Truly Green? CMA Continues to Evolve Guidance and Metrics for Companies’ Environmental Claims -
The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) Green Claims Code (the Code) and final guidance (the Guidance) on...more
12/22/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EU ,
Green Marketing ,
Net Zero ,
New Guidance ,
Regulation Technical Standards (RTS) ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
Businesses must review the Green Claims Code and accompanying guidance to determine whether their environmental claims are in compliance.
Background: The need for a Green Claims Code -
The Competition and Markets...more
The European Commission continues to explore how competition policy can support the bloc’s increased focus on sustainability and progression towards climate neutrality by 2050.
On 10 September 2021, Inge Bernaerts,...more
Delivering the European Green Deal | Fit for 55 package -
The European Commission has put forward Fit for 55, a package of legislative proposals to make its policies fit for delivering the updated 2030 greenhouse gas...more
The new rules follow coordinated regulatory and antitrust scrutiny of overcharging loyal customers. On 28 May 2021, the FCA published a policy statement setting out new pricing practices rules for insurers and insurance...more
The CMA’s efforts to make dynamic, forward-looking assessments of parties’ overlaps will only increase post-Brexit.
Dealmakers must be alert to the increasingly interventionist approach of the UK’s Competition and Markets...more
Emerging companies have historically been backed by venture capital funds, but as Europe’s startup scene matures, involvement by more traditional private equity investors is growing, particularly in the tech, consumer, and...more
12/17/2020
/ Buyouts ,
Digital Health ,
Emerging Growth Companies ,
Emerging Technology Companies ,
Investors ,
Life Sciences ,
Private Equity ,
Private Equity Firms ,
Startups ,
Target Company ,
Technology Sector
On 10 July, the CMA announced that it was investigating suspected breaches of consumer protection law in the package holiday sector. The investigation was launched on the back of work carried out by the CMA’s COVID-19...more
7/15/2020
/ Competition Act ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Holidays ,
Price Gouging ,
Relief Measures ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ,
Unfair Competition Law (UCL) ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
The CMA continues to field COVID-19 complaints concerning refunds and previously widespread excessive prices on day-to-day products.
The CMA continues to respond to complaints from consumers on COVID-19-related issues....more
The investigation is being carried out under the CMA’s competition law powers rather than under its consumer protection functions.
On 18 June, the CMA released an update noting that it had launched an investigation under...more
The UK government has relaxed the application of UK competition law to certain types of agreements across sectors.
On 21 May 2020, the CMA published a register containing links to each public policy exclusion order and...more
The taskforce continues to receive and monitor complaints about unfair practices in relation to cancellations and refunds and potentially unjustifiable price rises.
On 21 May, the CMA released a further update setting out...more
The CMA has launched a programme of work to investigate reports of businesses failing to respect cancellation rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CMA’s COVID-19 Taskforce Update on 24 April 2020 noted that its...more
The CMA is concerned that businesses may be engaging in unfair practices in relation to cancellations and refunds, and unjustifiable price increases.
Background -
On 24 April 2020, the Competition and Markets Authority...more
The new service encourages UK consumers to report exploitative sales and pricing practices.
On 4 April 2020, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an online service called “Report a business behaving...more
Ofgem’s recently announced goals and developments and changes to the post-Brexit state aid regime will have important implications for market players.
2020 is set to be a an important year for competition law-related...more
Court ruling confirms that online sales restrictions can amount to a serious infringement of competition law.
On 21 January 2020, the UK’s Court of Appeal ruled that the online sales restrictions contained in Ping’s...more
M&A deal teams should take note of heightened scrutiny of HR and employment practices by antitrust enforcers in the US and Europe.
No-poach, non-solicitation, and wage-fixing agreements - arrangements between companies...more
1/31/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Anti-Competitive ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Corporate Liability ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Due Diligence ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
EU ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Merger Controls ,
Mergers ,
No-Poaching ,
Non-Solicitation Agreements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Share Purchase Agreements ,
Technology Sector ,
UK ,
Wage-Fixing
Buyout firms and portfolio companies should take note of heightened scrutiny of HR and employment practices by antitrust enforcers, both in the US and in Europe. No-poach and wage-fixing agreements — arrangements between...more
12/9/2019
/ Antitrust Division ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Competition Authorities ,
Contract Terms ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Authority ,
EU ,
France ,
Gun-Jumping ,
Ireland ,
Italy ,
Merger Controls ,
No-Poaching ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity Firms ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Technology Sector ,
UK ,
Wage-Fixing
Businesses should review land agreements to avoid infringing competition law.
Many UK businesses operate from, or handle property governed by, some form of land agreement. These land agreements can include agreements for...more
The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has imposed a £20,000 fixed penalty on Hungryhouse Holdings Limited (Hungryhouse). The CMA imposed the penalty under Section 110 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA02) for failure to...more