Apresentação

Este é um informativo diário que traz para o(a) leitor (a) notícias e casos de defesa da concorrência das principais jurisdições antitruste do mundo (CADE, FTC, Comissão Europeia, CMA etc).

Notícias

Cade recomenda condenação de empresa que atua no mercado de aquecedores de água a gás

A decisão será enviada ao Tribunal Administrativo

Publicado em 05/09/2024 17h36 Atualizado em 05/09/2024 17h38

ASuperintendência-Geral do Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (SG/Cade) recomendou a condenação da multinacional japonesa Rinnai por prática de conduta anticompetitiva no mercado nacional de aquecedores de água a gás. A decisão foi emitida por meio de despacho assinado nesta quinta-feira (5/9).

A investigação teve início a partir de denúncia recebida via Clique Denúncia Antitruste em abril de 2022, a qual apontou que a Rinnai incorreu em infração à ordem econômica consistente na adoção de política de preços mínimos anunciados. Por meio do canal de denúncias do Cade, qualquer pessoa ou empresa pode relatar práticas que prejudiquem a livre concorrência das quais tenha conhecimento.

As tabelas de preços impostas pela representada a seus distribuidores faziam referência a uma ampla gama de meios de divulgação, incluindo anúncios em marketplaces, sites próprios das revendedoras, panfletos, tanto em formato impresso quanto eletrônico, entre outros.

Em sua investigação, a SG constatou que a conduta praticada pela Rinnai afetava, sobretudo, a modalidade de e-commerce, em que a possibilidade de barganha é reduzida, sendo os produtos comercializados pelos preços anunciados em sua grande maioria. Dessa forma, a conduta prejudicou principalmente os revendedores que utilizam do varejo eletrônico para comercializarem seus produtos bem como os consumidores que adquiram por meio digital.

As diligências apuraram ainda que a Rinnai possuía um software capaz de monitorar os preços de anúncios na internet. Diversos revendedores não aderentes à política tiveram suas condições comerciais revisadas quando seus anúncios não foram adequados aos preços estabelecidos pela representada em um curto espaço de tempo.

Com base nas evidências coletadas, a SG concluiu que a conduta da Rinnai configurou infração à ordem econômica e recomendou a aplicação de multa.

O processo foi enviado ao Tribunal da autarquia, em que será distribuído a um conselheiro-relator. Posteriormente, o processo seguirá para julgamento pelo Tribunal do Cade, responsável pela decisão final. O Tribunal poderá decidir pela não configuração de infração, e o consequente arquivamento; ou, pela existência de infração à ordem econômica e aplicar as penalidades previstas na Lei nº 12.529/2011.

Esse caso é o primeiro que foi instaurado, analisado e enviado para o Tribunal com sugestão de condenação já na Coordenação-Geral de Análise Antitruste 11 (CGAA11), unidade da Superintendência-Geral especializada na análise de condutas unilaterais. Criada em maio de 2022, a unidade tem demonstrado o compromisso constante da SG com o aumento da celeridade das investigações de denúncias de abuso de posição dominante.

Acesse o Processo Administrativo nº 08700.002702/2022-66.

Publicada pauta da sessão de julgamento da próxima quarta-feira (11/9). Confira!

Cinco casos serão apreciados durante a 235ª reunião do Tribunal Administrativo

Publicado em 05/09/2024 08h14

Foi publicada, no Diário Oficial da União desta quinta-feira (5/9), a pauta da próxima sessão de julgamento do Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (Cade). A 235ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento acontecerá quarta-feira (11/9), às 10h, com transmissão pelo YouTube.   

Ao total, cinco casos serão apreciados pelo Tribunal Administrativo, sendo tres processos administrativos, um embargos de declaração e uma consulta. 

Confira a pauta de julgamento:   

1. Processo Administrativo nº 08700.001164/2018-14 

Representados: Azevedo Bento S/A Comércio e Indústria, Refisa Indústria e Comércio Ltda, SPO Indústria e Comércio Ltda, Clóvis Heitor Castro; Cristiano Luiz Pereira, Darcy Carvalho da Silveira, Davi Alves de Lima, Edimar Henrique de Oliveira, Edson Geraldo da Silva Bento, Elisangela Alves de Lima Morais, Elislande Alves de Lima, Ênio Costa de Oliveira, Gabriel Teixeira Martinho, Gilberto Alves de Lima, Lauro Barata Soares de Figueiredo, Rafael Luiz Pereira, Sidinei de Souza Padilha, e Valdécio Alves de Lima. 

Relator: conselheiro Victor Oliveira Fernandes 

2. Processo Administrativo nº 08700.004093/2020-18 

Representados: Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis de Goiás; Federação Nacional dos Corretores de Imóveis (FENACI); Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis de Alagoas; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis da Bahia; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Ceará; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Distrito Federal; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Espírito Santo; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Pará; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Pernambuco; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis do Paraná; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis de Minas Gerais; Sindicato dos Corretores de Imóveis de Sergipe. 

Relator: conselheiro Victor Oliveira Fernandes

3. Processo Administrativo nº 08700.000284/2022-72 

Representado: Conselho Regional de Corretores de Imóveis da 5a. Região (CRECI/GO). 

Relator: conselheiro Diogo Thomson 

4. Consulta nº 08700.004130/2024-11 

Requerente: Lara Central de Tratamento de Resíduos Ltda. 

Relator: conselheiro Carlos Jacques 

5. Embargos de Declaração do Processo Administrativo nº 08700.001805/2017-41 

Embargante: Afrânio Manhães Barreto 

Relator: conselheiro Carlos Jacques 

Commission publishes findings of evaluation of EU antitrust enforcement framework

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• Contacts for media

The European Commission has published today a Staff Working Document (‘SWD’) summarising the findings of the evaluation of the  EU Regulations which lay out the procedures for the application of EU competition rules (Regulation 1/2003 and Regulation 773/2004, together the ‘Regulations’).

The Regulations set out the procedural framework for the implementation of EU competition rules laid down in Articles 101 and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (‘TFEU’). They have played a crucial role in the enforcement of EU antitrust rules since their entry into force 20 years ago.

Between 1 May 2004 and August 2024, the Commission has adopted 225 enforcement decisions, either finding an infringement of EU competition rules or accepting commitments that would remove its preliminary concerns. The Commission has imposed fines of over €42 billion under Regulation 1/2003, approximately €37 billion of which has been upheld by the EU Courts. Between 2012 and 2021, the estimated total customer savings from all cartel and antitrust interventions by the Commission were between €50 to €87 billion.

Main findings of the evaluation

The evaluation has shown that:

• The Regulations have generally achieved their objective of effective, efficient and uniform application of EU competition rules. They continue to have EU added value and remain relevant.
• The main changes brought about by Regulation 1/2003 consisted in:
  • First, the removal of the old system that required the notification of agreements to the Commission in order for companies to benefit from an exemption under Article 101(3) TFEU, is viewed very positively.
  • Second, the implementation of a decentralised system of parallel enforcement of EU competition rules by the Commission and NCAs, which led to more effective enforcement. NCAs and the Commission have together adopted over 1,650 decisions of which more than 85% were adopted by NCAs. This shows that NCAs have become key enforcers of EU competition law together with the Commission.
• The European Competition Network (‘ECN’) has been pivotal to achieving a uniform and effective application of EU competition rules, even if the cooperation within the ECN could be enhanced further. The evaluation showed the need to avoid unnecessary parallel investigations and further improve the relationship between EU and national competition laws to ensure a coherent enforcement of all available legal instruments.
• The evaluation also underlines the need for faster investigations. It identified several issues, some of which are connected to digitalisation, which may impact the effectiveness of investigation tools and powers that were written for ‘paper world’ investigations. For example, the system of creating and granting access to a non-confidential version of the Commission’s file in order to ensure parties’ rights of defence was conceived at a time when investigations were much smaller in size. With the proliferation of data and larger files that we are looking at, the creation of a non-confidential version of the file creates a significant burden on parties, information providers and the Commission alike.  

During the evaluation, the Commission collected evidence to understand how the Regulations have functioned since they entered into force in 2004. This evidence included feedback gathered in a public consultation, in a conference organised by the Commission on the 20 years of Regulation 1/2003 and in a stakeholder workshop. The Commission also commissioned an external evaluation support study. The final report of the support study is also published today together with the summaries of the National Competition Authorities (‘NCAs’) feedback and the stakeholder workshop.

In parallel, the Commission has adopted today a Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the legal framework for and the use of interim measures by NCAs. Interim measures ensure that competition is preserved while an antitrust investigation is ongoing. The ECN+ Directive provides the NCAs with a minimum set of enforcement powers, including the power to impose interim measures. The report finds that NCAs that make more use of interim measures often have lighter procedural rules, sometimes coupled with less stringent legal requirements to impose those measures.

Next steps

During the next months, the Commission will reflect on the evaluation results and decide whether to launch a process for the revision of the Regulations.

Background

Article 101 TFEU prohibits agreements between companies that restrict competition. Article 102 TFEU prohibits abusive conduct by companies that have a dominant position on a particular market.

Regulation 1/2003 and its Implementing Regulation 773/2004  establish a procedural framework aimed at ensuring the effective and uniform application of Articles 101 and 102 of the TFEU. At the time of its adoption, Regulation 1/2003 represented a major reform of the way EU antitrust rules were enforced. In particular, it: (i) introduced a system of direct application of antitrust rules, (ii) empowered Member States to apply all aspects of the rules, (iii) strengthened the cooperation between the Commission and the NCAs, and (iv) enhanced the enforcement tools for the Commission to be better equipped to detect and address breaches of the EU antitrust rules.

After 20 years of experience in the application of the Regulations, the Commission launched the evaluation to assess whether the Regulations remain fit for purpose, before considering whether any amendment to the Regulations might be necessary. The evaluation is part of a broader review in the area of EU competition law launched in recent years. It also follows the Five-Year and Ten-Year reports on the functioning of Regulation 1/2003.

For more information

More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, on the dedicated Regulation 1/2003 evaluation webpage, which contains all stakeholder contributions submitted in the context of the evaluation, summaries of the different consultation activities and the final report of the evaluation support study, as well as in the relevant Q&A document.

See also the dedicated ECN+ Directive webpage, which contains the Report of the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the legal framework for and the use of interim measures by national competition authorities.

CMA launches investigation into Ticketmaster over Oasis concert sales

The CMA is investigating concerns regarding the sale of Oasis concert tickets by Ticketmaster, including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used.

From:Competition and Markets Authority

Published 5 September 2024

• Action follows reports by fans of significant issues with Ticketmaster
• CMA calls for evidence from fans to share their experience
• Concerns over whether buyers were given clear and timely information, and whether consumer protection law was breached

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today launched an investigation into Ticketmaster regarding the sale of Oasis tickets for the band’s upcoming reunion tour, including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used.

The CMA is scrutinising whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law. The investigation will consider a variety of things including whether:

• Ticketmaster has engaged in unfair commercial practices which are prohibited under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
• People were given clear and timely information to explain that the tickets could be subject to so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ with prices changing depending on demand, and how this would operate, including the price they would pay for any tickets purchased
• People were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time – at a higher price than they understood they would have to pay, potentially impacting their purchasing decisions

The CMA is at the initial stage of its investigation and will now be engaging with Ticketmaster and gathering evidence from various other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organisers. It should not be assumed that Ticketmaster has broken consumer protection law. The CMA will also consider whether it is appropriate to investigate the conduct of anyone else in relation to the matter.

As part of its information gathering, the CMA is inviting fans to submit evidence of their experiences in relation to the purchase or attempted purchase of Oasis tickets. Fans are being asked to provide their evidence through CMA connect and, where possible, to include any screenshots they may have taken as they progressed through the purchasing process.

So-called ‘dynamic pricing’, where a business adjusts its prices according to changing market conditions including high demand, is becoming increasingly prevalent across a number of different markets and sectors. This is not the first time it has raised concerns among fans of live sporting and music events. While the practice is not automatically unlawful, it may breach consumer protection or competition law in certain circumstances. The CMA will investigate how it may have been used in this instance and the information buyers were given regarding the price they would pay as they went through the process of buying tickets and importantly, before they reached the check-out.

Consumer law is clear – ticket sales sites must be transparent in their dealings with consumers and give clear and accurate information about the price people have to pay. Failure to do so may breach the law.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: 

It’s important that fans are treated fairly when they buy tickets, which is why we’ve launched this investigation. It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check-out. We want to hear from fans who went through the process and may have encountered issues so that we can investigate whether existing consumer protection law has been breached.

The CMA also welcomes the government’s recent announcement that it will consult on measures to provide stronger protections to consumers in the ticketing sector, wherever they buy their tickets. This has been a priority focus for the CMA for several years, having previously taken enforcement action and recommended changes to improve the secondary tickets market. We are committed to working closely with government to tackle the longstanding challenges in the ticket market.

Wider considerations regarding the live event ticket market

In addition to the investigation launched today, the CMA has also published its response to a letter from the Secretaries of State at the Department for Business and Trade and Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the issues surrounding live event ticket sales. The letter sets out the CMA’s view that more protections are needed for consumers buying tickets on the secondary market, as we have previously set out in our proposals to government in 2021. The CMA welcomes the government’s commitment to consult on measures to improve consumer protections in this sector and will work closely with them to get the best outcomes for fans and fair-dealing businesses.

The CMA is separately considering broader competition and consumer issues raised by so-called ‘dynamic pricing’. The letter notes that the government may include measures relating to ‘dynamic pricing’ in its ticketing consultation, and the CMA will assist the government should it seek to develop policy in this area.

The CMA welcomes responses to today’s call for evidence, by 5pm on Thursday 19 September 2024.

If you’re seeking advice or support, contact the relevant consumer advice organisation in your area. The CMA is not able to respond to or advise on individual complaints but will use the information gathered from its call for evidence in its investigation.

More information can be found on the CMA’s Ticketmaster investigation case page.

Notes to Editors:

1. The CMA has already taken tough action against major resale websites on the secondary market to help ensure consumer law is being followed. This has helped drive improvements to the way secondary ticket platforms now operate – including tackling potentially misleading pressure selling messages on Viagogo and StubHub, and requiring them to tell customers about resale restrictions that could lead to them being turned away at the door.
2. ‘Primary’ tickets are tickets which are being sold for the first time, at the original price for tickets as determined by artists, event organisers or box offices. ‘Secondary’ tickets are those which are resold after their original sale, often (but not always) at prices other than the original ‘face value’.
3. CMA made recommendations to the previous government in 2021 about the changes that are needed to tackle secondary ticket issues. It is positive that the government now wants to address this. We look forward to working with them to get the best outcomes for fans and fair-playing businesses.
4. The CMA will now engage with Ticketmaster and gather evidence to consider whether Ticketmaster may have broken consumer protection law. The CMA is at the initial stage of its investigation. Accordingly, it should not be assumed that any business under investigation has broken consumer protection law.
5. How the case will progress depends on the evidence – this could include the CMA closing the investigation if it believes that consumer protection law is unlikely to have been breached, securing undertakings from the company to address any concerns, or taking court action.
6. As an enforcer under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002, the CMA cannot currently levy administrative fines for breaches of consumer law. However, parliament recently passed legislation to give the CMA stronger consumer powers, which will enable the CMA to decide when consumer law has been broken without taking a case to court. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 will, once it comes into effect, empower the CMA to fine those firms that do break consumer law up to 10% of their global turnover.  At present, the CMA can enforce consumer law through the courts, and where appropriate, seek additional measures to improve consumer choice, drive compliance with the law, or secure redress for consumers.
7. The main consumer protection legislation relevant to the CMA’s concerns about misleading claims and other harmful online selling practices is the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs). The CPRs aim to protect consumers from unfair commercial practices such as the misleading provision or omission of information as part of sales processes.
8. For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office on 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk.
9. All enquiries from the public should be directed to the CMA’s General Enquiries team on general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk or by phone on 020 3738 6000.

Autoridades de la CNDC expusieron en el Día de la Competencia de la Cámara de Comercio Internacional de Argentina

El encuentro contó con la participación de expertos en defensa de la competencia de Latinoamérica

05 de septiembre de 2024

El 3 de septiembre se realizó el Día de la Competencia, una jornada que fue realizada por la Cámara de Comercio Internacional de Argentina (ICC) y que contó con el apoyo de varias universidades.

El encuentro estuvo organizado en tres paneles dedicados a distintos temas: la detección de cárteles y los programas de clemencia, las cláusulas de no competencia y, el impacto futuro de la competencia económica.

Alexis Pirchio, Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia (CNDC), brindó una entrevista en la que pudo dar a conocer la situación actual de la autoridad y las perspectivas para los próximos años de gestión, mientras que, Lucas Trevisani Vespa, vocal de la CNDC, participó del segundo panel sobre las tendencias en el derecho de la competencia sobre cláusulas de no competencia.
También participaron de la jornada, Andrea Marvan, Comisionada Presidenta de la Comisión Federal de Competencia Económica de México (COFECE) y, Alejandra Giuffra, Presidenta de la Comisión de Promoción y Defensa de la Competencia de Uruguay (CPCD), entre otros destacados expertos en defensa de la competencia.

Atos de concentração – Decisões

CADE

Ato de Concentração nº 08700.005980/2024-37

Requerentes: Nuvei do Brasil Instituição de Pagamento Ltda. e Pay2All Instituição de Pagamentos Ltda. Aprovação sem restrições.

Ato de Concentração nº 08700.006380/2024-96

Requerentes: Plano Laranjeira Empreendimentos Imobiliários Ltda. e Interlagos Comercial e Imóveis Ltda. Aprovação sem restrições.

Ato de Concentração nº 08700.006237/2024-02

Requerentes: Serviços Especiais de Transportes do Amazonas Ltda. e GNL Brasil Logística S.A. Aprovação sem restrições.

Ato de Concentração nº 08700.006225/2024-70

Requerentes: Riva Incorporadora S.A., Emccamp Residencial S.A., Agudos Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda. e Emccamp Incorporacao SC 20 SPE Ltda. Adprovação sem restrições.

Comissão Europeia

BAOSTEEL / BAOWU ALUMINIUM / KOBELCO / KOBELCO BAO AUTOMOTIVE ALUMINIUM ROLLED PRODUCTS JV

Merger

M.11686

Last decision date: 05.09.2024 Super simplified procedure

CMA

GXO / Wincanton merger inquiry

• The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by GXO Logistics, Inc. of Wincanton Plc.
  • Updated: 6 September 2024

Spreadex / Sporting Index merger inquiry

• The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by Spreadex Limited of the B2C business of Sporting Index Limited.
  • Updated: 5 September 2024

Autorité de la Concurrence

Secteur(s) :

Distribution

24-DCC-192
relative à la prise de contrôle exclusif de la société Prestige Cars par la société Limousine de Gestion et d’Investissement

Décision de contrôle des concentrations|

Publication du sens de la décision le : 06 septembre 2024

Atos de concentração – Ingressos

CADE

Fonte: CADE

WebAdvocacy – Direito e Economia