Emily Townsend
Subscribe to Emily Townsend's PostsHigher Mitigation of Fines Due to Prompt Implementation of Measures Addressing Authority’s Concerns in Unfair Commercial Practices Investigations
By Emily Townsend on Feb 15, 2017
Posted In Consumer Protection/Privacy, Italian Developments
In a decision published on 10 February 2017, imposing Samsung Electronics Italia S.p.A. (“Samsung”) fines totaling € 3.1 million for alleged aggressive unfair commercial practices, the Italian Competition Authority (the “Authority”) confirmed that the prompt implementation of measures aimed at addressing its concerns regarding alleged unfair commercial practices leads to a higher mitigation of the...
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Compliance Programs – The Italian Competition Authority Highlights the Importance of an Effective Implementation and Update
By Emily Townsend on Jan 25, 2017
Posted In Italian Developments
On 19 January 2017, the Italian Competition Authority (the Authority) issued a decision concerning alleged anticompetitive agreements in the home ventilotherapy and home oxygentherapy supply services sector in Italy. The decision acknowledges the importance of implementing and updating effective compliance programs, in order to be able to benefit from a mitigation of the fine.
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An Increased Cooperation in Enforcement Activity: The Italian Competition Authority and the Italian Medicines Agency Sign a Memorandum of Understanding
By Emily Townsend on Jan 23, 2017
Posted In Italian Developments, Monopolization/Abuse of Dominance
On 19 January 2017, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) and the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) signed a memorandum of understanding in order to increase enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector by strengthening their investigation powers and facilitating the exchange of data. Under the agreement, AGCM and AIFA will inform each other on cases concerning alleged violations...
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Unfair Commercial Practices – The Italian Competition Authority and The Italian Communication Authority Sign a Memorandum of Understanding
By Emily Townsend on Jan 17, 2017
Posted In Consumer Protection/Privacy, EU Developments, Italian Developments
On 13 January 2017, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) and the Italian Communication Authority (AGCOM) signed a memorandum of understanding concerning several aspects of their cooperation in the application of consumers’ protection rules. Under the memorandum of understanding, in the case of consumers’ protection matters, which potentially involve both authorities, there will be coordinated actions,...
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Sale of Serie A Broadcasting Rights, the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio Annuls the Decision of the Italian Competition Authority
By Emily Townsend on Dec 30, 2016
Posted In EC Developments, Italian Developments
On 23 December 2016, the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio (the TAR) annulled the decision of the Italian Competition Authority (the Authority), against Sky Italia S.r.l. (Sky); Reti Televisive Italiane S.p.A. (and its subsidiary Mediaset Premium S.p.A.) (RTI); the Italian Football League (Lega Calcio); and Infront Italy S.r.l.(Infront), concerning an alleged violation of Article 101...
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The Italian Competition Authority Investigates Alleged Margin Squeeze in the Italian Bulk SMS Market
By Emily Townsend on Nov 23, 2016
Posted In Italian Developments, Monopolization/Abuse of Dominance
On 16 November 2016, the Italian Competition Authority (the “Authority”) opened a proceeding against Vodafone Italia and Telecom Italia for alleged abusive conducts in the bulk SMS market. According to the Authority, both companies would have abused their dominant position in the upstream market of SMS termination services through alleged abusive conducts aimed at excluding...
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Model Management Services, Italian Competition Authority Fines 8 Modelling Agencies and Their Trade Association for Price Fixing
By Emily Townsend on Nov 14, 2016
Posted In French Developments, Italian Developments, Joint Ventures/Competitor Collaboration, Monopolization/Abuse of Dominance
On 11 November 2016, the Italian Competition Authority (the Authority) fined eight modelling agencies (B.M. S.r.l. – Brave, D’management Group S.r.l., Elite Model Management S.r.l., Enjoy S.r.l., Major Model Management S.r.l., Next Italy S.r.l., Why Not S.r.l. and Women Models S.p.a.) and their trade association (Assem) of € 4.5 million for alleged price collusion. According...
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Misleading Terms & Conditions and Unfair Contract Terms: The Italian Competition Authority Opens Two Investigations against WhatsApp Inc.
By Emily Townsend on Nov 1, 2016
Posted In Consumer Protection/Privacy, Italian Developments
On 28 October 2016, the Italian Competition Authority (the “Authority”) opened two investigations against WhatsApp Inc. for alleged unfair commercial practices. The first investigation by the Authority alleges that WhatsApp Inc. would have forced users to subscribe to new terms and conditions, in particular, a clause on the sharing of data with Facebook, by making...
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Antitrust M&A Snapshot: July – September 2016 Update
By Emily Townsend on Oct 31, 2016
Posted In DOJ Developments, EC Developments, FTC Developments
UNITED STATES: Continuing an active first half of 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and US Department of Justice (DOJ) have challenged several large mergers and acquisitions. In fact, trials for the two national health insurer deals are slated to begin Q4 of 2016 in Washington, DC, where the agencies have had success in obtaining...
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Ad hoc Local Leniency Application Makes the Difference: The Italian Council of State Upholds the Administrative Court of Lazio Judgment on the Alleged International Road Freight Cartel
By Emily Townsend on Oct 26, 2016
Posted In Cartel Enforcement, EC Developments, Italian Developments
On 20 October 2016, the Italian Council of State (the “Council of State”) upheld the judgment of the Administrative Court of Lazio (“TAR”) on the cartel in the sector of international road freight forwarding to and from Italy and confirmed the ranking applied in granting the reduction of the fine. According to the Council of...
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