Antitrust Policy archive - The Capitol Forum

Google Set to Get EU Adtech Fine as Early as Today, Sources Say

Google (GOOG) is expected to receive a fine as early as today from the European Commission over alleged abuses in its advertising technology business, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter. The Brussels enforcer has had a decision ready for months to fine the Big...

Sep 05, 2025 Read Now >

Keurig Case Could Influence Outcome of Major Antitrust Actions Against Big Tech, Live Nation, Visa

After more than 10 years, a major private antitrust case against Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is approaching a milestone that could have ramifications not only for the world’s largest maker of single-serve coffee products but also for U.S. government lawsuits against Big Tech behemoths, Live...

Aug 26, 2025 Read Now >

Google: Ad Tech Giant Facing Possible Class Action, More Publisher Lawsuits in Coming Months; Liability Could Stretch Into Billions

Following a favorable April ruling in the federal antitrust lawsuit against Google’s (GOOG) ad-tech business, publishers are likely considering filing their own lawsuits against the company. The biggest publishers could be looking at hundreds of millions—even billions—of dollars in...

Aug 19, 2025 Read Now >

Former DAAG Roger Alford Plans to Blast Mizelle, Woodward for Role in ‘HPE/Juniper Merger Scandal,’ Call DOJ ‘Pay-to-Play Antitrust Enforcement’ Status Quo ‘Simply Unsustainable

Roger Alford, the antitrust division’s former No. 2 official, in a speech today will blast DOJ Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle and Associate Attorney General nominee Stanley Woodward for their role in the “HPE/Juniper merger scandal” and enabling “MAGA-In-Name-Only...

Aug 18, 2025 Read Now >

Metro CEO Urges EU Cap on Visa, Mastercard Interchange Fees, Seen as ‘Silent Tax’

Obscure and rising commercial card fees that Visa (V), Mastercard (M) and other major card networks set for business-to-business payments should be capped by the EU, Metro CEO Steffen Greubel said in an interview with The Capitol Forum. “It’s a money-making machine for them and a...

Aug 14, 2025 Read Now >

Dozens of Federal Judges Attended Antitrust Seminars Hosted by Big Tech-Funded Group, Records Show

Dozens of federal judges attended seminars in idyllic locales like Hawaii and Portugal held by a George Mason University (GMU) law school organization that received Big Tech funding, a Capitol Forum review of public records found. The university’s Antonin Scalia Law School, one of the...

Aug 13, 2025 Read Now >

Prosus/Just Eat Takeaway.com: EC to Market Test Phase 1 Remedy Offer, Sources Say

The European Commission is seeking market feedback on Prosus’s offer to sell down its stake in food delivery platform Delivery Hero (ETR: DHER) before it decides whether to accept the remedy or send the investment firm’s €4.1 billion acquisition of Just Eat Takeaway.com (AMS: TKWY)...

Jul 28, 2025 Read Now >

Google Says Its Comments on AI’s Link to Search Are Consistent, But Some See Them as Contradictory, Confusing

What a difference two years has made in Google’s comments about artificial intelligence’s relationship to its dominant search...

Jul 28, 2025 Read Now >

Anthropic Facing Massive Potential Damages in Newly Certified Copyright Class Action; Other AI Companies Also at Risk

Anthropic is facing a certified class action lawsuit—and the prospect of massive statutory damages—over its use of pirated datasets to train its generative AI systems. “It’s a huge deal,” Edward Lee, a professor at Santa Clara University Law School told The Capitol Forum, of...

Jul 22, 2025 Read Now >

Prosus/Just Eat Takeaway.com: Acquirer To Offer EC Divestiture Remedies, Sources Say

This article has been updated with a statement from Prosus. Prosus is offering to sell down its stake in food delivery platform Delivery Hero (ETR: DHER) to single digits in hopes of avoiding an in-depth European Commission investigation into its proposed acquisition of Just Eat...

Jul 18, 2025 Read Now >

BlackRock/Allete: Judge’s Recommendation Energizes Opponents as Focus Turns to Commission Decision in Fall

After a judge Tuesday recommended the rejection of a $6.2 billion deal that would give BlackRock (BLK) control of Allete’s (ALE) Minnesota Power, opponents and supporters alike turned their attention to the state’s public utility authority, which will decide the transaction’s fate....

Jul 17, 2025 Read Now >

Antitrust Agenda: DOJ Indicts Oak View Group CEO for Arena Bid Rigging; Low Efficacy of Post-Merger Divestitures Indicates Need for Stronger Enforcement, New Paper Concludes; Manufacturers Neglect of Repair Manuals and Materials Could Run Afoul of Right-to-Repair Laws

Live entertainment executive indicted on criminal bid-rigging charges. The Justice Department last Wednesday indicted Timothy Leiweke, the CEO of the live entertainment company Oak View Group (OVG), for allegedly orchestrating a bid-rigging conspiracy to secure the contract for the...

Jul 14, 2025 Read Now >

Merger Monthly: After Novel Omnicom/Interpublic, HPE/Juniper Remedies, is Everything Settleable?; Outlook for Key Transactions Including Getty/Shutterstock, Mars/Kellanova, and UnitedHealth/Amedisys

In the months after Inauguration Day, the Trump administration’s merger policy appeared to be slowly but surely rounding into form: To wit, meaningful continuity from the Biden administration (retaining the 2023 Merger Guidelines and updated HSR Form), coupled with substantive pull back...

Jul 10, 2025 Read Now >

Chess Grandmaster Accuses Platform of Abusive Conduct in EC Complaint

The world’s largest online chess platform, Chess.com, is abusing its dominance through a host of anticompetitive practices, including killer acquisitions, price discrimination and exclusivity clauses, according to a complaint filed with the European Commission by former world chess...

Jul 10, 2025 Read Now >

ADNOC/Covestro: Deal Headed for In-Depth EU Subsidy Probe, Sources Say

ADNOC’s €14.7 billion planned acquisition of chemicals producer Covestro (ETR: 1CO) is likely headed for an in-depth EU foreign subsidies investigation at the end of this month because the European Commission wants the United Arab Emirates oil giant to give up its unlimited state...

Jul 07, 2025 Read Now >

Prosus/Just Eat Takeaway.com: State-of-Play Meeting Signals EU ‘Serious Doubts,’ Raising Prospects of In-Depth Probe or Remedy Offer

Prosus is set to meet European Commission officials next week for a state-of-play meeting to discuss the enforcer’s initial concerns about the investment firm’s €4.1 billion takeover of Just Eat Takeaway.com (AMS: TKWY), according to two sources familiar with the...

Jul 02, 2025 Read Now >

Brussels Readies Google Antitrust Penalty as Breakup Pressure Mounts

The European Commission has had a decision ready for months to fine Google (GOOG) over alleged abuses in its advertising technology business, three people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Capitol...

Jul 01, 2025 Read Now >

The European Antitrust Agenda: Google’s Search Redesigns Spark Criticism; Ireland’s Regulator Hires More Staff Amid Surge in Tech Complaints

Welcome to The European Antitrust Agenda, written by Europe Executive Editor Javier Espinoza and Senior Correspondents Charley Connor, Vesela Gladicheva and Lydia O’Neal. This week, Google is up for a grilling over its compliance with the EU’s digital antitrust regime and the Irish...

Jul 01, 2025 Read Now >

EU Competition Chief says Bloc ‘Won’t Compromise Sovereignty’ in Talks with U.S., Criticizes American Big Tech Crackdown

European Commission competition chief Teresa Ribera dismissed reports that the EU might water down its digital antitrust rules in trade negotiations with the U.S. and criticized America’s own effort to rein in the power of Big Tech as slower and less effective than the bloc’s regime....

Jun 30, 2025 Read Now >

Omnicom/Interpublic: EC, CMA Reviews Set to Grapple with Truncated FTC Investigation, Novel Theory of Harm, Behavioral Remedies

The FTC’s move this week to clear Omnicom’s (OMC) proposed acquisition of advertising holding company rival Interpublic (IPG) through a truncated process culminating in an unusual complaint and consent order places European competition enforcers in unfamiliar, and largely...

Jun 27, 2025 Read Now >

FTC Staff Set to Vacate Constitution Center, Move to GAO Building by Year End

FTC staff are poised to depart their current Constitution Center offices for the U.S. Government Accountability Office building by the end of the year, sources familiar with the matter...

Jun 27, 2025 Read Now >

EU Scrutinizing Google’s AI Summaries for Potential Digital Rules Breaches

The European Commission is asking industry players about Google’s (GOOG) integration of artificial intelligence features into its search engine as the EU builds up pressure on Big Tech firms to fall in line with its digital antitrust...

Jun 25, 2025 Read Now >

Apple Offering Last-Minute Steering Revamp in Bid to Dodge More EU Fines Under Digital Rules

Apple (AAPL) is preparing to offer changes to its rules for developers in Europe as soon as Thursday to avoid additional fines over its restrictions on apps seeking to steer users to promotions outside of its App Store, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the...

Jun 25, 2025 Read Now >

‘Just Get on with It’: Growing Frustrations with EC’s Digital Rules Rollout

As the European Commission begins hearings on Big Tech’s compliance with the bloc’s digital antitrust rules, critics say the law is triggering unintended consequences and that the regulator has been too slow and soft when policing some of the world’s most powerful...

Jun 20, 2025 Read Now >

Under EU Pressure, Google Revamps Travel Search Page to Avoid Antitrust Fines

Google (GOOG) has proposed a new design of its search results page for travel queries in an attempt to dodge fines under the EU’s digital antitrust rules, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The Alphabet unit is also planning to...

Jun 19, 2025 Read Now >

The European Antitrust Agenda: CMA Signals Strong Enforcement Ahead of Apple, Google Digital Markets Rulings; Regulators to Eye Meta/Scale AI for Extra Scrutiny

The European Antitrust Agenda: CMA Signals Strong Enforcement Ahead of Apple, Google Digital Markets Rulings; Regulators to Eye Meta/Scale AI for Extra Scrutiny Welcome to The European Antitrust Agenda, written by Europe Executive Editor Javier Espinoza and Senior Correspondents Charley...

Jun 17, 2025 Read Now >

Draft Report: EC Says Boosting Scale of Defense Sector Crucial for Competitiveness

The European Union is seeking to boost its defense competitiveness by removing legal and bureaucratic barriers, stimulating investment, and making the sector more self-reliant, according to a draft communication obtained by The Capitol...

Jun 17, 2025 Read Now >

The Asia Antitrust Agenda: SAMR Warns of Risks in Semiconductor Materials, Patent Database Sectors; HKCC Ends Auto-Fuel Supplier Probe; Japanese Regulator Releases Generative AI Findings; KTFC Fines Temu

SAMR flags antitrust risks in semiconductor materials, patent database sectors. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the antitrust authority, warned in its annual report of potential risks in the semiconductor materials and patent database service provider sectors,...

Jun 16, 2025 Read Now >

Mars/Kellanova Faces Key EU State-of-Play Meeting This Week, Sources Say

Representatives for Mars and Kellanova (K) are set to meet with European Commission officials this week for a critical discussion that could help the enforcer decide whether to clear the companies’ $36 billion proposed merger in phase 1 or push it to an in-depth investigation, according...

Jun 10, 2025 Read Now >

FTC Advertising Collusion CIDs Target Nonprofits, Raising Jurisdictional Questions

The FTC Bureau of Competition’s move last month to issue lengthy civil investigative demands (CIDs) to more than a dozen media tracking and advertising organizations—many organized as nonprofits—raises a host of important...

Jun 10, 2025 Read Now >

Visa, Mastercard Probe: EU Should Enforce Fair Fee Split, Terminal Provider Says

The European Commission should force Visa (V) and Mastercard (M) to make banks, card terminal providers and retailers pay their fair share of fees to break the stronghold of the two giant credit card...

Jun 04, 2025 Read Now >

The European Antitrust Agenda: EC Appetite Grows for In-Depth Probes; EU Courts to Hear Major Big Tech Appeals

Brussels hungry for phase 2 reviews. With just one in-depth merger investigation opened so far this year, the European Commission is signaling a renewed appetite for phase 2 investigations, according to sources familiar with the commission’s thinking. “The bar is very low” to...

Jun 03, 2025 Read Now >

USTR Fees on Chinese Ships Likely to Lead to Increase in Orders for Korean, Japanese, and European Shipbuilders, Experts Say; Shipping Industry Cartel Could Raise Prices, Increase Profits

New fees on Chinese ships proposed by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are likely to raise freight prices but are unlikely to generate significant revenue as companies will have multiple strategies available to avoid the fees, according to experts and industry members. ...

Jun 03, 2025 Read Now >

EC Sees Digital as ‘Core’ to Boost Competitiveness: Draft Report

The European Commission plans to boost its digital influence as part of a broader push to sharpen its competitiveness and compete against China and the U.S., according to a confidential draft strategy seen by The Capitol Forum. The draft, and its annex, outline a sweeping plan… The...

Jun 02, 2025 Read Now >

Bancorp: Struggling Biotech Firm Steps in as Prospective Buyer of Foreclosed Aubrey Multifamily Property After Original Purchaser Twice Delayed Purchase

After The Bancorp (TBBK) failed to offload a 436-unit multifamily foreclosed property in Houston to the original prospective buyer, an unlikely purchaser—a flailing biotech firm—has acquired the right to close the...

May 29, 2025 Read Now >

Financials Friday: Flagstone’s Nonperforming Loan Level Referred to as ‘Frightening’; Crypto Threats Result in Democratic Support for Stablecoin Bill; Appeal to Vacate Real Estate Price-Fixing Settlement Alleges Widespread Circumvention as New Study Shows Commissions Remain High

Flagstar’s amount of nonperforming loans called “frightening.” U.S. banks reported billions more dollars in loans have gone 90 days or more without a payment, according to first-quarter data. These loans, categorized as “nonperforming,” span everything from car loans to credit...

May 23, 2025 Read Now >

FICO: A Simple Change Could Widen Access to U.S. Mortgages. Why Won’t Fannie and Freddie Make It?

Lenders and mortgage industry watchers say a simple change to allow competition in credit scoring for U.S. mortgages could help more people get real estate loans, but government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) are dragging their feet. Veterans Affairs and...

May 21, 2025 Read Now >

U.S. Film Tariffs Could Violate WTO Agreement Prohibiting Tariffs on Digital Services, Inviting Retaliation and Complicating Efforts for Extension, Experts Say

Tariffs on foreign-produced films would violate a WTO moratorium on customs duties for digital services, known as the “e-Commerce Moratorium,” said Greg Shaffer, a professor of International Law at Georgetown University Law Center. While “e-Commerce” can sometimes refer to items...

May 21, 2025 Read Now >

Amid Soaring Hard Disk Drive Profits and ‘Healthy’ Supply-Demand Dynamics, Western Digital, Seagate Execs Tout Company, Industry ‘Discipline’ on Price, Output

Executives of Western Digital Corporation and Seagate Technologies have used recent public statements to call for industry-wide supply discipline and signal that they won’t undercut their rivals on output or price as demand rises, in language that could serve to facilitate...

May 20, 2025 Read Now >

Letta Calls for EU Defense and Telecom Consolidation Amid Geopolitical Shifts

The European Union must accelerate consolidation in its defense and telecommunications sectors to stay globally competitive and respond to rising geopolitical and economic pressures, Enrico Letta, author of a landmark report on the EU single market and former Italian prime minister...

May 20, 2025 Read Now >

In Win for Big Tech, Trump USTR, in Change from Biden Administration, Calls Canadian and Australian Laws Compelling Big Tech to Pay for News ‘Discriminatory Non-Tariff Barriers’

The Biden Administration’s approach to trade policy included a rethink of Big Tech’s role in establishing U.S. trade policy priorities. In contrast, the Trump administration, despite continuing major antitrust litigation against Big Tech, has been vocal in its criticism of European...

May 20, 2025 Read Now >

Mars/Kellanova: EC Taking Retailer Concerns Seriously in Deal Review, Sources Say

The European Commission is taking seriously the concerns of retailers about the bargaining power of Mars following its proposed $36 billion acquisition of Kellanova (K), as the agency kicks off its phase 1 investigation of the transaction, sources close to the matter told The Capitol...

May 19, 2025 Read Now >

The Asia Antitrust Agenda: SAMR Fines Pharma Suppliers for Price-Fixing; ACCC Kicks Off Omnicom/IPG Review; China’s Regulators Warn Food-Delivery Platforms Over Competition Concerns; Indian Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling in Abuse of Dominance Case

SAMR fines four pharmaceutical suppliers 354 million yuan for price-fixing. The Tianjin branch of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on May 9 that it had levied a total of 354 million yuan ($49 million) in penalties on four pharmaceutical suppliers for...

May 19, 2025 Read Now >

European Commission Tests Microsoft Teams Remedies With Rivals: Sources

The European Commission is preparing the imminent market testing of Microsoft’s (MSFT) proposed remedies aimed at leveling the playing field between its Teams app and other chat tools for users of its workplace products, according to two sources familiar with the...

May 16, 2025 Read Now >

Safelite: Safelite Solutions Alleged Conduct to Steer Customers to Safelite Glass Shops Could Run Afoul of State Laws

Already facing a Department of Justice probe into alleged self-preferencing of company-owned glass repair shops by its third-party administrator (TPA) business, Safelite is also encountering scrutiny at the state...

May 16, 2025 Read Now >

EC Preparing Charges in Glovo-Delivery Hero No-Poach Cartel Probe

The European Commission is preparing formal charges against delivery food companies Glovo and Delivery Hero (DHER: DE) for allegedly agreeing not to poach each other’s workers, according to two sources with intimate knowledge of the matter. The rest of this article is currently locked...

May 12, 2025 Read Now >

The Asia Antitrust Agenda: Indian Watchdog Settles Google Smart TV Case; SAMR Warns CK Hutchison/BlackRock Against Evading Port Deal Review; KTFC Ends Microsoft Probe; Singapore Regulator Clears Omnicom/IPG

Indian watchdog settles with Google. The Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) recent settlement with Google (GOOG) creates a path for other U.S. tech giants to come forward and resolve their cases with the regulator. On April 21, the CCI issued its first-ever settlement order. The...

May 05, 2025 Read Now >

Lenovo, NTT Data, Thales Could Face Closer Scrutiny Under New DOD Regulations, Boosting Fortunes for Domestic Government Contractors

Foreign-owned firms that are U.S. government contractors such as Chinese tech multinational Lenovo Group (HKEX: 0992), NTT Data Group (TSE: 9613) and Thales (ENX: HO) are likely to face heightened scrutiny under new Department of Defense (DOD) regulations. This regulatory framework will...

May 02, 2025 Read Now >

EC Deepens Probe into Visa, Mastercard Over Scheme Fees Paid by Retailers

The European Commission is deepening a preliminary probe into whether Visa (V) and Mastercard’s (MA) scheme and processing fees unfairly harm competition in the card payments market. Officials are looking at how the two dominant card networks set fees paid by acquirers such as Elavon...

May 02, 2025 Read Now >

Safelite: Company Leverages Third Party Administration Dominance to Steer Claimants to Affiliated Glass Repair Shops, Industry Sources Say

Safelite Solutions—a third party administrator that manages auto glass repair claims for most top U.S. insurance companies—incentivizes employees to steer claimants to its affiliated glass repair shops, and has made it increasingly difficult for customers to take their claims to the...

May 01, 2025 Read Now >

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