News
Cartel case received significant deal of attention – the highest fine ever imposed by the Hungarian Competition Authority
The Hungarian Competition Authority ("GVH") has ordered the enforcement of the fine imposed on Nitrogénművek Zrt. in April 2022 reaching an enormous HUF 11 billion after the highest court of Hungary ("Curia") finally and definitely had dismissed the request for...
NEW CHAPTER ON SUSTAINABILITY AGREEMENTS BETWEEN COMPETITORS: DRAFT OF HORIZONTAL GUIDELINES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
On the first of March 2022, the Commission published, for consultation with stakeholders, a revised draft block exemption regulations on research and development and specialisation agreements (collectively referred to as "BERs"), and the accompanying Guidelines on...
When does a takeover deemed to be temporary constitute a notifiable concentration?
In a decision dated 17 March 2022, the Dutch Competition Authority (ACM) imposed a fine on the Stichting Verenigde Nederlandse Apotheken (VNA) for wrongfully failing to notify the acquisition of four pharmacies. The VNA initially thought that the acquisition did not...
Cartel fines imposed on 22 Danish discos
At the end of 2021, the Danish Competition Council announced that it had imposed fines on 18 discos and their joint procurement company. Subsequently, the Competition Council has imposed fines on four additional discos. All the involved companies acknowledge having...
HTS Besafe has accepted a fine of DKK 8 million
The Danish Competition Council has fined a manufacturer of babies' and children's products, HTS Besafe, a Danish branch of the Norwegian HTS Besafe AS, for unlawfully RPM-agreements with a number of resellers. HTS Besafe's violation of Danish Competition Law HTS...
French Supreme Court confirms a slight extension of the legal privilege scope
In a judgment dated 26 January 2022, the French Supreme Court (“Cour de Cassation”) confirmed the extension of the protection granted to attorney-client correspondence to internal documents emanating from in-house counsels as long as they summarised legal advice...
The French Supreme Court confirms Stihl’s condemnation for online sales restriction
By its judgement of 26 January 2022, the French Supreme Court (“Cour de cassation”) validates the contested reasoning of the Paris Court of Appeal and the French Competition Authority (hereinafter, the “FCA”), which fined the manufacturer Stihl 7 million euros...
COMPETITION LAW AND THE CENTRALISATION OF PRIZE MONEY MANAGEMENT IN CYCLING SPORT
The Zeeland-West-Brabant District Court (District Court) has concluded in a judgment dated 15 December 2021 that the centralised prize management system introduced by the Union Cyliste Internationale (UCI) and Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA) does not infringe...
Sweden: All public procurements of framework agreements must specify a maximum estimated volume
In two recent rulings the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court establishes that the requirement to specify a maximum estimated volume in public procurements shall apply to all types of framework agreements. The court also clarifies requirements on competing tenderers'...