Sort by
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 ) .
18 March 2020
COVID-19 People: Short guide for employers (Australia)
The COVID-19 virus is new, rapidly evolving and having a major impact on workplaces. The virus is giving rise to multitude of employment and safety-related questions in a context which has not previously been contemplated, on topics ranging from an employer’s payment obligations and dealing with...
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...
20 April 2018
The digital world in Asia – the advent of connected and autonomous vehicles
A number of industry sectors could be dramatically transformed as a result of the development of new connected and autonomous (CAV) technology, which has far reaching applications. As companies seek to collaborate with each other and navigate the complex legal landscape in developing the CAV world...
Loading Results
Loading
Hubs
Featured
Recent Articles
10 May 2021
London International Disputes Week 2021
10 – 14 May 2021 Herbert Smith Freehills is a proud founding member of LIDW. London International Disputes Week 2021 comes at a significant period for the UK legal sector, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, post-Brexit and amid an uncertain global political environment. Through a programme of...
08 April 2021
Real estate transfer tax (“RETT”) reform likely to be implemented on short notice
The German RETT reform is gaining momentum and an updated draft bill is contemplated to be voted on by the German parliament as early as mid-April. While a draft bill has not yet been published, with a few exceptions, the new rules are expected to be largely similar to a previous draft published in...
31 March 2021
SPACs and de-SPACing – What Australian companies need to know
In 2020, SPACs overtook traditional IPOs in the US by number and each of them will need to find acquisition targets or be liquidated within a set time frame. Increasingly, Australian companies are on the radar as acquisition targets for SPACs. In this article we examine what they are, why...
31 March 2021
Policyholder successfully challenges insurer’s refusal to cover ‘securities claim’
In good news for policyholders defending class actions, the Federal Court of Australia has rejected an insurer’s arguments that a class action settlement was not covered because: the units in an ASX-listed trust the subject of the proceedings were not “securities”; and the proceedings arose from...
31 March 2021
The Bettor's Verdict – a Herbert Smith Freehills podcast on gambling law
This podcast, hosted by Steven Jacobs , will focus on unwinding the tangled web of US gambling laws past and present, telling the stories of the people affected by this sometimes-impenetrable and often-changing landscape, and providing insight on what will come next.
30 March 2021
New ACICA 2021 Arbitration Rules
The Australian Centre of International Commercial Arbitration ( ACICA ) has unveiled revised Arbitration Rules due to enter into force in April 2021. As arbitration continues to be on the rise in Australia, and ACICA enjoys record caseloads, the 2021 ACICA Rules set out ACICA’s vision for the...
29 March 2021
Pressure points: The light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel? the landscape for arbitration and disputes in a time of uncertainty and hope
The approval and rollout of mass Covid 19 vaccinations across many parts of the world has prompted many to look ahead to a “post-Covid” world. For clients and practitioners of arbitration who have witnessed the almost overnight shift of arbitral practice into the virtual arena, that quest for a...
29 March 2021
UAE Cabinet approves the establishment of the Executive Office for AML and CFT
The UAE Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Executive Office of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism to oversee the implementation of the UAE’s National AML/CFT Strategy and National Action Plan ( NAP ).
26 March 2021
Major foreign investment reforms in Australia – what you need to know
Significant amendments to Australia’s foreign investment regime commenced on 1 January 2021. Nearly three months after their commencement, we are beginning to see evidence of a more cautious approach by applicants seeking foreign investment approval. However, 2021 has also brought some positive...
24 March 2021
Australian Employment, Industrial Relations and Safety Podcasts
Join our experts as they discuss and share their views on the latest developments we are seeing in the employment, industrial relations and workplace healthy and safety space covering areas such as underpayment compliance, annualised salary provisions, industrial manslaughter laws and what key...