On 6 May 2016, the Competition Council (hereinafter – KT) prohibited a merger whereby in 2014 AS Eesti Meedia acquired 100 per cent of AllePAL OÜ shares. KT found that the merger restricted competition in the Lithuanian markets of classified ads for real estate and vehicles.
The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (Supreme Court) upheld Lithuanian Competition Council‘s (KT) decision that 29 travel agencies used online booking system E-TURAS to concert practices when applying discounts to bookings and thus breached competition law.
The World Bank Group and the International Competition Network (ICN) announced Lithuanian Competition Council among the winners of the 2015-2016 Competition Advocacy Contest
The Competition Council cleared the acquisition of part of the assets, rights and obligations of Danske Bank A/S Lietuvos filialas by AB Swedbank and UAB Swedbank lizingas .
Lithuanian Competition Council (the Council) announced that the new Merger Notification and Examination Procedure (the Merger Procedure) had come into force on 1 January 2016. As of that date, all merger notifications must be submitted in line with the new Merger Procedure.
The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (the Court) upheld the Competition Council‘s (KT) decision as of April 18, 2013 to impose a fine of 341 057 EUR on JSC Lukoil Baltija for implementing non-notified mergers.
On December 18 Lithuanian Competition Council (KT) announced that three cinema operators, “Forum Cinemas“, “Multikino Lietuva“ and “Cinamon Operations“, had been fixing prices of cinema tickets as part of two separate cartel agreements.
Vilnius Administrative Regional Court upheld the decision by Lithuanian Competition Council’s to fine Gazprom for the failure to comply with merger conditions and market foreclosure.
On 15 October, Competition Council (further - the Council) prohibited acquisition of 100 per cent of Maltosa shares by Viking Malt Oy . The Council found that the merger will restrict competition in the market of pilsen malt production.
Competition Council sent a statement of objections to UAB RIMI LIETUVA suspected of abusing its market power. According to the Council‘s preliminary evaluation, the regulation and use of UAB RIMI LIETUVA marketing budget contradicts fair-trade practices and restricts the possibilities for providers to negotiate the conditions of sales.
Competition Council sent a statement of objections to Kaunas City Municipality suspected of restricting competition. The Municipality authorised a municipal company Kapinių priežiūra to provide services of Kaunas city cemetery maintenance and organisation of burial services without a competitive procedure.
Competition Council introduced changes to merger notification procedure made following discussions with business and legal communities, EC recommendations and the Council‘s current practice. The new merger notification procedure will come into force on 1 January 2016.