Main menu:

• About Openbrief
• News and Information
• Updates by email
• Home

Innocent parent liable for competition law breach by subsidiary

On the 21st September 2009, the European Commission issued a press release publicising the ECJ decision in the long running AKZO Nobel case.
Background
The press release states “.. On 9 December 2004, the Commission fined Akzo Nobel NV and four of its subsidiaries jointly and severally €20.99 million for price fixing, market sharing and agreeing [...]

[click here read more]

Posted: September 24th, 2009 under Competition Law & Regulatory.
Comments: none

OFT bans estate agent

The Offie of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued the first ban against an Estate Agent for failing to take part in the redress scheme. More information is in the OFT press release availabe here http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2009/116-09.

[click here read more]

Posted: September 23rd, 2009 under Business Regulation, Miscellaneous.
Comments: none

Increase in counterfeit goods blocked by customs agencies

The European commission has just issued a press release about the actions in 2008 by EU customs to enforce intellectual property rights at the external borders of the EU. The press release can be found here http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1106&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en.
Detentions of counterfeit goods by Customs reached an all time high again - at 49, 000 - surpassing the [...]

[click here read more]

Posted: July 14th, 2009 under Intellectual Property.
Comments: none

Confidential information and the ex-employee

This old chestnut has been in court again. The law about what information in a business is regarded as confidential and so must not be taken or used by an ex-employee is complex. The practical effect of the law often seems at odds with commercial common sense depending on the circumstances. In the most recent [...]

[click here read more]

Posted: June 22nd, 2009 under Business Advisory Services, Intellectual Property.
Comments: none

Wax producers fined for price fixing

The European Commission has fined several businesses operating across the EU for cartel activities in fixing the price of paraffin waxes. The cartel was active from 1992 until 2005 when surprise raids by the competition authorities in April 2005 effectively brought the cartel to an end. Those involved included ExxonMobil, Repsol, Shell and Total.  Shell [...]

[click here read more]

Posted: October 13th, 2008 under Competition Law & Regulatory.
Comments: none

« Previous entries