News releasesRSS Feed

• Anglo/Lafarge joint venture: issues statement

  11 Oct 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has published an issues statement as part of its investigation into the proposed UK joint venture between Anglo American PLC (Anglo American) and Lafarge S.A. (Lafarge) to the Competition Commission (CC).

• In-flight catering joint venture - Competition Commission invites evidence

  10 Oct 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the anticipated joint venture between Alpha Flight Group Limited (Alpha) and LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG (LSG) to the Competition Commission (CC).

• CC puts Scottish airport sale first

  7 Oct 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has decided to bring forward the requirement for BAA to sell either Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport.

• CC has change for the buses

  6 Oct 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published detailed and wide-ranging proposals to open up bus markets across the country to greater competition.

• Anglo/Lafarge joint venture - Competition Commission invites evidence

  2 Sep 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the proposed UK joint venture between Anglo American PLC (Anglo American) and Lafarge S.A. (Lafarge) to the Competition Commission (CC).

• CC clears STS/Butlers merger

  31 Aug 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has formally cleared the completed acquisition by Sector Treasury Services Limited (STS) of Butlers, a trading division of ICAP plc, which provides treasury management advisory (TMA) services. STS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capita Business Services Limited.

• Waste management water merger – CC invites evidence

  25 Aug 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the completed acquisition by Stericycle, Inc (Stericycle) of Ecowaste Southwest Limited (Ecowaste) to the Competition Commission (CC).

• CC finds lack of competition in pay-TV movies

  19 Aug 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally found that Sky’s control over pay-TV movie rights in the UK is restricting competition between pay-TV providers, leading to higher prices and reduced choice and innovation for subscribers.

• CC clears Thomas Cook/Co-op travel agency joint venture

  16 Aug 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has formally cleared the anticipated travel business joint venture between Thomas Cook, the Co-operative Group (Co-op) and the Midlands Co-operative Society (Midlands).

• Kerry/Headland frozen ready meals merger

  3 Aug 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has published an issues statement as part of its investigation into the completed acquisition of the frozen ready meals business of Headland Foods Limited (Headland) by Kerry Foods Limited (Kerry).

• CC announces changes

  2 Aug 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has announced that two of its Deputy Chairmen are to stand down, whilst also welcoming a new acting Chief Economist.

• CC formally cancels News Corp/BSkyB inquiry

  25 Jul 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today formally cancelled its inquiry into the proposed acquisition by News Corporation of the 60.9 per cent of shares in British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC not already owned by it.

• CC provisionally clears Thomas Cook/Co-op travel agency joint venture

  21 Jul 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally cleared the anticipated travel business joint venture between Thomas Cook, the Co-operative Group (Co-op) and the Midlands Co-operative Society (Midlands).

• CC confirms BAA airports sales

  19 Jul 2011

  BAA will be required to sell Stansted Airport followed by Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport, the Competition Commission (CC) has confirmed today.

• BATS/Chi-X merger inquiry: issues statement

  12 Jul 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published an issues statement as part of its investigation into the anticipated acquisition by BATS Trading Limited of Chi-X Europe Limited.

• CAT refers wholesale mobile voice call termination appeals to CC

  1 Jul 2011

  The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has today referred to the Competition Commission (CC) the price control matters in appeals brought against Ofcom by British Telecom, Everything Everywhere, Hutchison 3G and Vodafone. The reference is about the prices that Ofcom permits communication providers to charge for the termination of a wholesale mobile voice call.

• Stena/DFDS merger inquiry: CC clears ferry acquisition

  29 Jun 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has formally cleared Stena AB’s completed acquisition of two Irish Sea ferry services from DFDS A/S.

• Review of Domestic Electrical Goods Order: CC invites comments on the OFT’s advice

  24 Jun 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) is to review whether to remove the Domestic Electrical Goods Order (and certain associated undertakings), which prevents suppliers from recommending resale prices or making agreements that restrict the resale prices of wholesalers and retailers for goods such as televisions and washing machines. The Order also sets out measures to prevent suppliers from applying criteria they use to select wholesalers and retailers in a discriminatory way so as to withhold supply from certain wholesalers or retailers.

• CC Chief Economist joins FTC

  22 Jun 2011

  The Competition Commission’s (CC) Chief Economist, Dr Alison Oldale, is joining the USA’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on a year’s secondment as Deputy Director for Antitrust Economics in the Bureau of Economics. Dr Oldale, who will take up her position next month, joined the CC in April 2009 from economics consulting firm LECG, where she was a director.

• BATS Trading/Chi-X merger inquiry – CC invites evidence

  20 Jun 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the anticipated acquisition by BATS Trading Limited of Chi-X Europe Limited to the Competition Commission (CC).

• CC states case on competition reform

  14 Jun 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published its formal response to the Government’s consultation on reforms to the UK competition regime. The government proposals, which were published in March, include merging the CC and competition functions of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) into a single Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CC’s detailed response is available here.

• CC clears Ratcliff/R&B merger

  10 Jun 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has formally cleared the anticipated acquisition by Ratcliff Palfinger Limited of the commercial vehicles tail lifts spare parts business of Ross & Bonnyman Limited.

• Stena/DFDS merger inquiry: CC provisionally clears ferry acquisition

  25 May 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally cleared Stena AB’s completed acquisition of two Irish Sea ferry services from DFDS A/S.

• R&B merger gets a lift

  18 May 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally cleared the anticipated acquisition by Ratcliff Palfinger Limited of the commercial vehicles tail lifts spare parts business of Ross & Bonnyman Limited.

• CC looks for more competition on the buses

  6 May 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) is looking at ways to open up more bus markets across the country after concluding that too many operators face little or no competition in local areas.

• CC consults on guidelines

  28 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) is formally consulting on its new merger procedural guidelines as well as inviting further views on the current draft of its updated market investigation guidelines.

• CC publishes telecoms appeals guidance

  27 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published guidance for parties involved in telecoms price appeals.

• CC confirms variations to Centrica Undertakings

  20 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today confirmed the undertakings that will continue to control Centrica’s ownership and operation of the Rough gas storage facility.

• CC publishes financial reporting requirements for Aberdeen Airport

  20 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has published the agreed undertakings for Aberdeen Airport which finalize financial reporting obligations for the airport’s owner, BAA.

• CC publishes 2011/12 Business Plan

  11 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has published its business plan for 2011/12, which sets out its aims and objectives over the next 12 months.

• CC/OFT publish guidance on merger surveys

  5 Apr 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today published guidance setting out good practice principles for the design and presentation of consumer survey research in merger inquiries.

• Mortgage software merger inquiry cancelled

  31 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has formally cancelled its inquiry concerning the anticipated acquisition by MBL Holdings Limited (MBL) of TrigoldCrystal Group Limited (TrigoldCrystal).

• CC requires BAA to press ahead with airport sales

  30 Mar 2011

  BAA should still be required to sell Stansted Airport and Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport, the Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally concluded today.

• CC and OFT publish quick guide on merger assessment

  25 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have today jointly published a quick guide to help businesses understand what to expect from the competition authorities when they investigate a merger.

• Payment protection insurance: CC publishes final order

  24 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published the final order detailing measures to introduce competition into the Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) market.

• OFT and CC publish joint commentary on retail mergers

  17 Mar 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Competition Commission (CC) have today published a joint commentary on retail mergers.

• CC responds to competition regime proposals

  16 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today welcomed the Government’s consultation on reforms to the UK competition regime whilst stressing that any changes must build on the strengths of the current system.

• CC publishes proposals on Centrica Undertakings

  8 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has published for consultation its provisional decision on the variations it proposes to make to Undertakings given by Centrica Storage Ltd (CSL) and Centrica plc (together ‘Centrica’) following Centrica plc’s acquisition in 2002 of the Rough gas storage facility (Rough).

• CC consults on financial reporting requirements for Aberdeen Airport

  4 Mar 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) is consulting on draft undertakings for Aberdeen Airport which, when agreed, will finalize financial reporting obligations for the airport’s owner BAA.

• Ratcliff Palfinger/Ross & Bonnyman merger: CC invites evidence

  24 Feb 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the anticipated acquisition by Ratcliff Palfinger Limited of the commercial vehicle tail lifts spare parts business of Ross & Bonnyman Limited to the Competition Commission (CC).

• Statement from CC following Supreme Court decision on BAA Appeal

  18 Feb 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to refuse BAA permission to appeal against the CC’s decision in the BAA investigation, including the requirement for BAA to sell Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airports, Gatwick having already been sold.

• Stena/DFDS merger inquiry – CC invites evidence

  9 Feb 2011

  The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred Stena AB’s completed acquisition of two Irish Sea ferry services from DFDS A/S to the Competition Commission (CC).

• CC review of Telecoms Appeal process

  4 Feb 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has today published a review of how it conducts telecoms appeals. The report makes a number of recommendations for the CC and other bodies with the aim of making the overall process more effective and efficient. The CC will now consult on new draft procedural guidelines which will incorporate the recommendations.

• CC plans to keep Centrica Undertakings

  12 Jan 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally decided to keep in place Undertakings given by Centrica plc and Centrica Storage Ltd (together ‘Centrica’) following Centrica plc’s acquisition in 2002 of the Rough gas storage facility (Rough). Rough is a gas field in the North Sea used to store gas in the summer and deliver it in winter when needed to help meet higher demand. Rough provides the majority of Great Britain’s gas storage for the winter.

• Northern Ireland Banking Order amended

  10 Jan 2011

  The Competition Commission (CC) has decided to amend the Northern Ireland Personal Current Account Banking Market Investigation Order 2008, which brought in a number of measures to improve competition for personal current account (PCA) banking customers in Northern Ireland. This is in order to comply with European directives and confirms the CC’s provisional decision which was published in October.