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CR Focus 31st January

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

In the News

European Commission fines members of gas insulated switchgear cartel >>>more>>>

 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

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

Mergers - Cleared

Telecom Italia/AOL German Access Business >>>more>>>

Carphone Warehouse /AOL UK >>>more>>>

Arrow Electronics/In Technology >>>more>>>

News Corporation/Jamba/Ojom >>>more>>>

CSN/Corus >>>more>>>

State Aid

European Commission approves Italian aid for technology-neutral digital decoders >>>more>>>

European Commission approves public financing by Italian government to extend infrastructure at Tortolì-Arbatax airport >>>more>>>

European Commission approves regional State Aid maps 2007-2013 for Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania >>>more>>>

European Commission opens investigation into regulated electricity tariffs in Spain >>>more>>>

Speeches

Andris Piebalgs speech: "Biofuels and Renewable Energy for tackling climate change" >>>more>>>

Andris Piebalgs speech: "Energy for a Changing World: The New European Energy Policy" >>>more>>>

Stavros Dimas speech: "Achieving our climate change objectives through renewable energy" >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

European Commission: adopts new "airport package" >>>more>>>

European Commission: closes infringement proceedings against France over legislation preventing football and professional sports clubs being listed on stock markets >>>more>>>

European Commission: interim report on competition inquiry into business insurance sector >>>more>>>

European Commission: refers Spain to the ECJ regarding the Spanish electricity and gas regulator >>>more>>>

European Commission: welcomes CFI judgment dismissing France Télécom SA, formerly Wanadoo Interactive SA's appeal >>>more>>>

European Commission: welcomes ECJ ruling upholding Commission's 1999 finding in relation to the seamless steel tube's cartel case >>>more>>>
 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom: new approach to public service content in the digital media age >>>more>>>

Ofcom: Digital Switchover - Management of Transition Coverage Issues >>>more>>>

Ofcom: regulatory financial reporting obligations on BT >>>more>>>

Ofgem: Transmission price control review: Draft licence conditions (gas) second informal consultation >>>more>>>

CAT

Floe Telecom Limited (in liquidation) v Office of Communications >>>more>>>

Hutchison 3G UK Limited v Office of Communications >>>more>>>

Independent Water Company Ltd v Water Services Regulation Authority (formerly the Director General of Water Services >>>more>>>

Competition Commission

OFT refers Kemira GrowHow Oyj/Terra Industries Inc merger to the Competition Commission >>>more>>>

Mergers - Invitation to Comment

Menzies Distribution Ltd/Eason & Son (NI) Limited >>>more>>>

Apax Partners SA/Telenor Satellite Services AG >>>more>>>

Miscellaneous

Ofcom: "The Communications Market Special Report Niche ISPs" >>>more>>>

Ofcom: update note on Monitoring and enforcement of rules preventing annoyance caused to consumers by silent and abandoned calls >>>more>>>

Ofcom: Telecommunications Market Data Tables Q2 2006 >>>more>>>

OFT and Office of Government Commerce: guide for public procurers of construction services: 'Making competition work for you' >>>more>>>

OFT: economic research report looking at using commission rates as a payment mechanism and any impact this has on competition and consumer welfare >>>more>>>

OFT: non-infringement decision of Gas and Electricity Markets Authority's investigation into EDFE's alleged abuse of dominance >>>more>>>

 
In the News

European Commission fines eleven groups of companies (ABB, Alstom, Areva, Fuji, Hitachi Japan AE Power Systems, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Schneider, Siemens, Toshiba and VA Tech) a total of €750 712 500 for participating in a cartel for gas insulated switchgear projects. To read the press release, click here and to read the questions and answers page, click here.

 
European Notifications and Publications
Mergers - Invitation to Comment

COMP/M.4517: Iberdrola/ScottishPower - electricity and gas supply. Interested parties should submit their comments by 3 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4521: LGI/Telenet - telephone and internet access through cable access. Interested parties should submit their comments by 6 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4547: KKR/Permira/Prosiebensat.1 - private equity, free to air television. Interested parties should submit their comments by 4 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

COMP/M.4558: Alpha Private Equity Funds/Non Ferrous International Group - trade of electric, electronic, ferrous and non-ferrous scrap. Candidate for simplified procedure. Interested parties should submit their comments by 5 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Mergers - Cleared
COMP/M.4417: Telecom Italia/AOL German Access Business - voice telephone, mobile services, data transmission services, internet providers. To read the decision, click here.
COMP/M.4442: Carphone Warehouse /AOL UK - mobile communications, fixed line telecommunications, internet services. To read the decision, click here.
COMP/M.4446: Arrow Electronics/In Technology - electronic and computer components. To read the decision, click here.
COMP/M.4479: News Corporation/Jamba/Ojom - mobile phone entertainment and content. To read the decision, click here.
COMP/M.4515: CSN/Corus - steel products. To read the press release, click here.
State Aid
The European Commission has approved the aid to Italy in respect of technology-neutral digital decoders. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has approved the public financing by the Italian government for the extension of infrastructure at the Tortolì-Arbatax airport. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has approved the regional State Aid maps 2007-2013 for Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has opened an investigation into regulated electricity tariffs in Spain. To read the press release, click here.
Speeches
Andris Piebalgs speech: "Biofuels and Renewable Energy for tackling climate change". To read the speech, click here.
Andris Piebalgs speech: "Energy for a Changing World: The New European Energy Policy". To raed the speech, click here.
Stavros Dimas speech: "Achieving our climate change objectives through renewable energy". To read the speech, click here.
Miscellaneous
The European Commission has adopted an "airport package" involving three main initiatives: a proposal for a directive on airport charges, a communication on airport capacity, efficiency and safety in Europe and a report on the implementation of the ground handling directive. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has closed the infringement proceedings against France regarding the legislation preventing football and other professional sports clubs from being listed on stock markets. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has published its interim report on the competition inquiry into the business insurance sector, with a public hearing to be held in February. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has referred Spain to the ECJ regarding law extending the functions of the Spanish electricity and gas regulator. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has welcomed the CFI judgment dismissing the appeal by France Télécom SA, formerly Wanadoo Interactive SA,. To read the press release, click here.
The European Commission has welcomed the ECJ's ruling upholding the Commission's 1999 finding in relation to the seamless steel tube's cartel case. To read the press release, click here.
 
UK Notifications & Publications
Consultations

Ofcom has opened a consultation into a new approach to public service content in the digital media age. Interested parties should submit their comments by 23 March 2007. To read the consultation, click here and to read the press release, click here.

Ofcom has opened a consultation into Digital Switchover - Management of Transition Coverage Issues. Interested parties should submit their comments by 6 March 2007. To read the consultation, click here and to read the press release, click here.

Ofcom has opened a consultation into the regulatory financial reporting obligations on BT. Interested parties should submit their comments by 23 March 2007. To read the consultation, click here.

Ofgem has opened a consultation into Transmission price control review: Draft licence conditions (gas) second informal consultation. Interested parties should submit their comments by 9 February 2007. To read the consultation, click here and here.

CAT

Floe Telecom Limited (in liquidation) v Office of Communications. The CAT has published its Order of the Tribunal. To read the Order, click here.

Hutchison 3G UK Limited v Office of Communications. The CAT has published its Order (withdrawal and costs). To read the order, click here.

Independent Water Company Ltd v Water Services Regulation Authority (formerly the Director General of Water Services). The CAT has published its Judgment on Admissibility. To read the judgement, click here.

Competition Commission

The OFT has referred the proposed joint venture between Kemira GrowHow Oyj and Terra Industries Inc of their UK fertiliser and process chemicals businesses to the Competition Commission. The CC is expected to report by 12 July 2007. Interested parties should submit their comments by 16 February 2007 To read the referal, click here and to read the press releases, click here and here.

Mergers - Invitation to Comment

Menzies Distribution Ltd/Eason & Son (NI) Limited - wholesale newspaper and magazine distribution services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 9 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Apax Partners SA/Telenor Satellite Services AG - distribution of satellite telecommunications services. Interested parties should submit their comments by 7 February 2007. To read the notification, click here.

Miscellaneous

Ofcom has published "The Communications Market Special Report Niche ISPs". To read the report, click here and to read the press release, click here.

Ofcom has published an update note regarding its own-initiative investigation: Monitoring and enforcement of rules preventing annoyance caused to consumers by silent and abandoned calls. To read the update, click here.

Ofcom has published its Telecommunications Market Data Tables Q2 2006. To read the tables, click here.
The OFT and the Office of Government Commerce have published a guide for public procurers of construction services: 'Making competition work for you'. To read the guide, click here.
The OFT has published an economic research report looking at using commission rates as a payment mechanism and any impact this has on competition and consumer welfare. To read the press release, click here.
The OFT has published the non-infringement decision findings of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority's investigation into EDFE's alleged abuse of dominance by refusing to supply meter data services. To read the press release, click here.