Competition

No inherent conflict between competition, data protection laws, says CCI

The Competition Act supplements data protection regulations by placing heightened responsibilities on dominant firms and there is no inherent conflict or repugnancy between the two laws, according to fair trade watchdog CCI. Besides, the regulator has said a broader view of the concept of user data is crucial in analysing data-related competition concerns in digital markets. The observations are part of the Competition Commission of India's 156-page order imposing a Rs 213.14 crore penalty on social media major Meta for unfair business ways with respect to WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021. Elucidating about user data in digital markets, CCI said data-related practices might violate data protection laws but they can also be seen as the imposition of unfair terms under competition law. "This overlap creates a point of intersection between data protection and competition law, with each addressing different aspects of harm. Further, while data protection laws primarily focus

NCLAT rejects travel agents' plea alleging govt anti-competitive practices

The NCLAT on Friday upheld a CCI order that rejected a plea by the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) alleging anti-competitive practise by the government by exclusively using the services of their own agencies. A three-member bench also imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh, observing that Government of India cannot be considered as an enterprise. The case pertains to a direction issued by the Department of Expenditure(DoE) in March 2006 to all government officials, including employees of PSU units to exclusively utilise the services of either Balmer Lawrie & Co or Ashok Travels and Tours. Balmer Lawrie & Co is a company under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas while Ashok Travels and Tours is a division of state-owned India Tourism Development Corporation. Terming the directive anti-competitive, TAAI approached CCI alleging that it has restricted the market access for travel agent services for booking air tickets for the last 14 years and adversely impacted the benefits ..

US antitrust case accusing Amazon of stifling competition to move forward

Last year, the FTC alleged Amazon.com, which has 1 billion items in its online superstore, was using an algorithm that pushed up prices US households paid by more than $1 billion

Ex-Google exec says goal was to 'crush' competition, shows trial evidence

The statements underscored the US Department of Justice's claim that Google has sought to monopolize markets for publisher ad servers and advertiser ad networks

Teva faces fine for disparaging rival multiple sclerosis medicine: Report

The EU competition enforcer's tough line underscores its concerns that such practices could stifle innovation in the pharmaceutical industry

Quality control orders protect MSMEs from unfair competition: Piyush Goyal

The quality control orders (QCOs) issued by the government for different products will protect MSMEs from unfair competition and help cut the import of sub-standard goods, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. He said that through these orders, the government is supporting the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). "We are giving time to MSMEs to meet the QCO requirements," he said, adding that MSMEs will benefit from these orders as "it stops substandard goods imported at strange rates from outside the country and thus helps the MSME sector by protecting it from unfair competition". MSMEs should not be looked upon as merely a small enterprise, he added. The entire ecosystem around big industries and enterprises comprises thousands of MSMEs, without whom they cannot succeed, he said, adding that MSMEs act both as suppliers and customers of big industries. The sector also plays an important role in the tourism and infrastructure development of the coun

Best of BS Opinion: Making things better, search for competition, more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

IndiaSkills 2023-24 to kick off on Wed; 900 participants to take part

The national level skilling competition is the precursor to the WorldSkills competition, as participants who excel at national level will get to participate at the world stage in September in Paris

CCI set to study impact of AI on competition, efficiency and innovation

"The transformative capabilities of AI have significant pro-competitive potential; at the same time, there may be competition concerns emanating from the use of AI," the CCI stated

Stakeholders seek more time to submit comments on digital competition law

Various stakeholders on Monday urged the government to provide more time to submit inputs on the draft digital competition law. As many as 21 entities, including CUTS International, Broadband India Forum, Internet Freedom Foundation and The Dialogue, as well as 26 individuals have written an open letter in this regard. Initially, the deadline for submitting comments on the draft digital competition law and the report of Committee on Digital Competition Law (CDCL) was April 15 and the same has been extended till May 15. In their letter to Corporate Affairs Secretary Manoj Govil, they said the current deadline to submit comments by May 15 is insufficient to make a nuanced and informed submission, considering the technical complexity of the subject matter, cross-cutting impact of the bill and regulatory overlaps. "The bill will impact various sectors and domains of the digital economy, including user experience, data protection and security, supply chains, investments, business costs

Govt extends consultations for digital competition Bill till 15 May

The government has extended the deadline for submitting stakeholder comments on the draft digital competition bill by one month to May 15. It has also extended the deadline for submission of comments by stakeholders on the report of Committee on Digital Competition Law (CDCL). The initial deadline is to end on April 15. Earlier, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had invited comments of stakeholders on the report of CDCL as well as draft digital competition bill under e-consultation module by April 15. However, in a notice on Tuesday the ministry said it had considered "the requests received from various stakeholders, and the last date of submitting the comments/ suggestions is extended till 15th May, 2024". It also said stakeholders could send in their comments via email, apart from the e-consultation module. In March this year, fair trade regulator proposed digital competition bill which seeks to put in place several obligations for large digital enterprises, including new

CAIT approaches CCI against Flipkart, Amazon for anti-competitive practices

CAIT writes to CCI seeking the urgent resolution of the longstanding Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh case involving alleged anti-competitive practices of Flipkart and Amazon

Explained: Epic Games' win against tech giant Google in US Federal Court

A US Federal Court has said that Google has turned the Google Play app store and Google Play Billion service into an illegal monopoly. But what is the Epic vs Google case? Here's all you need to know

Striking right balance for sustainability, competition crucial: NCLAT chair

He was delivering the keynote address at the eighth BRICS International Competition Conference 2023 in Delhi

Kota prep centers: No friendship, everyone competitor, say students

There are no friends but only competitors in the country's coaching capital popularly known as "Kota factory", say students and experts as the government struggles to keep a check on the spate of suicides among engineering and medical aspirants. Authorities say 20 students preparing for competitive exams in Kota have ended their lives so far in 2023 -- highest for any year. Last year, the figure was 15. Battling with packed schedules, cut-throat competition, constant pressure to do better, burden of parents' expectations and homesickness, students say they often find themselves alone with no one to talk to and share their feelings with. Experts warn that parents also see friendships as potential distractions for their wards and discourage them to make friends when they are here for coaching. "There is no concept of friendship here...there are only competitors. Every student sitting next to you is seen as an additional burden to fight with. Unlike schools and colleges, nobody shares

Microsoft's cloud practices anti-competitive, says Alphabet's Google

There is intense rivalry between the two US tech giants in the fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar cloud computing business, where Google trails market leader Amazon and Microsoft

Competition Bill with host of changes passed in Lok Sabha amid uproar

Changes include working of penalty on global turnover of companies; bill has introduced a deal value threshold to enable CCI to review transactions depending upon their value

Start-ups, news publishers likely to join digital competition law panel

"The whole idea behind the law is to protect the startups and small businesses from abuse of dominance of the big tech"

Air India, AirAsia to tweak 'flight path' to avoid internal competition

Under this "streamlining" plan, Air India is likely to completely exit from five routes and AirAsia India might stop operating services on four other routes, sources said

CCI likely to appeal against NCLAT order in DLF matter: Sources

The Commission in 2018 had found DLF in contravention of the Competition Act for abusing its dominant position and discriminatory practices