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11 November 2022
Higher penalties and strengthened unfair contract terms regime under amendments to Australian Competition and Consumer Law
The Federal Government has amended the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) to increase maximum penalties for contraventions of Australia’s competition and consumer laws and strengthen the unfair contract terms ( UCT ) regime in the Australian Consumer Law. This is what you need to know.
03 August 2021
Shipwrecked in the Federal Court: ACCC suffers comprehensive loss against NSW Ports
The Federal Court has handed down its decision in Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v NSW Ports Operations Hold Co Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 720, rejecting the ACCC’s case that the NSW State Government’s port privatisation process contravened the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 ( CCA )...
02 February 2021
2ND ANNUAL CARTELS WORKSHOP WITH CONCURRENCES
The Brussels Competition, Regulation and Trade team continued its partnership with Concurrences and sponsored the 2 nd Cartels Workshop which was hosted virtually across two days on January 20/21 2021. Partners Kyriakos Fountoukakos and Daniel Vowden moderated sessions with esteemed panellists,...
12 May 2020
Full Federal Court dismisses ACCC’s appeal against Pacific National’s intermodal terminal acquisition
The Full Federal Court has dismissed the ACCC’s appeal in respect of its case against Pacific National and Aurizon. 1 In dismissing the ACCC’s appeal, the Full Federal Court confirmed the test to be applied when assessing whether a firm’s conduct will be likely to have the effect of substantially...
09 April 2020
Exploring Opportunities: Managing competition issues whilst allowing businesses to collaborate (Australia)
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rush of applications to the ACCC seeking to authorise coordination as between competitors which might otherwise contravene provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act ( CCA ) .
26 February 2020
ACCC continues focus on tech and essential services as part of broad ranging priorities
The ACCC’s 2020 enforcement priorities provide an insight into its focus areas and a preview of matters that are likely to develop over the course of 2020. This year’s priorities highlight a continued focus on key consumer facing industries, with technology and essential services (such as...
06 February 2020
ECJ rules for the first time on “pay-for-delay” agreements
On 30 January 2020 the European Court of Justice (“ ECJ ”) clarified for the first time the criteria governing whether so-called “pay-for-delay” agreements entered into between originator and generic pharmaceutical companies fall foul of EU competition law rules. Such agreements are a form of...
10 December 2019
The ACCC pilots its first ‘effect test’ in misuse of market power proceedings
On 6 December 2019, the ACCC launched its first enforcement proceedings under the new ‘effects test’ prohibition on misuse of market power. The proceedings will provide much needed guidance as to how the much-debated ‘effects test’ will apply to unilateral conduct. It is noteworthy that the two...
29 May 2019
ACCC case theory terminal
Update: On 27 June 2019, the ACCC announced that it has lodged an appeal to the Full Federal Court against the Federal Court’s decision. The ACCC stated that its appeal will focus on the ability of courts to accept undertakings given the ACCC’s concerns about the ability of access undertakings to...
25 October 2018
ACCC’s challenge to Pfizer comes to the end of the road with the High Court
We have previously published an update on the Full Court decision in ACCC v Pfizer, where the Full Court dismissed an appeal by the ACCC, upholding a first instance decision that Pfizer had not misused its market power or engaged in prohibited anti-competitive exclusive dealing in its sales and...
22 May 2018
Supreme Court ruling in the tobacco retail pricing case: OFT decision not to reimburse fines imposed on Gallaher and Somerfield was not irrational
The Supreme Court has found that the OFT (the CMA's predecessor) did not act unlawfully in failing to repay fines imposed on Gallaher and Somerfield as part of their settlement of the OFT's tobacco retail pricing investigation. This was the case despite there being: a successful appeal against the...
13 March 2018
The Digital World in Asia - new opportunities and challenges amidst a new antitrust enforcement horizon
With the onset of an increasingly digital world across the APAC region and the interest of regulators in the sector, we examine the antitrust enforcement horizon in Asia as well as the new opportunities and challenges brought about by the specific characteristics of the sector.
12 December 2017
Technology driving M&A - Data, data everywhere
Data is now one of the most valuable commodities in the world, with a market predicted to be worth US$92 billion globally by 2026. It's not surprising. Everything we do each day leaves a digital trace, capable of being collected, analysed, manipulated and sold. Most of us give up this valuable...
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03 February 2023
New UAE Commercial Agencies Law comes into force
Last year, we published an e-bulletin on the key changes that had been announced to the draft UAE Commercial Agencies Law. Following the passage of Federal Law No. 3/2022 in December 2022 (the " Commercial Agencies Law "), these changes are now in-force. Below we have provided a re-cap of the key...
25 January 2023
M&A STANDPOINT: Formal sale processes: A useful tool to solicit offers or a last resort?
FSPs were created to encourage a competitive and confidential sale process under the Takeover Code, but often they may signal that a company has run out of options. However, a number of companies have elected to launch FSPs in recent months, so when is an FSP is the right choice for a company?
24 January 2023
Global M&A Outlook 2023: Automotive Electric and digital revolutions still drive M&A
The automotive sector is currently experiencing two inflection points at the same time: an electric vehicle revolution, as the industry transitions from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to zero emission vehicles (ZEV) including battery electric vehicles (BEV) as part of the wider...
24 January 2023
Global M&A Outlook 2023: Consumer 2022 was a challenging year compared to 2021
M&A in the consumer sector slowed throughout 2022 as compared to the buoyant trends in 2021. Macro-economic issues and global headwinds have meant a tougher environment for consumers, particularly with record-breaking inflation adding to the cost of living and turning the screws on household...
23 January 2023
How hard is it? The Takeover’s Panel consults on guidance for exclusivity granted at the non-binding bid stage
Following two Takeovers Panel decisions that found pre-deal exclusivity and other deal protection arrangements to be unacceptable, the Takeovers Panel has now commenced consultation on proposed new guidance on deal protection granted in respect of non-binding proposals. Most importantly, the...