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CR Focus 25th July 2007

To visit the "Cartel Watch" section, click here.
In the News

Microsoft Corporation v Commission- judgment scheduled 17 September >>>more>>>

 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

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

Mergers Cleared - Subject to Conditions

SFR/TELE 2 France >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Wärtsilä Technology Oy/Hyundai Heavy Industries Co/JV >>>more>>>

Sachsenfonds Holding/Eastmerchant/Nikko Principal Investments >>>more>>>

AXA/Monte dei Paschi/JV >>>more>>>

Mapfre/Cattolica/JV >>>more>>>

Gerresheimer/Chase/JV >>>more>>>

State Aid

EC adopts new Regulation to increase ceiling of so-called 'de minimis' aid to fisheries sector >>>more>>>

Aid No: C 17/07 (ex NN 19/07) - regulated electricity tariffs in France >>>more>>>

EC approves German aid for grant to start THESEUS, a research project developing & testing new search technologies for next generation Internet >>>more>>>

EC approves German aid to AMD for conversion and extension of existing micro-processor wafer plants in Dresden >>>more>>>

EC approve German aid for German public banks WestLB and NORD/LB >>>more>>>

EC initiates infringement proceedings against Germany to change incompatible system of taxation of non-resident family foundations >>>more>>>

EC opens formal investigation into aid for annual compensation payments, investment and training grants to Irish Bus and Dublin Bus >>>more>>>

EC refers Poland to ECJ over failure to align its electricity taxation system on Community framework >>>more>>>

EC requests Greece recover the illegal aid in relation to tax exemptions >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

EC urges member states to open single market for Mobile TV Services >>>more>>>

EC closes competition proceedings against Vodafone UK, O2 UK, Vodafone Germany and T-Mobile Germany over roaming tariffs applied to other
European mobile network operators up to 2003 >>>more>>>

EC closes case against Hungary with ECJ over abolishing a provision of its Media Act >>>more>>>

EC initiates infringement proceedings against Austria, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom over free movement of services >>>more>>>

EC initiates second stage infringement proceedings against United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden for failing to change the legislation on VAT exemption for postal services >>>more>>>

EC sends formal request to Italy requesting compliance with EU rules on electronic communications >>>more>>>

EC welcomes Italian authorities draft rules clarifying regulatory framework for transfer of motorway concessions >>>more>>>

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom: Additional Requests from BT for exemptions and variations to its Undertakings under the Enterprise Act 2002 >>>more>>>

Ofcom: Participation TV: protecting viewers and consumers, and keeping advertising separate from editorial >>>more>>>

Ofcom: draft determinations to resolve disputes between Hutchison 3G and each of O2, Orange and T-Mobile concerning donor conveyance charges >>>more>>>

Ofgem: Gas Distribution Price Control Review Cost Reporting >>>more>>>

Competition Commisission

Woolworths Group plc / Bertram Group Ltd: merger - Notice and Summary of Provisional Findings >>>more>>>

Estimated costs to consumers of mergers and market outcomes against which the CC took action between April 2006 and March 2007 >>>more>>>

Tesco/Co-op store acquisition in Slough merger - notice of extension to 28 November 2007 >>>more>>>

Mergers - Invitation to Comment

UK Mergers - Requests for Comments >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared

Centenary Music Holdings Limited/Sanctuary Group plc >>>more>>>

Mergers Cleared - Subject to Undertakings

Co-operative Group (CWS) Limited/United Co-operatives Limited >>>more>>>

Guardian Digital Communications Limited (a company controlled by Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II and Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group)/Airwave Solutions Limited (formerly Airwave O2 Limited) >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

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

Ofcom publishes report and response into Inquiry into television broadcasters' use of premium rate telephone services by Richard Ayre >>>more>>>

Ofgem publishes 2006-07 Annual Report >>>more>>>

Ofwat announces intention to modify conditions of appointment of Thames Water Utilities Limited as water undertaker >>>more>>>

Postcomm proposes to reject Royal Mail's zonal pricing application >>>more>>>

OFT publishes Annual Report >>>more>>>

 
In the News

Microsoft Corporation v Commission of the European Communities - judgment scheduled for 17 September. To read the press release, click here.

 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

COMP/M.4677: Thornwood/Federal-Mogul - holding company for Mr. Icahn's investments in a series of companies with interests in EEA mainly in food industry, publishing, manufacturing and sale of home products supply of automotive parts, components. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 28 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4709: Apax Partners/Telenor Satellite Services - investment fund controlling France Telecom, satellite telecommunications services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 31 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4742: Oxbow/SSM - sourcing, shipping, mining, production, marketing and distribution of a range of solid fuel and other carbon-related products, including coal, calcined coke and petroleum coke. Interested parties should submit their comments by 28 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4748: T-Mobile/Orange Netherlands - mobile telephony services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 31 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4751: STM/Intel/JV - semiconductors, microprocessors, chipsets, flash memory business. Interested parties should submit their comments by 30 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Mergers Cleared - Subject to Conditions

COMP/M.4504: SFR/TELE 2 France - media, telecommunications, mobile telephony. To read the press release, click here.

Mergers Cleared

COMP/M.4596: Wärtsilä Technology Oy/Hyundai Heavy Industries Co/JV - production and sale of ship propulsion and power plant solutions, shipbuilding, engineering, electrical systems, construction equipment. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4637: Sachsenfonds Holding/Eastmerchant/Nikko Principal Investments - investments, financials, closed end funds. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4646: AXA/Monte dei Paschi/JV - life and non-life insurance, banking and related financial services. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4661: Mapfre/Cattolica/JV - insurance services. To read the decision, click here.

COMP/M.4708: Gerresheimer/Chase/JV - supply of glassware for pharmaceutical, industrial and medical research. To read the decision, click here.

State Aid

The European Commission has adopted a new Regulation increasing the ceiling of the so-called 'de minimis' aid to the fisheries sector. To read the press release, click here.

Aid No: C 17/07 (ex NN 19/07) - French aid in relation to the regulated electricity tariffs in France. Interested parties should submit their comments by 18 August 2007. To read the notification, click here.

The European Commission has approved German aid in the sum of €120 million for a grant to start THESEUS, a research project for developing and testing new search technologies for the next generation Internet. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has approved German state aid in the sum of €262 million to AMD for the conversion and extension of its existing micro-processor wafer plants in Dresden. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has approved German state aid of €9 billion capital contributions for the German public banks WestLB and NORD/LB. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has initiated infringement proceedings against Germany to change its incompatible system of taxation of non-resident family foundations. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into state aid in the form of annual compensation payments, investment and training grants to Irish Bus and Dublin Bus. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has referred Poland to the ECJ over its failure to align its electricity taxation system on the Community framework. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has requested that Greece recover the illegal aid given in relation to tax exemptions. To read the press release, click here.

Miscellaneous

The European Commission has urged all member states to open the single market for Mobile TV Services. To read the press release, click here. and click here. and click here.

The European Commission has closed the competition proceedings against Vodafone UK, O2 UK, Vodafone Germany and T-Mobile Germany over roaming tariffs applied to other European mobile network operators up to 2003. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has closed its case against Hungary with the ECJ over Hungary abolishing a provision of its Media Act preventing cable operators providing cable TV services to more than one third of the Hungarian population. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has initiated infringement proceedings against Austria, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom over free movement of services. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has initiated second stage infringement proceedings against the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden for failing to change the legislation on VAT exemption for postal services which are not compatible with the VAT Directive. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has sent a formal request to Italy requesting its compliance with EU rules on electronic communications. To read the press release, click here.

The European Commission has welcomed the Italian authorities draft rules to clarify the regulatory framework for the transfer of motorway concessions in Italy. To read the press release, click here.

 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom has opened a consultation into Additional Requests from BT for exemptions and variations to its Undertakings under the Enterprise Act 2002. Interested parties should submit their comments by 24 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here. and to read the summary, click here.

Ofcom has opened a consultation into Participation TV: protecting viewers and consumers, and keeping advertising separate from editorial. Interested parties should submit their comments by 17 October 2007. To read the consultation, click here. and click here.

Ofcom has opened a consultation into the draft determinations to resolve disputes between Hutchison 3G and each of O2, Orange and T-Mobile concerning donor conveyance charges. Interested parties should submit their comments by 3 August 2007. To read the consultation, click here. and click here.

Ofgem has opened a consultation into Gas Distribution Price Control Review Cost Reporting. Interested parties should submit their comments by 21 September 2007. To read the consultation, click here. and click here.

Competition Commission

The Competition Commission has published its Notice and Summary of Provisional Findings in the Woolworths Group plc / Bertram Group Ltd: merger. To read the Notice, click here. and to read the Summary, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

The Competition Commission has published the estimated costs to consumers of mergers and market outcomes against which the CC took action between April 2006 and March 2007. To read the document, click here.

The Competition has published a notice of extension in the Tesco/Co-op store acquisition in Slough to 28 November 2007 together with a revised timetable. To read the notice, click here. and to read the timetable, click here.

Mergers Cleared - Invitation to Comment

Tiscali UK Holdings Limited/the Broadband and Voice division of Pipex Communications plc - internet access and fixed line telephony. Interested parties should submit their comments by 3 August 2007. To read the notification, click here.

First Potteries Limited/Chester City Transport Limited - scheduled bus services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 2 August 2007. To read the notification, click here.
Landmark Information Group Limited/Quest Associates - property valuation network services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 31 July 2007. To read the notification, click here.
Mergers Cleared

Centenary Music Holdings Limited/Sanctuary Group plc - music recording and music publishing. To read the decision, click here.

Mergers Cleared - Subject to Undertakings

Co-operative Group (CWS) Limited/United Co-operatives Limited - travel agency services, retail pharmacy services, funeral services and grocery retail services. To read the decision, click here. and click here.

Guardian Digital Communications Limited (a company controlleby Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II and Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group)/Airwave Solutions Limited (formerly Airwave O2 Limited) - telecommunications. To read the decision, click here.

Miscellaneous

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

Ofcom has published the report and its response into the Inquiry into television broadcasters' use of premium rate telephone services by Richard Ayre. To read the report, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Ofgem has published its 2006-07 Annual Report. To read the report, click here.

Ofwat has announced its intention to modify the conditions of appointment of Thames Water Utilities Limited as a water undertaker under Section 13 of the Water Industry Act 1991. To read the document, click here. and to read the press release, click here.

Postcomm has proposed to reject Royal Mail's zonal pricing application. To read the press release, click here.

The OFT has published its Annual Report. To read the document, click here.