Update July 2009: The EC has imposed a total of €61.120.000 in fines on nine suppliers of calcium carbide and magnesium based reagents including Germany-based Almamet, Ecka Granulate, Holding Slovenske elektrarne, SKW Stahl-Metallurgie, Austria-based Donau Chemie, Slovakia-based Novácke chemické závody, under Article 81. Netherlands-based Akzo Nobel was not fined despite its participation because it revealed the existence of the cartel to the Commission
The EC has sent a Statement of Objections to calcium carbide and magnesium powder suppliers concerning potential cartel behavior.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that EC antitrust investigators are widening its probe of the pharmaceutical industry, looking at possible unfair tactics that block competition and prop up prices.
June 25, 2008: The European Commission has fined six aluminum fluoride producers for fixing prices during the second half of 2000. Pursuant to the Commission’s 2002 Leniency Program, a Norwegian producer was not fined.
The European Commission has filed cases with the Tribunal de Commerce in Brussels seeking damages from four lifts companies that were previously found to have operated a cartel charging supra-competitive prices for the installation and maintenance of lifts and escalators in its own buildings and those of other EU institutions, both in Brussels and Luxembourg.
The European Commission confirmed that it had conducted unannounced inspections of washing machine and diswasher detergent and softener companies, investigation possible price fixing and other restrictive practices.
Update March 2009: The parties decided to abandon the merger.
The FTC voted 3-0 with one Commissioner recusing to challenge the $1.4 billion merger between two of the three providers of systems used to estimate the value of junk autos and crash repairs. The Commission contended that it would lessen competition by making collusion more likely and enabling the exercise of unilateral market power in the newly merged firm, which would have more than 60% of the market. The parties, CCC Information Systems and Mitchell International Inc., vowed to fight for the merger arguing that it would not lessen competition and would benefit consumers by spurring innovation and improving sales, service, and communications as well as enabling the merged firm to offer an improved data warehouse. The FTC will seek a preliminary injunction pending administrative review.