On 1 September 2020, the CAT published an application by Roland (UK) Limited and Roland Corporation (together, Roland) against the level of the fine imposed by the CMA in its decision of 29 June 2020 finding that Roland had engaged in unlawful resale price maintenance (RPM).
Industries
Update on DG COMP’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Cleary Gottlieb on
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant economic disruption, as a consequence of the prolonged and re-occurring shutdowns and the ongoing political and economic uncertainties.
First Merger Control Prohibition Decision Issued by the French Competition Authority
By Cleary Gottlieb on
On August 28, 2020, the FCA prohibited for the first time a proposed transaction following an in-depth Phase 2 review.[1] The FCA concluded that Soditroy and the E. Leclerc’s proposed acquisition of joint control over a Géant Casino hypermarket around the city of Troyes raised serious competition concerns.
Lexon (UK) Limited v Competition and Markets Authority
By Cleary Gottlieb on
On 27 August 2020, the CMA applied for a director disqualification order against Mr. Pritesh Sonpal in connection with its decision to fine the company of which he is a director, Lexon, for exchanging commercially sensitive information about Nortriptyline Tablets with two other companies.
Unwired Planet International Ltd and another v Huawei Technologies (UK) Co Ltd and another
By Cleary Gottlieb on
2020, the UK Supreme Court issued its judgment in a standard-essential patent (SEP) dispute between Huawei and Unwired Planet (see full alert memorandum).
National Grid Electricity Transmission plc v ABB Ltd and Others
By Cleary Gottlieb on
On 24 August 2020, Safran SA, a French technology group, entered into a deed of settlement with National Grid Electricity…
Preventx v. Royal Mail Group
By Cleary Gottlieb on
On 20 August 2020, the High Court ordered an interim injunction against Royal Mail Group in favour of Preventx, a provider of remote diagnostic testing services and clinical referral services for sexually transmitted diseases (STIs).
The Commission Approves Mastercard’s Acquisition of Nets’ Account-to-Account Payments Business Subject to Remedies
By Cleary Gottlieb on
On August 17, 2020, the Commission conditionally approved Mastercard’s acquisition of Nets’ payment application division, following a Phase I review (“the Transaction”).[1] The Commission reviewed the Transaction following a referral by the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority, and ultimately identified competitive concerns in an EEA-wide market for account-to-account core infrastructure services (“A2A CIS”) in relation to managed solutions that required the transfer of the overlapping business to secure Phase I approval.
UPS/TNT: The General Court Awards UPS a Fraction of Its Requested Costs Arising From Its Successful 2017 Application for Annulment of the European Commission’s Prohibition Decision
By Cleary Gottlieb on
The FCO’s Narrow Price Parity Clause Investigation
By Cleary Gottlieb on
In August 2020, the FCO published the results[1] of its investigation into the effect of narrow price parity clauses on online sales. Narrow price parity clauses restrict suppliers from offering their products or services at lower prices or more favorable conditions in certain sales channels. In contrast, wide price parity clauses restrict suppliers from offering their products or services at lower prices or with more favorable conditions anywhere else.