Anticompetitive

Revamping Northern Ireland’s Alcohol Licensing: New Recommendations Seek to Boost Pub Sector and Curb Anti-Competitive Practices

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Belfast, Northern Ireland – A comprehensive independent study undertaken by the University of Stirling has discovered significant challenges with Northern Ireland’s current alcohol licensing framework, suggesting it favors existing businesses and hinders competition. Commissioned by tStormont’s Department for Communities, the report highlights several “deep-seated problems” in the current system, affecting its design, operation, and enforcement. The review proposes sweeping changes aimed at liberalizing the licensing process. One of the more pivotal recommendations includes preventing existing businesses, such as pubs, from objecting to new license applications, a practice that has been criticized for stifling new entrants … Read more

Federal Judge Overturns Biden’s Construction Labor Mandate, Citing Anti-Competitive Concerns

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WASHINGTON — A U.S. Federal Claims court recently sided with a group of construction companies challenging a directive from former President Joe Biden that required project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal contracts exceeding $35 million. The ruling by Judge Ryan Holte targeted the enforcement of these mandates on seven contracts in 2023, stating that they were both anti-competitive and based on presidential policy deemed “arbitrary and capricious.” The decision, delivered on Jan. 21, currently impacts only those specific cases filed in 2024, though it represents a broader victory for the construction industry. Industry representatives, particularly … Read more

Coinbase Faces $1 Billion Lawsuit Over Alleged Market Sabotage and Anti-Competitive Practices in Crypto Sector

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Hong Kong-based company BiT Global Digital Limited is suing Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, for more than $1 billion. Filed on December 13, 2024, the lawsuit charges Coinbase with anti-competitive actions following its decision to delist Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC), favoring its newly launched product, cbBTC. BiT Global claims that Coinbase’s decision to remove wBTC from its platform on November 19 was strategically timed to benefit its own product, raising serious concerns about fair market practices. Despite Coinbase stating that the delisting was due to wBTC not meeting its listing criteria, BiT Global highlighted discrepancies in … Read more

U.K. Regulatory Body Suspects Google of Anti-Competitive Practices in Digital Advertising Sector

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LONDON — The U.K.’s antitrust regulator has recently expressed concerns that Google’s dominance in the digital advertising sector may be breaching competition laws. The tech giant, known for its significant hold over online advertising markets around the world, faces scrutiny over practices that potentially hinder rival companies’ ability to compete fairly. According to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), preliminary findings suggest that Google has been engaging in activities that may stifle competition and innovation within the digital advertising space. This includes the ways in which Google interacts with publishers and advertisers, and how it … Read more