Ethisphere News and Commentary Blog

EU Commission

Major Pharmaceutical Companies Raided by EU Officials

January 17th, 2008

Several major pharmaceutical companies were raided by European authorities yesterday as part of an investigation into whether or not they colluded to keep prices of their drugs high after their patents had expired. The UK’s Financial Times reports that Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis were some of the companies

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Neelie Kroes is Fighting Around the World

November 15th, 2007

She’s mad as hell and she’s not going to take it anymore…and now she’s going to “fight like hell” to do something about it. Apparently a record-breaking fine of $1.3 billion against elevator cartels didn’t get the message across as clear as she’d like (note: fines levied against cartels could be as steep as […]

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DOJ and the European Commission Continue to Quarrel

September 27th, 2007

Thomas Barnett, the head of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division who was recently thrust in the spotlight for his protest of the EU decision to throw out Microsoft’s antitrust appeal, further explained his position during a recent speech at Georgetown University.

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EC Unapologetic for Record Cartel Fines, More Raises Intended

September 26th, 2007

In 2007 the European Commission issed the largest fine in the EU’s history- a whopping €990 million (that’s $1.3 billion, folks). In spite of recent criticism, an EC spokesman revealed that the Commission intends to continue increasing fines. As EC spokesman Jonathan Todd explained, the Commission has “increased the level of fines . . . […]

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Three Years Later, Microsoft STILL Has To Pay $613 Million

September 20th, 2007

After Microsoft’s sound legal defeat at the hands of the EU’s Court of First Instance on Monday, experts debate the future impact and role of the European Commission (EC) in world business. The conflict stretches from legal experts in support of the ruling to U.S. government officials such as Thomas Barnett, the Assistant Attorney […]

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Food with Certain Artificial Colors and Additives Linked to Hyperactivity

September 6th, 2007

A new study commissioned by the Food Standards Agency, an independent UK government department established to protect public health, found that certain artificial colors and additives in food can lead to hyperactivity disorder in children. It’s believed that the new study will pressure the food and drink industry to remove certain artificial colors and additives […]

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European Bottling Manufacturers Create Glass Ceiling for Competition

September 5th, 2007

The European Federation of Wine and Spirits Importers and Distributors (EFWSID) raised complaints with The European Commission on Thursday over the lack of competition in glass bottle manufacturing. The EFWSID believes a lack of competition has caused the price of glass bottles to increase.
The Belgian Federation of Wine and Spirits, a member of the […]

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Bristol-Myers Squibb fined $3.2 million for illegal collusion in Italy

August 11th, 2007

Italy’s antitrust authority has fined Bristol-Myers Squibb $3.2 million for illegal collusion with competitors in the colostomy bag market (competitors Coloplast SpA, Hollister SpA, and B Braun Milano SpA were also fined lesser amounts for similar anti-competitive behaviour).
At issue is that the four companies (which control 95% of the colostomy bag market in the country), […]

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European firms charged with bleach price-fixing

August 3rd, 2007

EU regulators said Thursday that they had charged makers of an industrial bleach (sodium chlorate) with illegal price-fixing and running a cartel. Sodium chlorate is mainly used as a bleaching agent in the pulp and paper sector. Both Finland’s Kemira Oyj and Netherlands-based Akzo Nobel NV confirmed that they had received the charges.
If […]

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Price-fixing price tag has come in for British Airways: $300 MILLION

August 2nd, 2007

Two months ago, we noted that British Airways (BA) had set aside $700 million in anticipation of fines from the U.S. Department of Justice on the heels of price-fixing and illegal collusion investigations (as well as to pay for editing to James Bond movies).
Now the price has come in and BA […]

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Not a good day for the Win-Tel alliance in Europe

July 27th, 2007

We’ll start in Europe, where regulators decided to bring antitrust charges against Intel, the world’s largest computer chip maker. This capped a six-year investigation into allegations of illegal discounts to personal computer makers.
If determined to be guilty, Intel faces up a fine of up to 10% of its European sales during the […]

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More examples of “prix fixe” in French competition… mobile phone co.’s fined $631 million

July 24th, 2007

The French competition regulator, Conseil de la Concurrence, has fined the country’s three mobile telephone companies (Orange France, FranC’aise du Radiot, and Bouygues Telecom SA) a total of $631 million for illegally restricting competition.
Investigators found that between 1997 and 2003, the operators regularly exchanged information about new and canceled contracts and used this information […]

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EU drops illegal collusion investigation into BASF and others

July 19th, 2007

European Union regulators have halted their probe into an alleged price-fixing scheme by BASF AG, France’s Arkema SA and other competitors. BASF, the world’s largest producer of chemicals, has been a target in an investigation into the plastics additives industry since 2003, when the case began with coordinated and simultaneous raids of BASF and other […]

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