The European Commission has found a €200m Irish scheme (the Irish Scheme) to support companies affected by the COVID-19 outbreak to be in conformity with the EU's State aid rules. This is consistent with a number of other recent State aid notifications by other Member States (such as Germany, France, UK and Spain) to the European Commission in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19On 25 March 2020, Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) published on its website the European Competition Network's (ECN) joint statement on the relationship between the COVID-19 crisis and competition law.
COVID-19The COVID-19 crisis poses new challenges for business leaders and general counsel a like. A&L Goodbody's EU, Competition and Procurement group have prepared a guide on how best to deal with some of those challenges.
COVID-19The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted businesses and governments across the globe. Governments and the European Commission are working at speed to address and support citizens in the current pandemic.
COVID-19Where a transaction must be notified to the European Commission under the EU Merger Regulation, DG COMP has encouraged the merging parties to delay the submission of the merger notification until further notice. It is also temporarily accepting e-filings and permitting the delivery of hard copy originals to be arranged at a later time.
COVID-19In Ireland, under the combined EU and Irish competition law rules, it is an offence to enter into an anti-competitive agreement or to abuse a dominant position.
COVID-19Governments around the world are giving financial support to many businesses to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. Businesses receiving this support appreciate the assistance during this troubling but temporary crisis.
EU, Competition & ProcurementSome businesses in Ireland, the UK and various European Union member states may require State Aid and State support to deal with the current crisis.
COVID-19On 13 March 2020, the European Commission found as being compatible with EU state law a €12m/DKK 91m scheme operated by Denmark to compensate organisers of events for loss or damage caused by cancellations of large public events due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus outbreak.
COVID-19The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) has published a report recommending changes to the rules governing insolvency protection for package travel 'organisers' and 'linked travel arrangement' (LTA) facilitators established in Ireland.
EU, Competition & ProcurementOn 28 February 2020, Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) announced that it had closed its investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices in the "bagged cement sector".
EU, Competition & ProcurementOn 21 February 2020, the European Commission imposed a fine of €6,678,000 on the Spanish hotel group Meliá for its contracts with four tour operators which discriminated between customers within the EU's internal market by reference to the customer's country of residence. Dr Vincent J G Power examines the case.
EU, Competition & Procurement