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CR Focus 19th June 2007

To visit the "Cartel Watch" section, click here.
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

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

Mergers - In - Depth Investigations

Kronospan/Constantia >>>more>>>

Mergers - Withdrawn

HgCapital/Denton >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Etat Français-Thalès/DCN >>>more>>>

KKR/First Data >>>more>>>

State Aid

Approval of Dutch Aid to Citynet Amsterdam for investment in a fibre-to-the home network >>>more>>>

Approval of Danish and Italian State Aid for various modes of transport >>>more>>>

Approval of Belgian State Aid promoting the development of Antwerp Airport >>>more>>>

European Commission opens an investigation into France's regulated electricity tariffs >>>more>>>

Speeches

Andris Piebalgs speech: "European Energy Policy and the Baltic Region" >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

European Commissioner Piebalgs launches test underground CO2 storage facility in Germany >>>more>>>

European Commission announcing opening of dedicated rail freight line between Rotterdam port and Germany >>>more>>>

European Commission opens investigation into CISAC and collecting societies >>>more>>>

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom opens consultation into UK Broadband application for licence variation >>>more>>>

Ofgem opens consultation into Long Term Electricity Network Scenarios >>>more>>>

OFT opens consultation into so-called 'markets of insufficient importance' or 'de minimis' exception in merger cases >>more>>>

Competition Commission

Peter Freeman speech: "'A Wise Man Proportions His Beliefs to the Evidence': Scepticism and Competition Policy" >>>more>>>

Tesco/Co-op store acquisition in Slough - notice of acceptance of interim undertakings and directions >>>more>>>

Greif Inc/Blagden Packaging Group - Notice of Provisional Findings, Summary of Provisional Findings and Notice of Possible Remedies >>>more>>>

Sportech / Vernons - Statement of Issues >>>more>>>

BSkyB/ITV inquiry timetable published >>>more>>>

Mergers - Invitation to Comment

Menzies Distribution Limited/Grays Newsagents (York) Limited >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Admiral Taverns/869 pubs from Punch Taverns >>>more>>>

Merger Investigations - Interim Undertakings

The Game Group plc/Game Station Limited >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

DTI publishes Peer Review of Competition Policy in the UK >>>more>>>

Ofcom to consider the long-term options for Channel 4's future in review of Public Service Broadcasting >>>more>>>

Ofcom closes own-initiative investigation into the Post Office Limited - adherence to its Code of Practice >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes Self-help TV Relays and Digital Switchover - Guidance for operators >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes executive summary on study carried out into digital Television Switchover and Disabled, Older, Isolated and Low Income consumers >>>more>>>

Ofcom publishes UK Frequency Allocation Table 2007 >>>more>>>
Ofcom publishes responses to discussion document on potential role of the Public Service Publisher >>>more>>>
Ofgem publishes open consultation letter relating to Separation of TIRG expenditure for B5 boundary works on Scottish Power Transmission Ltds Network >>>more>>>
Postcomm announces Royal Mail has applied to introduce zonal pricing for business customers >>>more>>>
Postcomm publishes 2006/2007 annual report >>>more>>>
 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

COMP/M.4662: Syniverse/BSG (wireless business) - private equity, service provider to wireless telecommunications companies, provider of payment services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 23 June 2007. To read the notification, 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. Interested parties should submit their comments by 22 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.
COMP/M.4703: Fujitsu/GFI Informatique - manufacture and sale of computing products, electronic devices, telecommunications and IT services. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 22 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.
COMP/M.4720: Doughty Hanson/Axcom - private equity, distribution of mobile and telecommunications equipment. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 25 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.
COMP/M.4732: Terra Firma/EMI - investment fund, music recording and publishing. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 25 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.
Mergers - In - Depth Investigations

COMP/M.4525: Kronospan/Constantia - production and supply of raw particle board, coated particle board laminates, wood based and related products. To read the press release, click here.

Mergers - Withdrawn

COMP/M.4498: HgCapital/Denton - manufacture and supply of safety testing devices and related services. To read the press release, click here.

Mergers Cleared

COMP/M.4191: Etat Français-Thalès/DCN - defence systems for naval, aerospace, transport and civil security applications. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4666: KKR/First Data - private equity, electronic commerce and payment schemes. To read the decision, click here.

State Aid

Aid No: C 53/06 (ex N 262/05) Dutch Aid to Citynet Amsterdam: investment by the city of Amsterdam in a fibre-to-the home network. Interested parties should submit their comments by 26 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.

The European Commission has approved the Danish State Aid in the sum of €2.15 million to compensate railway undertakings for charges and other modes of transport and the Italian State Aid in the sum of €6 million for the transfer of freight traffic from road to rail. To read the document, click here.

The European Commission has approved the Belgian State Aid to promote the development of Antwerp Airport as regional airport. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has opened an investigation into France's regulated electricity tariffs. To read the press release, click here.

Speeches

Andris Piebalgs speech: "European Energy Policy and the Baltic Region". To read the speech, click here.

Miscellaneous

European Commissioner Piebalgs has launched a test underground CO2 storage facility in Germany. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has announced the opening of the dedicated rail freight line between the port of Rotterdam and Germany. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has opened an investigation into CISAC and collecting societies: the Commission is market testing commitments that may resolve competition concerns in the market for copyright exploitation, including retransmission of music by the internet and satellite or cable networks. To see the Commission press release, click here.

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom has opened a consultation into UK Broadband application for licence variation. Interested parties should submit their comments by 27 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here, and to read the press release, click here.

Ofgem has opened a consultation into Long Term Electricity Network Scenarios - initial thoughts and workshop invitation. Interested parties should submit their comments by 23 July 2007. To read the consultation, click here.

The OFT has opened a consultation into the so-called 'markets of insufficient importance' or 'de minimis' exception in merger cases. Interested parties should submit their comments by 10 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Competition Commission

Peter Freeman speech: "'A Wise Man Proportions His Beliefs to the Evidence': Scepticism and Competition Policy". To read the speech, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its notice of acceptance of interim undertakings and directions issued by the CC on 14 June 2007 in the Tesco/Co-op store acquisition in Slough. To read the notice, click here. and to read the direction, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its Notice of Provisional Findings, Summary of Provisional Findings and Notice of Possible Remedies in the Greif Inc/Blagden Packaging Group merger. To read the Notice, click here. and to read the Summary, click here.and to read the possible remedies, click here.

The Competition Commission has published its Statement of Issues in the Sportech / Vernons merger. To read the Statement, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

The Competition Commission has published the timetable for the BSkyB/ITV inquiry. To read the timetable, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Mergers - Invitation to Comment

Menzies Distribution Limited/Grays Newsagents (York) Limited - wholesale distribution of newspapers. Interested parties should submit their comments by 22 June 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Mergers Cleared

Admiral Taverns/869 pubs from Punch Taverns - pubs. To read the decision, click here.

Merger Investigations - Interim Undertakings

The Game Group plc/Game Station Limited - electronic games. To read the decision, click here.

Miscellaneous

DTI publishes Peer Review of Competition Policy in the UK. To read the report, which was prepared by KPMG, click here.

Ofcom has announced that it is to consider the long-term options for Channel 4's future in its forthcoming review of Public Service Broadcasting. To read the press release, click here.

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

Ofcom has published a Self-help TV Relays and Digital Switchover - Guidance for operators. To read the guidance, click here. and click here.

Ofcom has published an executive summary regarding a study carried out into digital Television Switchover and Disabled, Older, Isolated and Low Income consumers. To read the summary, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Ofcom has published its UK Frequency Allocation Table 2007. To read the table, click here.
Ofcom has published the responses to the discussion document on the potential role of the Public Service Publisher - A new approach to public service content in the digital age. To read the responses, click here. and to read the press release, click here.
Ofgem has published an open consultation letter in relation to Separation of TIRG expenditure for B5 boundary works on Scottish Power Transmission Ltds Network. To read the letter, click here.
Postcomm has announced that Royal Mail has applied to introduce zonal pricing for business customers. To read the press release, click here.
Postcomm has published its 2006/2007 annual report. To read the report, click here.