(July 9, 2020) On June 16, 2020, Turkey’s parliament passed a law amending the country’s Law on the Protection of Competition (LPC). The explanatory memorandum of the bill that became the amending law explains that the main purpose of the amendments is to reflect in Turkish law the developments that have occurred in European Union […]
Topic: Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Treaties and International Agreements/European Union
(June 3, 2020) On May 8, 2020, the European Commission adopted a second amendment to extend the scope of the Temporary Framework for State Aid Measures to include recapitalization measures and subordinated debt. The Temporary Framework was first adopted on March 19, 2020, allowing a variety of state aid measures otherwise incompatible with European Union […]
Topic: Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Emergency management, Epidemics, Government lending and loan guarantees, Infectious and parasitic diseases, International organizations, Public health, Small business, Treaties and International Agreements/European Union
(Apr. 10, 2020) On March 19, 2020, the European Commission (Commission) adopted a Temporary Framework for state aid measures (Temporary Framework) to support the European Union economy during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Under the Temporary Framework, member states can temporarily grant state aid in a variety of forms that would otherwise be incompatible with the […]
Topic: Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Government lending and loan guarantees, International organizations, Small business, Treaties and International Agreements/European Union
(Oct. 23, 2019) On August 26, 2019, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, temporarily suspended an order (English summary) of the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO), the country’s highest competition authority, which had restricted Facebook’s ability to process user data. Facebook therefore currently does not have to comply with the order. The decision in […]
Topic: Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Consumer protection, Data protection, Internet, Social media
(June 6, 2019) On April 23, 2019, the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee of the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) adopted an amendment to the PRC Anti-unfair Competition Law, revising provisions of the Law concerning trade secrets. The amended Law took effect on the same day. (NPC Standing Committee Decision of Amending […]
Topic: Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Trade secrets
(Jan. 7, 2019) On December 13, 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) held that a “contribution” required to be paid by all German households to public broadcasters is compatible with European Union (EU) law, in particular with the rules on preferential state aid. The request for a preliminary ruling was submitted by a judge […]
Topic: Broadcasting, Competition, antitrust, and monopolies
(Sept. 28, 2018) On September 13, 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) held that selling SIM cards with preinstalled and preloaded fee-incurring services constitutes an aggressive unfair commercial practice. It stated that consumers must be informed in advance of such services so that they can make a free choice. The ECJ concluded that such […]
Topic: Cell phones, Commerce, Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Consumer protection
(Dec. 19, 2017) On December 12, 2017, Japan’s Supreme Court ruled that the national Fair Trade Commission (FTC) can impose surcharges on firms that join cartels established overseas if the cartels impair the free competition of the Japanese market. (Sup. Ct., Dec. 12, 2017, 2016 (Gyo-hi) No. 233, Courts in Japan website (in Japanese).) Japan’s […]
(Mar. 20, 2017) On February 26, 2017, the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) published the Amendment of Unfair Competition Law (Draft for Comments) (the Draft) online, to solicit public opinions on the Draft. Comments from the public may be submitted until March 25, 2017, online at www.npc.gov.cn, or by […]
Topic: Bribery, Competition, antitrust, and monopolies, Internet, Marketing and advertising, Trade secrets, Trademarks
(Feb. 10, 2017) On February 3, 2017, new legislation governing judicial procedures for the recovery of damages arising from antitrust violations entered into effect in Italy. (Legislative Decree No. 3 of January 19, 2017 Implementing EU Directive 2014/104/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 November 2014 on Certain Rules Governing Actions […]
