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CR Focus 12th July 2007

To visit the "Cartel Watch" section, click here.
In the News
EC carries out dawn raids on manufacturers of hardware for doors and windows sectors >>>more>>>

EC publishes report on effectiveness of EU Telecoms rules and possibilities of deregulation >>>more>>>

 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

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

Mergers - In Depth Investigations

Syniverse/BSG (wireless business) >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Lactalis/Nestlé >>>more>>>

Dow Chemical/Wolff Walsrode >>>more>>>

Accor/Pierre et Vacances/NewCity JV >>>more>>>

Iberdrola/api/SER JV >>>more>>>

ENEL/Acciona/Endesa >>>more>>>

Wingas/HydroWingas >>>more>>>

State Aid

EC approves French aid for high-speed telecommunications network >>>more>>>

EC approves French aid for R&D for SOITEC group >>>more>>>

Speeches

Charlie McCreevy speech: "Postal Services - statement to the European Parliament" >>>more>>>

Charlie McCreevy speech: "Regulators: help or hindrance?" >>>more>>>

Viviane Reding speech: "The importance of freedom of expression for democratic societies in the enlarged European Union" >>more>>>

Miscellaneous

Telefónica fined €151 875 000 for serious abuse of dominant position in Spanish broadband market >>>more>>>

EC adopts new guidelines on current practice on jurisdictional issues in merger control >>>more>>>

EC adopts fourth update on Airlines Blacklist >>>more>>>

France adds tennis, rugby, cycling and football as major events under the "Television without frontiers" Directive >>>more>>>

EC reaches agreement with Algeria in gas supply contracts >>>more>>>

EC sends formal notice to Spain for failure to comply with "Television without Frontiers" Directive >>>more>>>

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofgem: Complaints Handling Standards >>>more>>>

Ofgem: Economic regulation of gas processing facilities >>>more>>>

CAT

Aggregate Industries Limited v Office of Fair Trading >>>more>>>

E.ON UK plc v Office of Rail Regulation >>>more>>>

Emerson Electric Co and others v Morgan Crucible Company plc and others >>>more>>>

Competition Commisission

BSKYB/ITV acquisition - Statement of Issues >>>more>>>

Appeal in the Energy Code Modification Appeal CC02/07 (E.ON UK Limited and GEMA ) - Decision and Order >>>more>>>

Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited/GV Instruments Limited merger - Notice of Proposal to Accept Thermo Undertakings >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Halliburton Manufacturing/Services Limited of PSL Energy Services Limited >>>more>>>

Websense, Inc/Surfcontrol plc >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

Ofcom fines BBC £50,000>>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes update on investigation into the Post Office Limited >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes update on termination rates disputes between T-Mobile/BT/O2/BT/Hutchison 3G/BT/Hutchison 3G/ Orange/Vodafone >>>more>>>

Ofgem publishes Mori Report on Switching Rates for Vulnerable Customers >>>more>>>

Ofgem - Domestic Retail Market Report - June 2007 >>>more>>>

Ofgem - Gas Distribution Price Control Review >>>more>>>

Ofgem - LECG reports >>>more>>>

Ofwat - "Competition Research with Business Customers" >>>more>>>

Ofwat to hold discussion forum on Review of Competition >>>more>>>

 
In the News

European Commission carries out dawn raids in several member states on manufacturers of hardware for doors and windows. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has published a report on the effectiveness of the EU Telecoms rules and the possibilities of deregulation. To read the press release, click here.
 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

COMP/M.4647: AEE/Lentjes - engineering and manufacturing in energy and environmental technology. Interested parties should submit their comments by 20 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4653: MBDA/Bayern-Chemie - defence, aerospace, security, tactical military services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 14 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4672: E.ON/Endesa Europa/Viesgo - supply and distribution of gas and electricity. Interested parties should submit their comments by 21 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4692: Barclays/ABN AMRO - banking and financials. Interested parties should submit their comments by 20 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4712: ERG/IPM/ISAB Energy Services - generation and sale of electricity, maintenance services to industrial plants. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 14 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4719: Heidelberg/Hanson - production of aggregates, cement, concrete. Interested parties should submit their comments by 20 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4737: Sabic/GE Plastics - production and sale of polymers, chemicals, fertilizers and other products. Interested parties should submit their comments by 17 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Mergers - In Depth Investigations

COMP/M.4662: Syniverse/BSG (wireless business) - private equity, service provider to wireless telecommunications companies, provider of payment services. To read the press release, click here.

Mergers Cleared

COMP/M.4344: Lactalis/Nestlé - food companies. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4550: Dow Chemical/Wolff Walsrode - plastics, chemicals, agricultural sciences, hydrocarbon and energy products and services, cellulosics, fibrous and plastic casings. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4612: Accor/Pierre et Vacances/NewCity JV - hotels and tourist rental accommodations. To read the press release, click here.

COMP/M.4675: Iberdrola/api/SER JV - generation, transmission, distribution, supply, trading of electricity, supply of natural gas, distribution of oil products, generation and wholesale supply of electricity from wind power in Italy. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4685: ENEL/Acciona/Endesa - distribution and supply of electricity, purchase and sale of natural gas, infrastructure and real estate projects, development and operation of renewable energies. To read the press release, click here.

COMP/M.4689: Wingas/HydroWingas - exploration, storage, transportation of natural gas, crude oil. To read the decision, click here.

State Aid

The European Commission has approved the French state aid in the sum of €2 million for a high-speed telecommunications network in France. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has approved the €12.25 million French aid to the research and development aid for the SOITEC group (a developer of substrates for microelectronic components). To read the press release, click here.

Speeches

Charlie McCreevy speech: "Postal Services - statement to the European Parliament". To read the speech, click here.

Charlie McCreevy speech: "Regulators: help or hindrance?". To read the speech, click here.

Viviane Reding speech: "The importance of freedom of expression for democratic societies in the enlarged European Union". To read the speech, click here.

Miscellaneous

The European Commission has fined the Spanish telecoms operator Telefónica €151 875 000 for serious abuse of its dominant position in the Spanish broadband market. To read the press release, click here. and click here. and click here.

The European Commission has adopted new guidelines in relation current practice regarding jurisdictional issues in merger control. To read the guidelines, click here.

The European Commission has adopted the fourth update on the Airlines Blacklist. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has announced that France has added tennis, rugby, cycling and football as major events under the "Television without frontiers" Directive allowing the majority of French citizens access to the events. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has announced that it has reached agreement with Algeria on territorial restrictions and alternative clauses in gas supply contracts. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to Spain for its for failure to comply with television advertising rules contained in the "Television without Frontiers" Directive. To read the press release, click here.

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofgem has opened a consultation into Complaints Handling Standards Open Letter. Interested parties should submit their comments by 10 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here.

Ofgem has opened a consultation into the economic regulation of gas processing facilities. Interested parties should submit their comments by 22 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here.

CAT

Aggregate Industries Limited v Office of Fair Trading. The CAT has published its Summary of Appeal and Order of the Tribunal. To read the summary, click here. and to read the order, click here.

E.ON UK plc v Office of Rail Regulation. The CAT has published its Order of the Tribunal. To read the Order, click here.

Emerson Electric Co and others v Morgan Crucible Company plc and others. The CAT has published its Order of the Tribunal and Transcript of Hearing. To read the order, click here. and to read the transcript, click here.

Competition Commission

The Competition Commission has published its Statement of Issues in the BSKYB/ITV acquisition. To read the issues, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its decision and order in relation to the Appeal in the Energy Code Modification Appeal CC02/07 relating to E.ON UK Limited and GEMA. To read the decision and order, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its Notice of Proposal to Accept Thermo Undertakings in the Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited/GV Instruments Limited merger. To read the notice, click here.

Mergers Cleared

Halliburton Manufacturing/Services Limited of PSL Energy Services Limited - support services in oil and gas production. To read the decision, click here.

Websense, Inc/Surfcontrol plc - IT security solutions. To read the decision, click here.

Miscellaneous

Ofcom has published a regulatory statement in relation to the adjudication of Ofcom Content Sanctions Committee - British Broadcasting Corporation in respect of its services BBC1 and CBBC. To read the statement, click here.

Ofcom has published an update in relation to its own-initiative investigation into the Post Office Limited - adherence to its Code of Practice governing sales and marketing activity. To read the update, click here.

Ofcom has published an update note in relation to the disputes between T-Mobile and BT, O2 and BT, Hutchison 3G and BT and BT and each of Hutchison 3G, Orange Personal Communications Services and Vodafone relating to call termination rates. To read the update, click here.

Ofgem has published a report carried out by Mori on Switching Rates for Vulnerable Customers. To read the report, click here.

Ofgem has published its Domestic Retail Market Report - June 2007. To read the report, click here.

Ofgem has published its Europe Economics report for Gas Distribution Price Control Review. To read the report, click here.

Ofgem has published its LECG reports. To read the reports, click here.

Ofwat has published a report on "Competition Research with Business Customers". To read the report, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Ofwat is to hold a discussion forum on its Review of Competition. To read the document, click here.