COVID-19
Enforcement of Competition Law during COVID-19 Crisis
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe, several national competition authorities have already opened investigations into potential infringements of competition laws
Greece: HCC Launches an E-Commerce Sector Inquiry and a Public Consultation for Stakeholders
On 31 March 2020, the Hellenic Competition Commission published its decision of 11 March 2020 to initiate a sector inquiry into e-commerce, exercising its competency under Article 40 of Law 3959/2011.
New Price Controls Provisions and HCC Investigation regarding Price Increases and Shortages in Healthcare Materials
By Legislative Act – Decree of 20 March 2020 (GG A’ 68/20.03.2020), the Greek State provides further measures in order to address abusive price speculation and shortages, in response to the coronavirus spreading risk.
COVID-19 and the Market: The HCC Urges Market Players to Comply with Competition Rules
On 7 March 2020, the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) issued a Press Release highlighting that the Authority will protect healthy competition in the market, consumers’ interests and economic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Potential intent to increase or maintain companies’ profits or pass-on financial burden to consumers through illegal agreements or unilateral abusive practices jeopardizes the public interest and harms the consumers, without any countervailing benefit for society.
State Aid in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of European countries are taking extraordinary measures in an effort to slow down the spread of infection and cope with the toll that the epidemic is taking on the healthcare sector and economy in general. In addition to being a serious threat to life and health for a large number of people, COVID-19 is hurting the economy through severe disruptions of production, financial markets, supply chains, and workforces.
News
COVID-19 and the Market: The HCC Urges Market Players to Comply with Competition Rules
On 7 March 2020, the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) issued a Press Release highlighting that the Authority will protect healthy competition in the market, consumers’ interests and economic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Potential intent to increase or maintain companies’ profits or pass-on financial burden to consumers through illegal agreements or unilateral abusive practices jeopardizes the public interest and harms the consumers, without any countervailing benefit for society.
Competition Board's Google Shopping Investigation Concluded
The Competition Board, with its decision dated 13 February 2020, has ruled that Google, the economic entity including Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama Ltd. Sti., Google International LLC, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Alphabet Inc., is in a dominant position in general search services and online shopping comparison services markets, and has abused its dominant position by placing its rivals in the shopping comparison services into a competitive disadvantage and obstruct their activities. The decision, along with the implementation of an administrative fine of TRY 100 million, determined various obligations in order to “cease the infringement and re-establish the competition in the market”.
State Aid in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of European countries are taking extraordinary measures in an effort to slow down the spread of infection and cope with the toll that the epidemic is taking on the healthcare sector and economy in general. In addition to being a serious threat to life and health for a large number of people, COVID-19 is hurting the economy through severe disruptions of production, financial markets, supply chains, and workforces.
HCC RunDown 2019
The Hellenic Competition Commission’s (HCC’s) investigatory activity during 2019 was marked by the biggest Dawn Raid carried out to date by HCC’s officials in the banking sector. HCC officials carried out successive unannounced ex officio investigations at the premises of a number of banks and banking associations triggered by complaints filed by market players supporting that the four systemic banks under investigation are alleged to have been involved in anti-competitive horizontal agreements in the provision of banking and payment services.
Turkish Competition Board’s On-site Inspection Authority and the Unilever Decision
KDK’s Competition team, including counsel Neyzar Unubol, associate Ali Tuncsav and trainee associate Gulce Nur Osoydan, discusses the Turkish Competition Board’s on-site inspection authority and the Unilever decision in KDK’s latest Competition Law Bulletin.
