The ACCC’s Digital Advertising Services Inquiry Interim Report was released today.

Google has completed its acquisition of Fitbit. This comes while the ACCC was still conducting an informal review. The ACCC had previously released a statement of issues and rejected a proposed undertaking. The matter has become an enforcement investigation for the ACCC.

Jason Ellis, former general manager of sales and marketing at BlueScope Steel Limited, has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment for inciting the obstruction of an ACCC cartel investigation.

The ACCC has identified preliminary competition concerns over Woolworth’s proposed acquisition of a 65% share of PFD Food Services.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced that Anna Brakey and Peter Crone will join the ACCC as Commissioners this month, both for five year periods.

ANZ, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and six senior banking executives were today committed to the Federal Court of Australia for trail on criminal cartel charges.

The High Court has dismissed the ACCC’s application for special leave to appeal from the Full Federal Court’s decision that the PN acquisition of the Acacia Ridge terminal would not be likely to substantially lessen competition.

Criminal cartel charges have been laid against pharmaceutical ingredient company, Alkaloids of Australia Pty Ltd, and its former export manager, Christopher Kenneth Joyce. Each have been charged with 33 criminal offences.

The ACCC is consulting on the proposed undertaking offered by Google in connection with its proposed acquisition of Fitbit.

The ACCC has instituted Federal Court proceedings alleging Peters Ice Cream engaged in conduct ‘which hindered or prevented competition for the supply of single-wrapped ice creams to petrol and convenience retailers.’

The ACCC ahs granted interim authorisation to Virgin Australia and Alliance Airlines to cooperate on 41 regional routes and two short-haul international routes.

ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, has just delivered his annual address to the Law Council of Australia Business Law Section’s Competition and Consumer Workshop.

The ACCC has announced it is investigating acquisitions by Innovation Holdings Australia Pty Ltd that would give it around 35% of shares in iSelect Limited.

ACCC: “This report provides an in-depth focus on online private messaging services in Australia.“

Following the publication of the ACCC’s Statement of Issues in respect of Alsco’s proposed acquisition of Spotless Garments, Alsco has withdrawn its bid for Spotless Garments.

The ACCC has made its first class exemption relating to collective bargaining by small business.

The AFR reports that Sims will press the federal government for tougher merger laws, including changes to shop big banks buying emerging fintechs. Specific proposals are expected in 2021.

ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, has spoken to the National Press Club on ‘Tackling Market Power in the Covid-19 Era’.

The ACCC has granted authorisation to enable several Councils in Queensland to jointly procure recyclables processing services for three years, after finding that the proposed conduct would produce some public benefits and little (if any) public detriment.

The ACCC has commenced civil cartel proceedings against overhead crane company, NQCranes.