German enforcer issues rare JV block

Germany’s competition authority has blocked a proposed joint venture between two bearings makers whose sophisticated expertise meant no rival could compete with them.

EU conditionally clears creation of European champion

The European Commission has conditionally approved the sale of Solvay’s nylon business to chemical company BASF, in a deal that EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said will create “a significant European player”.

Parallel pricing not a per-se infringement, South African tribunal rules

South Africa’s Competition Tribunal has thrown out a price-fixing complaint against a power cables company, concluding that Tulisa Cables lawfully engaged in price parallelism so it could compete in an oligopolistic market.

Slow response to dominant platforms to be expected, says US academic

The slow social response to the market power of dominant platforms is to be expected, a former chief antitrust economist for the US Department of Justice has said.
Urgent review of in-depth merger deadlines is needed, UK tribunal says

The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal has called for “urgent consideration” of existing statutory deadlines that govern the review of complex mergers in the event that the UK exits the European Union.
Big tech platforms could be broken up, says Nobel-winning economist

Public intervention in digital economies is unavoidable, Jean Tirole has said, noting that he would not oppose breaking up some large technology companies. Matt Richards in Brussels

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GCR USA

Qualcomm begins its defence

Today is Qualcomm’s first full day at trial to defend itself against the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit – relying on its innovations and contributions to fundamental cellular inventions to sway the judge.

Don't forget to wash your hands: The Tipline for 18 January 2019

We’ve got coverage of a lot of action in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry today. United HealthCare is suing multiple drug makers for price fixing, while biopharmaceutical company Retrophin is trying to get monopolisation charges against it dropped. We also report ahead of Qualcomm’s continued defence against allegations by the Federal Trade Commission, and have detail of former House antitrust subcommittee chairman Tom Marino’s resignation from Congress. We’ll be back in your inboxes on Tuesday after Martin Luther King Day.

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Features

2019 year in preview: pull-and-refile increases in Europe

At the end of 2018, the European Commission approved two mergers at Phase I that the companies had notified to the enforcer several months earlier – but had then withdrawn and re-filed. Observers say the tactic, a standard option in US merger practice, is becoming more common in the EU to avoid costly Phase II reviews.

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