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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) antitrust regulator cleared the $19 billion Vodafone-Three UK deal yesterday

Vodafone-Three merger approval marks UK antitrust shift

Britain's decision to allow two of its four mobile networks to merge is the first big sign that regulators have taken on board the UK government's wish for them to prioritise economic growth and infrastructure investment over lower consumer prices.

Business • 06 Dec 24

Booking.com's restrictions against hotels offering lower rates on their websites or on rival sites could reduce competition, Europe's top court said today

Booking.com's price curbs on hotels may hit competition

Booking.com's restrictions against hotels offering lower rates on their websites or on rival sites are unnecessary and could reduce competition, Europe's top court said in a ruling targeting a widely used practice in the industry.

Business • 19 Sep 24

Europe's second-top court has backed Google's challenge against a €1.49 billion antitrust fine imposed five years ago

EU court annuls €1.5 billion Google antitrust fine

Alphabet unit Google won a legal challenge today against a €1.49 billion European Union antitrust fine, while Qualcomm failed to repeal a penalty.

Business • 18 Sep 24

The European Commission plans to add import duties onto Chinese electric vehicles over claims they benefit from state subsidies

China 'disappointed' by Europe's rejection of EV proposal

China said it was "deeply disappointed" with the European Commission's decision to reject a minimum import price proposal aimed at warding off tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Business • 13 Sep 24

The European Commission said Mondelez had engaged in anti-competitive deals and had also abused its dominant position in breach of EU competition laws

Mondelez fined €337.5m by EU for cross-border trade curbs

Oreo and Cadbury's maker Mondelez International was fined €337.5m by EU antitrust regulators today for impeding cross-border trade of chocolate, biscuits and coffee products between EU countries.

Business • 23 May 24

The civil lawsuit accuses Apple of an illegal monopoly on smartphones maintained by imposing contractual restrictions on, and withholding critical access from, developers.

US takes on Apple in competition lawsuit

The US Department of Justice and 15 US states have today sued Apple, alleging it monopolised smartphone markets in the first major antitrust effort against the iPhone maker by the Biden administration.

Business • 21 Mar 24

Microsoft claimed that Google's Gemini had an advantage over rivals due to the company's access to data and advanced hardware

Microsoft takes swipe at Google over AI platform

Alphabet unit Google enjoys a competitive edge in generative artificial intelligence due to its trove of data and AI-optimised chips, Microsoft has told EU competition regulators.

Business • 15 Mar 24

The FTC has accused Amazon of fighting efforts by sellers on its online marketplace to offer products more cheaply on other platforms

Amazon faces landmark monopoly lawsuit from FTC

The US Federal Trade Commission has filed a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.com and asked the court to consider forcing the online retailer to sell assets as the government accuses Big Tech of monopolizing the most lucrative parts of the internet.

Business • 27 Sep 23

Meta's battle with the German cartel office started in 2019

Meta's privacy duties can be part of antitrust probe

Antitrust authorities may assess whether companies comply with EU data protection rules during their investigations, an adviser to Europe's top court has ruled, dealing a possible blow to Facebook owner Meta in its fight against the German competition agency.

Business • 20 Sep 22

The takeover marks Tesco's first significant investment in a supermarket portfolio since it entered the market here in 1997

Tesco to sell Joyce's Oranmore to assuage CCPC concerns

Tesco's proposed takeover of the Joyce's supermarket group in Galway has been cleared by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), subject to the provision of a number of legally binding commitments.

Business • 08 Jun 22

The European Commission had opened the in-depth investigation into Insurance Ireland's data sharing system in May 2019

EU claims Insurance Ireland breached competition rules

EU competition regulators have told Insurance Ireland that they have formed the preliminary view that it breached competition rules in the motor market, following a two-year long investigation.

Business • 18 Jun 21

The proposals have been tabled by European Commission competition chief Margrethe Vestager

EU proposes rules to curb state-backed foreign buyers

The European Commission has proposed rules to restrain companies that benefit from foreign subsidies to buy EU businesses or take part in public tenders, with a particular eye on fending off unfair competition from China.

Business • 05 May 21

Apple has been accused of unfairly squeezing out music streaming rivals through its App Store

EU charges Apple with unfair competition in App Store

EU competition regulators have today charged iPhone maker Apple with setting restrictive rules on its App Store that force developers to use its own in-app payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchasing options.

Business • 30 Apr 21

EU Commission opens antitrust probe into Teva

Israeli drugmaker is being investigated by EU antitrust regulators who are looking into whether it illegally hindered rivals' access to its multiple sclerosis medicine Copaxone.

Business • 04 Mar 21

The banks hoped to have the app rolling out around the summer

CCPC rejects Irish banks' Revolut-style app application

A plan by the main banks here to develop a person to person money transfer app to rival Revolut and N26 has been dealt an early set back, after the competition regulator rejected its application for clearance due to insufficient information.

Business • 21 Jan 21

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager

EU charges Amazon with distorting online competition

The European Union has charged Amazon with damaging retail competition, accusing the US company of using its size, power and data to give it an unfair advantage over smaller merchants that sell on its online platform.

Business • 10 Nov 20

Google looks likely to face a competition case in the US over its dominance in the digital advertising market

Google working with rivals in face of competition suit

Small rivals of Alphabet's Google say signs are emerging of more benevolent behavior from the online advertising leader amid accusations by the US government and states that the company uses its dominance to thwart competition.

Business • 02 Oct 20

Margrethe Vestager said companies worked hard to turn a profit and they paid taxes on that - but this should apply to all firms rather than most

All firms must pay fair share of tax - Vestager

The European Commissioner responsible for competition has said it is very important to make sure all businesses pay their fair share of tax, so the public purse and European citizens are not deprived of much needed funds for investment.

Business • 02 Oct 20

Fitbit had a 3% share of the global wearables market as of the first quarter of 2020

Google set to win EU okay for Fitbit deal - sources

Alphabet's Google is set to win EU competition approval for its $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness tracker maker Fitbit with its latest concessions to address EU concerns, people familiar with the matter said today.

Business • 29 Sep 20

5 ways to keep an eye on your competition

The old saying is true, keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

Boost My Business • 12 Aug 20

The plans are being proposed by EU Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager

Proposals to relax state aid rules published by EU

Companies hit by the coronavirus will be allowed to receive state grants up to €500,000 or subsidised state guarantees on bank loans as part of new temporary rules, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said today.

Business • 17 Mar 20

CVC Capital Partners is set to take a 27% stake in the Pro14 - but it's also in talks to acquire a piece of the Six Nations Championship

Competition body clears CVC's investment in Pro14

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has cleared an investment in the Pro14 rugby league by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, subject to conditions relating to the Six Nations tournament.

Business • 15 Jan 20

Denmark's Margrethe Vestager was one of the stars of the outgoing commission

EU competition chief Vestager gains power in Commission

European competition chief Margrethe Vestager, whose tough line with US tech giants has enraged Washington, today won a strengthened role in the incoming EU Commission.

Business • 10 Sep 19

Qualcomm shares slump after US competition ruling

US judge rules Qualcomm practices violate antitrust law

Qualcomm unlawfully suppressed competition in the market for mobile phone chips and used its dominant position to impose excessive licensing fees, a US judged has ruled.

Business • 22 May 19

European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Google was fined for illegal misuse of its dominant position in the market for the brokering of online search adverts

EU fines Google €1.49 billion for blocking ad rivals

European Union competition regulators have today handed down a €1.49 billion fine to Alphabet's Google for blocking rival online search advertisers.

Business • 20 Mar 19