Month: August 2012

Google is attracting even more antitrust scrutiny after its announcement on 13 August that it was acquiring Frommer’s, the travel guide publisher.  Various consumer and internet groups including, Fairsearch.org, an organisation composed of Google’s competitors...

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Two more shots in the supermarket war

August 28, 2012 | 0 Comments

Two reports released last week attack the supermarket majors for anti-competitive practices, returning the focus to the ACCC’s consideration of groceries and adding to calls for a formal investigation. The peak employer organisation for independent...

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In recent weeks, we’ve had two indications of the way in which misleading and deceptive conduct provisions apply to third party content on social platforms like Facebook. While we’ve known for a long time that...

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Bemused as we were to read this list of 16 items you can only buy at Chinese Wal-mart stores, of greater interest is MOFCOM’s recent decision to clear Wal-Mart’s acquisition of a controlling stake in...

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ACCC all gassed up and ready to go!

August 24, 2012 | 0 Comments

Rod Sims has stuck to his guns when he said that cartels are one of the ACCC’s 2012 enforcement priorities.   Just yesterday, the ACCC instituted civil proceedings in the Federal Court against two gas supply...

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On 31st July 2012 the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act was introduced to the US Congress by Senators Patrick Leahy and Chuck Grassley. The legislation is significant as, if it passes, it would be the first...

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Facebook’s billion dollar baby

August 16, 2012 | 1 Comments

The reasonably new “market” that is social networking has seen its first headline-making acquisition cleared by the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT).   The OFT has decided not to refer the acquisition by Facebook of Instagram to...

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Google faces further scrutiny in India

August 14, 2012 | 0 Comments

India’s Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, R.P.N. Singh, has confirmed that Google faces further competition scrutiny in India. In response to a question from Parliament, Mr Singh said that the Competition Commission of India...

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Belts and braces

August 14, 2012 | 0 Comments

After conducting dawn raids in the wire harnesses sector in February 2010, the European Commission has now opened a formal investigation.  The decision, on 9 August 2012, permits the EC to assume authority from national...

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Climate control – carbon cop karma

August 10, 2012 | 0 Comments

Since the introduction of the carbon tax on 1 July, the ACCC has received over 1260 complaints through its carbon claims hotline. And in response to those complaints, the ACCC has taken enforcement action on...

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