Latest News From Global Competition Review

Obama picks Baer to take over at DoJ

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:09 GMT

President Barack Obama intends to nominate Arnold & Porter antitrust head William Baer to become the new assistant attorney general in charge of the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division, the White House announced on Friday.

GCR Awards 2012 - deadline 10 February

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:30:52 GMT

The deadline for sending your nominations for the GCR Awards 2012 is fast approaching. We are looking to receive nominations from law firms, economics firms, competition authorities, corporate legal departments, and universities.

Canada to do away with legacy cartel cases

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:15:36 GMT

Melanie Aitken, commissioner of competition at Canada’s Competition Bureau, says the enforcer plans to close four of its legacy cartel cases by 1 April if there is no further progress in the investigations. Ron Knox in Vancouver

Orange Austria deal could face in-depth inquiry

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:28 GMT

Hutchison 3G’s bid for mobile competitor Orange Austria is likely to undergo in-depth merger analysis, according to Austrian competition specialists.

Shell offers remedies in petrol merger

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:30:15 GMT

The UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is considering commitments offered by Shell to sell several petrol stations to obtain clearance for its acquisition of petrol assets from Rontec Investments.

TPG Capital and GlobeOp in US$800m merger

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:13 GMT

Private equity company TPG Capital has agreed to buy hedge funds services provider GlobeOp for US$800 million, a merger subject to antitrust approval, while rival SS&C Technologies is considering placing a hostile bid.

National bank signs pro-competition deal with authority

Global Competition Review — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:37 GMT

The Bank of Namibia has signed an agreement with the country’s competition authority, promising to help facilitate a competitive banking market.

ECJ refuses to erase rubber fines

Global Competition Review — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:52 GMT

Three chemical rubber companies have lost their appeal to annul an antitrust fine issued by the European Commission.

Switzerland investigates interest rate fixing

Global Competition Review — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:50 GMT

Switzerland’s Competition Commission (COMCO) has opened an investigation of 12 banks over allegedly conspiring to manipulate interest rates used in interbank loans.

Cartel enforcement on the rise at emerging enforcers

Global Competition Review — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:45:31 GMT

Officials from three young but emerging competition law jurisdictions are taking proactive, sometimes unorthodox steps towards improving their enforcement programmes – including potentially using undercover agents to bust cartels. Ron Knox in Vancouver

KFTC guidelines expand patent focus

Global Competition Review — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:29 GMT

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has published new guidelines regarding possible anti-competitive use of patents, focusing on standard setting.

Size matters for EU companies

Global Competition Review — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:22 GMT

Protecting small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) from competition in European markets will leave them underprepared for global competition, said a leading business delegate at the European Commission’s Competition Forum 2012. Faaez Samadi in Brussels