News

Israel orders banks to share data about rising interest rates

Israel’s Competition Authority is investigating whether banks are passing on their profits from interest rate hikes to consumers, amidst claims from the country’s economy minister that the enforcer is underperforming.

31 May 2023

Romania launches abuse probe over PlayStation Store exclusivity provisions

Romania’s Competition Council has opened an investigation into Sony over allegations it refused to allow rival distributors to sell activation codes for PlayStation-compatible games, forcing publishers to sell their products via the PlayStation Store.

31 May 2023

German sector inquiry considers possibility of Google break up

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office has discussed the possibility of breaking up Google’s online advertising business in its final sector inquiry report, as the country’s lawmakers prepare to give the agency new powers to order structural divestments after a market study.

31 May 2023

China issues first joint cartel and abuse fine to epinephrine maker

China’s competition authority has for the first time ever sanctioned a company for cartel conduct and abuse of dominance in a single case – slapping an active pharmaceutical ingredient supplier with a €37.7 million penalty.

31 May 2023

South Africa exempts energy supplier cooperation amid load shedding crisis

South Africa’s government has relaxed competition rules for national energy suppliers to reduce the impact of country-wide blackouts resulting from an ongoing energy crisis.

31 May 2023

Austria remedies online radio streaming deal

Austria’s Federal Competition Authority has allowed the national public broadcaster to purchase a majority stake in an online radio streaming service, provided it grants all licensed radio operators reasonable access to the platform.

31 May 2023

EU request for expedited Illumina/Grail appeal fails

The EU’s General Court has dismissed a request by the European Commission to expedite Illumina’s appeal against the authority’s decision blocking its €5.9 billion acquisition of Grail.

31 May 2023

French home appliance makers settle decade-long probe

Electrolux and BSH are accepting fines to settle the French antitrust enforcer’s allegations that they fixed resale prices and exchanged competitively sensitive information with four other rivals from 2014 to 2019.

31 May 2023

COFECE hits Veolia, Engie and Suez with gun jumping fines

Mexico’s competition authority has slapped three major water and waste management companies with penalties for failing to notify three separate transactions as part of the Veolia/Suez mega-merger.

31 May 2023

Indonesia fines cooking oil cartel, drops claims against 20 companies

Indonesia’s Competition Commission has fined seven cooking oil producers €4.4 million for colluding to restrict supply, despite a board member's dissenting opinion arguing that 27 accused businesses illegally fixed prices.

30 May 2023

Unlock unlimited access to all Global Competition Review content