In a significant setback for Microsoft’s ambitious $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a US federal judge has temporarily blocked the deal in response to a request from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The move comes as the FTC pursues a legal challenge against the acquisition, citing concerns about potential anticompetitive practices and a breach […]
Continue Reading
The proposed acquisition between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines faces significant hurdles as the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the European Union (EU) have expressed concerns about reduced competition on specific passenger and cargo routes. Rationale of the deal The merger would create the largest carrier of passengers and cargo on routes between the […]
Continue Reading
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have reached an agreement to merge with LIV Golf, a Saudi Arabian-backed circuit. This groundbreaking deal puts an end to the acrimonious split in the game, but legal experts warn that this agreement could raise antitrust concerns. A Unified Front After a year of legal battles and fierce […]
Continue Reading
Mexico’s competition watchdog (Cofece in Spanish) is probing potential “illegal agreements” between distributors and exhibitors in the film industry. This investigation may put to a test the precedents where the regulator acknowledged the strong competition between Cinemax and Cinépolis. Investigation into Illegal Agreements in the Film Industry In May, Cofece’s public officials visited the offices […]
Continue Reading
The antitrust litigation against Alphabet Inc.’s Google, filed by state attorneys general, has taken a significant turn as a judicial panel transferred the case back to a federal court in Texas. The move to Texas has the potential to expedite the litigation process, which had been progressing slowly in other jurisdictions. In 2020, a group […]
Continue Reading
Microsoft’s $75 billion Activision deal is facing significant hurdles in both the UK and the US. In these jurisdictions, the companies need to win in the courtrooms if they want to close the deal. The interpretation of the remedies pertaining to the distribution of cloud gaming services could change the fate of the deal. Rationale […]
Continue Reading
The revised rules expand the scope of the exemption regulation covering more areas and providing clarifications about when two or more competitors can collaborate without violating EU rules. Importance of the Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations (HBERs) Under Article 101(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), agreements that restrict competition are […]
Continue Reading
In a significant development for the payment card industry, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted its final approval to a consent order mandating that Mastercard discontinue its practice of obstructing the use of competing debit payment networks. The FTC’s investigation into Mastercard stemmed from allegations that the company employed unlawful business tactics to coerce […]
Continue Reading
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has provided significant assurances to U.K. antitrust regulators to address concerns regarding its utilisation of advertising data to favor its own products. These measures come as Meta faces scrutiny over allegations of leveraging user data from its social network to influence content display and recommendations on Facebook Marketplace. These commitments from […]
Continue Reading
In a significant legal development, a federal judge in Boston has ruled in favor of the Justice Department (DoJ), ordering American Airlines and JetBlue Airways to dismantle their partnership known as the Northeast Alliance. This decision comes as a boost to the Biden administration’s efforts to prevent consolidation in key industries and uphold competition for […]
Continue Reading