The European Commission has issued its first fine in a no-poach case in the labor market, and its first sanction of the anti-competitive use of a minority share in a competing business. With the fine of EUR 329 million, the Commission joins the ranks of a number of high-profile antitrust enforcers worldwide that have targeted HR-related infringements. The Commission’s first intervention is also likely to encourage other EU regulators to follow suit and is an important reminder of the need to carefully manage antitrust risk (specifically information flows) where a company holds a minority shareholding in a competitor.
On 3 June 2025, SECEX (the Brazilian Secretariat of International Trade) initiated an antidumping investigation on the Brazilian imports of hot-rolled flat steel from China, commonly classified under certain NCM codes.The investigation may result in the imposition of antidumping measures and the consequent increase in the cost of Brazilian imports of flat-rolled hot-rolled flat laminates for a period of five years.
Our speakers provided an overview of the key antitrust enforcement priorities and trends across the EU, UK, US…
In April 2025, Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) launched an investigation into a clothing retailer over alleged unfair commercial practices. The company is accused of using dual-price tags—featuring a crossed-out higher price—to allegedly suggest discounts on items that were never actually sold at the inflated price. This potentially misleading tactic could deceive consumers into believing they are receiving a bargain.
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar on the recently issued 5th edition of the Economic Concentration Review Guidelines by the General Authority for Competition (GAC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This critical update, published on 8 April 2025, brings significant refinements and clarity to the KSA merger control regime.
Key Topics to be Covered:
• Main changes introduced at a glance
• Clarification of the notification thresholds
• Update on the concept of Change of Control
• New Exemptions to Notification
• Validity Period for Clearance Decisions
• Q&As
The General Authority for Competition in Saudi Arabia has recently published its quarterly report on economic concentration applications for Q1 2025. This alert summarizes the key highlights of the report published by the authority, with particular focus on the issuance of the first conditional approvals of the year.
Our popular Annual Compliance Conference, which attracts senior in-house legal and compliance professionals every year from across the world, will be held virtually from 3 to 12 June 2025.
The conference will provide you with valuable insights from our international trade, compliance and investigations, regulatory and antitrust lawyers. We will delve into critical topics shaping the future of global businesses such as sanctions, export controls, customs and tariffs, national security laws, antitrust, product regulation, ESG and related enforcement trends.
On 8 April 2025, the General Authority for Competition (GAC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) published the 5th edition of its Economic Concentration Review Guidelines (formerly known as the Merger Review Guidelines).
This critical update, following the GAC’s public consultation on its proposed amendments to the Guidelines of 1 July 2024, provides essential refinements and clarity on the KSA merger control regime.
With the majority of the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 provisions having entered into force on 6 April 2025, the Competition and Markets Authority has published its Approach Document – setting out enforcement priorities for the next 12 months and what businesses can expect following the widespread reforms to the UK consumer law regime.
The proposed notification thresholds remain essentially unchanged from those released by Treasury in October 2024. The draft forms include short form and long form versions, with the short form version intended to provide a simplified process for acquisitions that are unlikely to raise competition concerns. However, in draft guidance, the ACCC has indicated it will set the bar quite low for when a long form notification is required.