Lawyers Are Key to Mergers Lawyers, rather than investment bankers, are increasingly the critical factor in mergers and acquisitions, capital is plentiful, the ostructing issues tend to be regulatory and legal, as in Reuters, Thompsons deal 10.05.07 Times, Capital Markets, Company Law
Premier League Competition Warning Sports Minister Richard Caborn is warning premiership clubs that they need to engage with EU proposals to reform sport governance, alternative is to face legal action in the future, imminent white paper likely to include national quotas for players 08.05.07 Financial Times, EU Competition, Sports Law
Doubts Cast on OFT Tesco Decision Company wanting to buy controversial Tesco site in Slough, Triple A, owned by Abdeali family, say OFT official dismissed their offer on basis of a single phone call, sale of property subsequently referred to Competition Commission, report on decision due next year 04.05.07 Telegraph, Supermarkets
Need for New Retail Regulator Replying to Competition Commission on Tesco inquiry, New Economics Foundation (NEF) policy director, Andrew Simms, author of Tescopoly, says Commission is failing, should be replaced with 'Ofshop' to focus on retail issues 12.04.07 Telegraph, Business Regulation, Retail Law
Industry Hails OFT Drug Inquiry Pharmacists and wholesalers have welcomed OFT inquiry into distribution of prescription drugs, AstraZeneca and Novartis intend to follow Pfizer example, which has signed exclusive deal with Unichem 05.04.07 Guardian, Medical Law, Pharmaceuticals
Concern at Water Mergers South East Water and Mid Kent Water will be required to make a one-off price reduction following merger, Competition Commission (CC) has concluded that merger may be expected to prejudice Ofwat's ability to make comparisons between water enterprises, but extent of prejudice limited 03.05.07 Competition Commission Press Release, Ofwat Press Release, Utilities
OFT to Study Current Accounts The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched a market study into personal current accounts, forms part of the in-depth study into retail bank pricing announced by the OFT in March 2006, will consider wider questions about competition and price transparency in the provision of personal current accounts 30.04.07 Law Now, Bank Penalty Charges, Banking Law
CC to Probe Rail Leasing The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has referred the leasing of rolling stock for franchised passenger rail services to the Competition Commission (CC) for further investigation, claims certain features of the rolling stock leasing market are limiting competition 30.04.07 Law Now, Transport Law
OFT Challenge to Free Banking OFT has today launched a market study into personal bank current account pricing, alongside a formal investigation into the fairness of charges for unauthorised overdrafts and returned items, will help OFT consider the current level and incidence of the charges in the broader context of efficiency, transparency, value 26.04.07 BBC, OFT Press Release, Bank Penalty Charges, Banking Law, Consumer Rights, Financial Services
Redress for Competition Breaches Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published a discussion paper on private actions in competition law and how consumers and business can get effective redress for breaches, aim to inform OFT response to forthcoming EU white paper, main focus of the paper is the extension of representative actions (not class actions) 23.04.07 Law Now, Consumer Rights, EU Competition, EU Law, Litigation
OFT Call for Private Competition Actions The OFT is today publishing a discussion paper and announcing informal consultation on facilitating private actions in order to optimise the effectiveness of competition law in the UK, and to make redress for consumers and business more accessible The Lawyer, OFT Press Release Reforms would make up for OFT withdrawal from 'high-impact' cases, open way for class actions 19.04.07 Financial Times, Compensation Law, Consumer Rights
Virgin Takes Sky to Court Virgin Media has filed 33-page complaint with the High Ct, accuses BSkyB of abusing dominant position in pay TV, where it has 75% of the market, says Sky has raised prices to quash new competitive force represented by Virgin Media 27.04.07 Guardian, Broadcasting, Media Law
JJB Sued for Rip Off Football Strips Consumer watchdog Which? is to go bring first class action under Enterprise Act, against sports retailer JJB, says firm over-charged for football shirts and will seek £20 for each claimant, papers laid before Competition Appeals Tribunal 14.03.07 Times, Consumer Rights, Enterprise Act, Retail Law
Challenge to Pfizer Unichem Deal Eight drug wholesalers, supported by Dispensing Doctors Association (DDA), have launched a legal action to challenge Pfizer deal to sell its prescription drugs exclusively through Unichem 02.03.07 BBC, Medical Law, Pharmaceuticals
EU to Probe Royal Mail Subsidies European Commission has launched a formal inquiry into £2.6b received in UK govt loans over the past six years, acting on complaints from TNT and DHL, owned by Deutsche Post 23.02.07 Times, EU Competition
Which? Shoots for JJB Strips Consumer group Which? has launched a 'supercomplaint' suit against JJB Sports, powers under Enterprise Act allow it to act on behalf of consumer groups, claims retailer over-charged for replica football shirts 09.02.07 Times, Consumer Rights, Retail Law, Sports Law
High Ct Allows Norris Extradition Ian Norris, former CEO of Morgan Crucible, has lost appeal on extradition, wanted in US on charges of price-fixing in carbon market, cartels were not formally illegal in UK at the time, prior to Enterprise Act 2002, question whether it is common law offence of conspiracy to defraud Times Decision helps SFO case against price-fixing in NHS drug supply 26.01.07 Times, Corporate Governance, Extradition, Fraud, NHS Drug Fraud
CAT Clarifies Use of Financial Penalties The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) yesterday upheld OFT decision on price fixing in supply of stock check pads, dismissed appeal by Achilles Paper Group Limited (Achilles), clarified the OFT's margin of appreciation in setting financial penalties as effective deterrent. 02.11.06 Office of Fair Trading
EU Fines Copper Cartel Tomkins, Delta and Flowflex among firms fined by EU for running cartel in copper fittings used in plumbing, increased fines for AFC, Delta, Aalberts and Legris for continuing with cartel once inquiry began 21.09.06 BBC, Basic Materials, EU Competition
Deputy Chair of CC Peter Davis appointed Deputy Chair to the Competition Commission, lecturer at London School of Economics, Member of the Competition Commission's Academic Panel and co-director of the Suntory Toyota International Centre for Research in Economics at LSE 07.06.06 Department of Trade & Industry, Legal People
