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CR Focus 11th April 2007

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European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

European Mergers - Requests for Comments >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Nemak/TK Aluminum "A" >>>more>>>

AVR Group/Van Gansewinkel Group >>>more>>>

Thales/Finmeccanica/Alcatel Alenia Space/Telespazio >>>more>>>

Weather Investments/Hellas Telecommunications >>>more>>>

Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services Division of Cardinal Health Inc. (PTS)/Blackstone Group >>more>>>

Mergers Withdrawn

COMP/M.439: CVC/Ferd/SIG (Switzerland) >>>more>>>

State Aid

European Commission proposes raising the ceiling for de minimis aid in the agriculture sector >>>more>>>

European Commission approves public financing for Puglia regional airports in Italy >>>more>>>

European Commission approves a Polish aid to Lodz airport >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

European Commission confirms sending a Statement of Objections to Apple and various record companies >>>more>>>

European Commission publishes a notice in relation to market testing of proposed commitments received from Distrigaz >>>more>>>

The European Union proposes the removal of all remaining quota and tariff limitations on access to the EU market for the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions >>>more>>>

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Competition Commission

Competition Commission invites evidence in UK airports investigation >>>more>>>

Competition Commission invites comments in respect of the Woolworths Group PLC/Bertram Group Limited merger >>>more>>>

Competition Commission publishes Notice of Provisional Findings in relation to the anticipated acquisition of Baggeridge Brock plc by Wienerberger Finance Service BV >>>more>>>

Classified Directory Advertising Services: Competition Commission publishes Notice of acceptance of Yell final undertakings >>>more>>>

Competition Commission publishes its Corporate Plan for 2007/8 >>>more>>>

Competition Appeal Tribunal

Cityhook Limited v Office of Fair Trading - CAT publishes Judgment on admissibility of appeal >>>more>>>

VIP Communications Limited v Office of Fair Trading (Interim Relief) - CAT publishes Ruling on costs and Transcript of handing down judgment >>>more>>>

VIP Communications Limited v Office of Fair Trading - CAT publishes Ruling: Reasons for refusing permission to appeal, Assessment of costs and Orders of the Tribunal >>>more>>>

Independent Water Company Ltd. v Water Services Regulation Authority - CAT publishes Transcript of handing down judgment and Judgment on costs >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

OFT launches market study into distribution of medicines in the UK >>>more>>>

OFT publishes reasons for referring BAA to the Competition Commission >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes Annual Plan for 2007/8 >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes results of financial review of Channel 4 >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes update note and draft determination in dispute between Cable and Wireless Access Limited and BT Group PLC ("BT") relating to BT's charges for connecting new customers to fully unbundled local loops >>>more>>>

Ofgem publishes information note concerning new arrangements for accessing capacity on the National Transmission System >>>more>>>

Ofgem publishes Decision Letter on the Uniform Network Code (UNC): Reform of the NTS offtake arrangements >>>more>>>

Office of Rail Regulation publishes Regulatory Accounting Guidelines >>>more>>>

Ofwat publishes a letter to the Managing Directors of all water and sewerage companies and water only companies concerning its review of competition in the water sector >>>more>>>

Ofwat publishes outcomes of its internal market review into the water sector >>>more>>>

Ofwat publishes forward programme of work for the years 2007/8 to 2009/10 >>>more>>>

 

European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

COMP/M.4632: Hanjin/Saudi-Aramco/S-Oil Corporation - air transport, shipping, airport services, production and marketing of crude oil and refined products. Candidate case for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 13 April 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4601: KarstadtQuelle/MyTravel - department store, mail order, air flights, hotels, tour operation, sales and service agencies, charter airline, travel agency operations. Interested parties should submit their comments by 13 April 2007. To read the notification, click here.
COMP/M.4638: CERP/Sanacorp/Millenium JV - wholesale of pharmaceuticals and related services, supply of home-care equipment, IT services and financing to pharmacies. Candidate case for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 13 April 2007. To read the notification, click here.
COMP/M.4622: Accor S.A./Groupama - insurance, banking and services, hotels, service certificates, asset management. Candidate case for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 13 April 2007. To read the notification, click here.
Mergers Cleared

COMP/M.4500: Nemak/TK Aluminum "A" - production of aluminium castings for automotive industry. To read the press release, click here.

COMP/M.4576: AVR Group/Van Gansewinkel Group - waste management, recycling of glass, paper and cardboard. To read the press release, click here.

COMP/M.4403: Thales/Finmeccanica/Alcatel Alenia Space/Telespazio - telecommunications satellites and subsystems. To read the press release, click here.

COMP/M4591.: Weather Investments/Hellas Telecommunications - mobile communications, fixed telecommunications. To read the press release, click here.

Pharmaceutical Technologies and Services Division of Cardinal Health Inc. (PTS)/Blackstone Group - development, manufacturing and packaging of medication for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Cleared under the simplified merger review procedure.

Mergers Withdrawn

COMP/M.439: CVC/Ferd/SIG (Switzerland) - carton packaging. To read the press release, click here.

State Aid

The European Commission has proposed raising the ceiling for de minimis aid in the agriculture sector. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has approved public financing for Puglia regional airports in Italy. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has approved a Polish aid to Lodz airport. To read the press release, click here.

Miscellaneous

The European Commission has confirmed sending a Statement of Objections against alleged territorial restrictions in the on-line music sales industry to various record companies and to Apple, operator of the iTunes on-line music stores. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has published a notice in relation to the market testing of proposed commitments received from Distrigaz S.A. and Distrigas N.V. in the course of a Commission investigation pursuant to Article 82 of the EC Treaty concerning gas supply activities in Belgium. To read the notice, click here.

The European Union has proposed the removal of all remaining quota and tariff limitations on access to the EU market for the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions as part of its Economic Partnership Negotiations. To read the press release, click here.

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Competition Commission

Airport Investigations: the Competition Commission is inviting evidence in relation to its ongoing investigations of UK airports. Interested parties should submit evidence by 27 April 2007. To read the press release, click here.

Woolworths Group PLC/Bertram Group Limited - wholesale supply of books to independent book retailers. Interested parties should submit comments by 25 April 2007. To read the press release, click here.

Wienerberger Finance Service BV / Baggeridge Brick plc - brick manufacture. The Competition Commission has published its Notice of Provisional Findings. To read the Notice, click here , to read the Summary of provisional findings, click here and to read the press release, click here.

Classified Directory Advertising Services: the Competition Commission has published its Notice of acceptance of Yell final undertakings. To read the Notice, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its Corporate Plan for 2007/8. To read the Corporate Plan, click here.

Competition Appeal Tribunal

Cityhook Limited v Office of Fair Trading. The CAT has published its Judgment on admissibility of appeal. To read the judgment, click here.

VIP Communications Limited v Office of Fair Trading (Interim Relief). The CAT has published its Ruling on costs and Transcript of handing down judgment. To read the Ruling, click here and to read the Transcript, click here.

VIP Communications Limited v Office of Fair Trading. The CAT has published its Ruling: Reasons for refusing permission to appeal, Assessment of costs, Orders of the Tribunal. To read the Ruling, click here, to read the Assessment of costs, click here and to read the Orders of the Tribunal, click here and here.

Independent Water Company Ltd. v Water Services Regulation Authority. The CAT has published its Transcript of handing down judgment. To read the Transcript, click here, to read the Judgment on costs, click here.

Miscellaneous

OFT: has launched a market study into the distribution of medicines in the UK. To read the press release, click here and to read the OFT's reasons for the market study, click here.

OFT: has published its reasons for referring BAA to the Competition Commission. To read the press release, click here.

Ofcom: has published its Annual Plan for 2007/8. To read the press release, click here, to read the Annual Plan, click here and to read the Programme of Work for 2007/8, click here.

Ofcom: has published the results of its financial review of Channel 4. To read the press release, click here and to read the report, click here.

Ofcom: has published an update note and a draft determination under sections 188 and 190 of the Communications Act 2003 to resolve a dispute between Cable and Wireless Access Limited and BT Group PLC ("BT") relating to BT's charges for connecting new customers to fully unbundled local loops. To read the update note, click here and to read the draft determination, click here.

Ofgem: has published an information note concerning new arrangements for accessing capacity on the National Transmission System. To read the information note, click here.

Ofgem: has published its Decision Letter on the Uniform Network Code (UNC): Reform of the NTS offtake arrangements. To read the Decision Letter, click here.

ORR: The Office of Rail Regulation has published Regulatory Accounting Guidelines pursuant to Condition 22 of Network Rail's network license. To read the Regulatory Accounting Guidelines, click here.

Ofwat: has published a letter to the Managing Directors of all water and sewerage companies and water only companies concerning its review of competition in the water sector. To read the letter, click here.
Ofwat: has published a paper setting out the outcomes of its internal market review into the water sector. To read the press release, click here and to read the paper, click here.
Ofwat: has published its forward programme of work for the years 2007/8 to 2009/10. To read the forward programme, click here, to read a summary of issues arising on the consultation concerning the forward programme, click here and to read the responses to the consultation, click here.