Articles Posted in International Highlights

On November 14, the European Commission approved the merger of Gaz de France (“GDF”) and the Suez group. After an in-depth investigation, the Commission initially found that the deal would have anticompetitive effects in the gas and electricity wholesale and retail markets in Belgium and in the gas markets in France. The Commission’s concerns related…

Wireless technology giant Qualcomm said on November 10 that the Japan Fair Trade Commission might investigate the company’s licensing and business practices. The antitrust regulatory agency notified the company that it might launch an investigation. The agency did not give a start date or disclose which company or companies filed complaints. If Japan’s Fair Trade…

On November 9, the European Commission approved the proposed acquisition of Fisher Scientific International Inc. by Thermo Electron Corporation. Both companies are based in the United States and supply products and services for laboratory activities. The Commission’s clearance is conditional upon the divestiture of Genevac, Fisher’s subsidiary active in the production and sale of centrifugal…

The European Commission cleared the proposed acquisition by the Dutch company Philips of the US-based company Intermagnetics on November 7. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it. Philips markets a wide range of electrical and…

Following her meeting in Brussels on November 7 with Antonio Di Pietro, Italy’s Minister for Public Works, European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes expressed her satisfaction that the Italian authorities removed what the Commission considered to be unjustified obstacles to a merger between Abertis of Spain and Autostrade of Italy. Commissioner Kroes also welcomed Mr…

On October 9th, the European Commission cleared the proposed acquisition of joint control by Arcelor Profil Luxembourg and SNCFL of CFL Cargo, by way of purchase of shares. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. Andre Barlow 202-589-1838

On September 13, the competition regulator for the European Union clashed with Microsoft, this time over security upgrades in the company’s new Windows Vista operating system. The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, warned Microsoft against foreclosing competition in computer security by tying new security featrues into its Windows operating system. Both Symantec and…

On September 12, Deutsche Lufthansa said it would pay $85 million to settle 80 class-action lawsuits in the United States in a price-fixing inquiry involving its air cargo unit. The payment would release the airline and Swiss International Air Lines, which it is taking over, from pending lawsuits in the United States. The settlement is…

The European Commission (“EC”) enlarged the scope of its antitrust review of Intel on September 12 to investigate whether the company pressured an electronics retailer to exclude chips made by Advanced Micro Devices (“AMD”). The relationship between Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, and the retailer, the Media Market division of the German company Metro,…

On August 10, the Chinese government issued rules outlining the conditions for foreign investment in local companies through share swaps, paving the way for such transactions in merger and acquisition deals. The regulations also cover the entry of foreign investors in local companies through mergers and acquisitions. The rules, which take effect on September 9,…