Focus Antitrust - Competition Weekly Email Alert - 9 November 2011

IN THE NEWS

European Commission officials and counterparts from relevant national competition authorities have conducted unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the production of bearings for automotive and industrial use in several member states, following suspicions that the producers might have engaged in agreements and/or concerted practices that infringe Article 101 TFEU. Click here.

The OFT has issued a statement of objections to British Airlines and Virgin Atlantic following its investigation under the Competition Act 1998 into alleged collusion between the airlines over the pricing of passenger fuel surcharges for long-haul passenger flights to and from the UK. Click here.

EU

Articles 101 and 102

The General Court has published an order removing from its register an action lodged by Scovill Fasteners, challenging the European Commission's 2007 decision to hold it jointly and severally liable for a fine of EUR6.002 million imposed for the participation of the Scovill group in a cartel to co-ordinate price increases for fasteners and their attaching machines. Scovill Fasteners claimed that the Commission had erred in concluding that it and its subsidiary formed a single economic entity leaving it liable for its subsidiary's alleged infringements. It also claimed that the Commission made manifest errors in calculating the fine. Click here. Mergers – invitation to comment

EAH/Mitsubishi Electric/Mitsubishi/ETAM. Click here. Banco Santander/Certain assets of RBS (Rainbow). Click here. G4S/ISS. Click here. Astrium Holding/Vizada Group. Click here. ArcelorMittal/ATIC Services. Click here. Mergers – cleared

Allgauland/Arla. Click here. Mergers – Phase II investigations

Synthes/Johnson and Johnson, click here. Public Procurement

The General Court has ordered the European Commission to pay damages to Idromacchine Srl, a third party in state aid proceedings, for publication of its name and detrimental information relating to it in the Official Journal. Click here. UK

CAT

The CAT has published an order adjourning the hearing of the appeals by Imperial Tobacco, Asda, Safeway, Morrisons, Co-op and Shell against the decision of the OFT that found that they had infringed the Chapter I prohibition of the Competition Act 1998 by virtue of agreements relating to the retail price of tobacco products. The OFT requested the adjournment in order that it may prepare a written statement regarding whether it continues to contest the...