Antitrust & Trade Regulation Report Index-Summary

BANKING

– Credit cards

– Credit reports on power-of-attorney applicants, Bank of America class action settlement approved (E.D. Pa.), 96:111
– Data breach, banks opting out of settlement class may pursue limited claims against discount retailer (1st Cir.), 96:356
– European Union

See EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

– Italy

– – Antitrust authority calls for greater oversight, 96:52; open letter to parliament urges action, 96:120
– – Fees on checks and period between deposit and credit, policies will have to be phased out, 96:441
– – Shareholder collaboration agreement investigated by antitrust officials, 96:493
– – Transparency, head of competition authority calls for more information to smaller clients, 96:651

– Mergers

– – EU merger approval

See EU MERGER APPROVAL

– – France, Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne merger conditioned on remedies, 96:649
– – “Too big to fail” institutions, House panel holds hearing, 96:263

– Mortgages

See REAL ESTATE

– Oligarchy, economists tell Congress that oversized institutions need to be broken up, 96:406
– Overdrafts

– – New disclosure and consumer control, comments sought, 96:17
– – UK, overdraft charges, consumer statute against unfair contract terms applies, 96:227

– Privacy, new consumer protection agency proposed for enforcement, 97:6; FTC would retain key privacy powers, 97:34; Congress expresses concerns over possible duplication of effort, 97:35; further developments, see LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 3126
– Solvency crisis, OECD releases recommendations for easing, 97:48
– UK, financial services plan unveiled by OFT, 97:130

BANKRUPTCY

– Chrysler, FTC reviewing petition for post-bankruptcy warning labels on used vehicles, 97:87
– FDCPA, attempt by servicer to collect on non-defaulted, discharged debt not actionable (D. Colo.), 97:115

BEVERAGES

– Alcoholic beverages

See ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

– China, ministry rejects Coca-Cola bid to acquire juice maker, 96:303
– Ginseng Up, facial attack on distributor restraint of trade claim fails, subject matter jurisdiction found (D.V.I.), 96:12
– Marketing to youth, In Brief, 97:334
– Robinson-Patman Act, distributors cannot resurrect claims against maker (2d Cir.), 97:325

BID RIGGING

– Canada

– – Information technology services, companies and individuals fined, 96:167; firm owner pleads guilty, 96:630
– – School bus services, Competition Bureau secures prohibition orders for price fixing and bid rigging, 96:196

– Conn., insurance, settlement reached in bid rigging, price fixing, and illegal steering claims (Conn. Super. Ct.), 96:462
– OECD releases guidelines, 96:248
– Refuse carts, executives of repair firm indicted for Chicago fraud scheme (N.D. Ill.), 96:405
– Ships and shipping

– – Fenders and buoys, marine products manufacturer charged in conspiracy (E.D. Va.), 96:534; CEO pleads guilty, 97:8
– – Marine products, companies settle charges (E.D. Va., S.D. Fla.), 96:429
– – Shipping lanes, executive sentenced (M.D. Fla.), 96:112

– South Africa, pipe cartel, In Brief, 96:121
– Superfund fraud, 3 indicted (D.N.J.), 97:296
– UK construction firms fined, 97:343

BLOGS

– Endorsements and testimonials, FTC reviewing public comments on proposed rules re disclosures, 97:89
– FTC Journalism Workshop, In Brief, 97:206

BOOKS

– Advertising, FTC rescinds Mirror Image Doctrine, 96:182
– France, most retailers receive temporary exemption from 60-day payment period law, 96:385
– Google digitization project

– – Antitrust investigation opened by DOJ (S.D.N.Y.), 97:40
– – Settlement, DOJ advises court to reject (S.D.N.Y.), 97:330

– Infomercials to support book must not misrepresent contents, contempt order affirmed (7th Cir.), 97:254
– Print-on-demand, tying claims against Amazon may proceed (D. Me.), 97:253

BOYCOTTS

– Aluminum, hearsay may help prove conspiracy (W.D. Okla.), 96:15
– DVDs, boycott claim by distributor, suit against studio may proceed (D. Del.), 97:197
– Faux antiques, decision to sell via only one retailer does not harm competition (E.D.N.Y.), 96:348
– Health insurance

– – Agency, failure to allege agreements dooms complaint (6th Cir.), 96:10
– – France, dental group fined for boycott of insurer, 96:166

– Horse racing, track owners may pursue boycott claims against horsemen (W.D. Ky.), 96:321
– Real estate

– – Brokerage, commission requirement of physical presence during initial visit by buyer is not boycott (U.S., rev den), 96:184
– – Realtors (N.D. Ill.), In Brief, 96:190

BRIBERY

– Armed forces

– – Airfield construction, three guilty pleas filed re Afghan project (N.D. Ill.), 96:644; guilty plea in related claim entered, 97:11
– – Defense contractor (E.D.N.Y.), In Brief, 97:266
– – Retired Army major pleads guilty (M.D. Ga.), 96:43

– Army Corps of Engineers

– – Contractors face charges (E.D. Va.), 96:377
– – Levees, two found guilty (E.D. La.), In Brief, 96:378; sentencing, 97:262

– Building supplies, Home Depot employee pleads guilty (N.D. Ga.), 96:65; ongoing investigations yield another guilty plea, 96:512; prison term, fines, and forfeiture levied, 96:619
– N.Y., power authority employee sentenced to jail and fine in kickback scheme (E.D.N.Y.), 96:87

BROADBAND

– Cable wiring, FCC decision finding exclusivity contracts unlawful not arbitrary (D.C. Cir.), 96:555
– Canada

– – ADSL, central office-based services not required, feasibility of unbundled offerings to be examined, 96:100
– – Broadband price-cutting, In Brief, 97:131
– – Wholesale services, In Brief, 96:493

– EU, nationalist approach must be cured by legislation, commissioner says, 96:302
– France, Competition Authority accepts after-sales service commitments to overseas operators, 96:306

BROADCASTING

– Radio

See RADIO

– Television

See TELEVISION

– Webcasting

See WEBCASTING

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

– Bribery, Home Depot employee pleads guilty to taking kickbacks (N.D. Ga.), 96:65; ongoing investigations yield another guilty plea, 96:512; prison term, fines, and forfeiture levied, 96:619
– Canada, price fixing by roofing contractors, In Brief, 96:652
– Carpet retailer, overt act is required to prove restraint of trade, claim dismissed (M.D. Tenn.), 97:264
– Chile, fiber cement producer ordered to pay damages for predatory pricing, 96:518
– Concrete

– – Drycast hardscapes, FTC claims proposed merger would harm competition (FTC), 96:38; transaction withdrawn, 96:40
– – Ready-mixed concrete, class certified in price fixing claims (S.D. Ind.), 97:284

– EU cement firms, surprise inspections, In Brief, 97:344
– Fiberglass insulation, class certified in price-fixing claim against contractor (N.D. Ga.), 96:153
– Flat glass, motion to dismiss price fixing claims against manufacturers denied (W.D. Pa.), 96:156
– Germany, bundled damage claims may proceed against cement firms, 96:491
– Italy, plasterboard dominance, In Brief, 96:283
– Levees, two guilty of bribery (E.D. La.), In Brief, 96:378; sentencing, 97:262
– Oriented strand board price fixing class action, additional attorneys' fees from direct purchasers in opt-out settlement group not warranted (E.D. Pa.), 96:239
– Round thermostats, claims time-barred, antitrust injury insufficiently pleaded, class not certified (Me.), 97:123
– South Africa

– – Cement producers raided in cartel investigations, 97:49
– – Pipe cartel, In Brief, 96:121

– Steel

See METALS

– UK construction firms fined for bid rigging, 97:343
– Utility vaults, use of exclusive supplier and partial developer reimbursement does not support antitrust claims (N.D. Cal.), 96:291