European Union, Foreign direct investment, Foreign investment, Foreign subsidies, Merger control, Podcast, Trade Law

(University of Vienna, Austria)/ /Leave a comment

We are happy to announce the new International Law Talk Podcast episode on the interrelations between merger control, FDI, subsidy control & EU trade law. In the episode, I discuss with competition and trade experts and my former colleagues François-Charles Laprévote and Wanjie Lin from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. We focus on the…

Argentina, Competition Law 2021

, (Allende & Brea)/ /Leave a comment

After a stagnant 2020, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the antitrust law enforcement in Argentina started to recover its rhythm. Different developments took place, and the news started early in the year with the approval in the Senate of a bill that, if approved by the House of Deputies, would imply drastic changes in…

Competition Law 2021, Spain

, , (Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP)/ /Leave a comment

2021 has been an eventful year for the competition law and policy landscape in Spain. Below we review the main developments and takeaways from the last year in the following areas: (i) institutions, legislation and Covid-19; (ii) merger control; (iii) restrictive agreements and abuse of dominance; and (iv) State aid.   Institutions, Legislation and Covid-19…

Competition Law 2021, Portugal

, , (DLA Piper Portugal)/ /Leave a comment

This overview covers the main developments in competition law and policy in Portugal in the course of 2021.   Legislative and institutional developments The Competition Act was supplemented with a new provision rendering illegal most-favoured-nation clauses benefiting hotel booking electronic platforms. Article 9 (which is similar to Article 101 of the Treaty) now prohibits agreements…

Abuse of dominance, Bulgaria

(Eversheds Sutherland, Bulgaria) and (Tsvetkova, Bebov and Partners)/ /Leave a comment

In 2021 the Bulgarian Competition Protection Commission (“BCPC”) was focused on investigations for abuse of dominance in the medical sector. The centre of CPC’s attention were some medical institutions that refused to provide access to equipment, facilities, and specialists for performing medical services/treatments subject to reimbursement by the National Health Insurance Fund (“NHIF”). The investigated…

Abuse of dominance, As Efficient Competitor, Burden of Proof, European Union, General Court of the European Union, Rebates, Standard of Proof

, (White & Case) and (White & Case, Belgium)/ /Leave a comment

On 26 January 2022, the EU’s General Court (GC) annulled the European Commission’s (EC) €1.06 billion fine on Intel for abusing a dominant position with its rebate schemes.[1] The judgment demonstrates that the European Courts are prepared to look in detail at evidence and economic analysis in antitrust cases, and will annul EC decisions if…

Competition Law 2021, Türkiye

, (ACTECON)/ /Leave a comment

2021 has been a busy year in many aspects, including competition law and policy in the Republic of Turkey. The Turkish Competition Authority (“TCA“) developed and adopted its secondary legislation in response to amendments to Law No. 4054 on Protection of Competition (“Turkish Competition Law“)[1]. These recent developments on the secondary legislation include (i) the introduction…

Antitrust Writing Award

(University of Vienna, Austria)/ /Leave a comment

We are delighted to see so many of our dear contributors’ blog posts shortlisted in different categories of the 2021 Antitrust Writing Awards. Congratulations on this great achievement! Now it is on you, loyal readers of the blog, to vote for these brilliant pieces:   Business Articles – Concerted Practices Oleksander Dyakulych and Anastasiia Panchak…

Abuse of dominance, Apple, Digital economy, Digital markets, Interim relief, Netherlands

(Loyens & Loeff, Netherlands) and , (Loyens & Loeff)/ /Leave a comment

On 24 December 2021, the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) published a summary decision finding an abuse of a dominant position by Apple. The decision dates back to 24 August 2021 but was published only last month following an injunction proceeding aimed at suspending the effects of the ACM’s decision as well as…

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Competition Law 2021, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Western Balkans

(Doklestic Repic & Gajin)/ /Leave a comment

This post aims to present the main competition law developments in four Western Balkan jurisdictions – Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. Rather than being an exhaustive review of everything that happened in 2021, the post will focus on what really mattered in these jurisdictions during the previous year.   A)      The four…