stream it once was, this might be the […]
Brussels flexes its muscles and stalls draft directive on competition law
US-style class actions have been avoided… for the time being, says Kit Chellel
Poland: Recent competition developments in merger control field
Merger control is one of the Polish Office for Competition and Consumer Protection’s (OCCP’s) main areas of activity, as it deals with 170 to 220 filings annually. Recent notable developments in this regard include: a case concerning the Nord Stream 2 project; and the unconditional approval of Cyfrowy Polsat’s takeover of Netia…
Portugal: Competition and the right to compensation for damages
Act 23/2018, establishing the legal framework on the right to compensation for damages from infringements of competition law, was published on 5 June 2018. This legislative act transposes into Portuguese law the Directive 2014/104/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 26 November 2014, which established common rules to all Member States on […]
Messi scores important victory in longrunning EU trademark dispute
The General Court of the European Union ruled that the Barcelona and Argentina football star Lionel Andrés Messi, can register his European Union trade mark (EUTM) application for ‘MESSI’ in classes 3, 9, 14, 16, 25 and 28 (covering a wide range of products including fragrances, jewellery, clothing and sports equipment) notwithstanding an opposition led […]
Louboutin sees red – in a good way
By Gary Assim The European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave its judgment on the question of whether the Louboutin trademark for its red sole could be invalidated because it consisted exclusively of the shape of the sole and was not a colour mark. The ECJ, in a rare move, ruled against the previous Opinion of […]
Bulgaria: CPC deems minimum hotel accommodation prices anti-competitive
The Ministry of Tourism recently proposed the introduction of minimum prices for sites categorised as ‘accommodation places’. In Decision 529/10.05.2018, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) opined on the proposal’s compliance with competition rules. The CPC held that setting minimum prices for accommodation places would limit price competition between hotels. Minimum prices cannot guarantee…
Competition law after Brexit and the CMA’s plan for Manchester office
Andrea Coscelli, CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has indicated that the UK competition law regulator may step closer to regional businesses with plans to open an office in Manchester. This move is partly in anticipation of the increased workload Brexit is likely to generate for the regulator and partly because of a […]
What to expect from Portuguese gaming regulator’s consultation
By Tiago Bessa The Portuguese gaming regulator opened a consultation into the country’s online gaming regulations in January, with an update on the market to be presented to Government by the end of May. With the report looming, what changes can we expect to see to the country’s regulations?
An overview of competition law in Angola
The Competition Law was published on 10 may and it establishes the set of principles and rules that govern competition in Angola (“Competition Law”). The Competition Law applies to a wide group of entities including state and private companies, groups of companies, cooperatives, and business associations, among others. The Law covers economic activities carried on […]
CMA launches competition review of the funerals sector
By Simon Barnes The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market study into funeral services. A market study allows the CMA to investigate whether a given market is working well for consumers and to identify any further action that may be appropriate to address any issues that it uncovers. In the context of […]
Serbia: Athletics equipment distributors under investigation for failure to notify exclusivity
Following a tip, the Serbian Competition Commission recently started investigating the business relationship between GR Sport and Polanik, a Polish company, concerning an alleged infringement of competition; the conclusion of a restrictive agreement which was not notified for prior exemption under the applicable legal framework…
EU Commission proposes softening of intellectual property law for EU-based pharma manufacturers
The European Commission has proposed a “targeted adjustment” to intellectual property law with a view to reducing the restrictions on EU-based manufacturers of pharmaceuticals seeking to compete in global markets. The Commission’s proposal would create an ‘export manufacturing waiver’ to supplementary protection certificates…
Court of Justice judgment in Intel case – some clarity on rebates of dominant companies
In September 2017, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), issued its long-awaited judgment in the Intel case, setting aside the judgment of the lower General Court (GC) that exclusivity rebates are automatic abuses of dominance contrary to Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The ECJ has referred the matter back […]