Brussels under fire for ruling

The European Commission has faced harsh criticism in a ECFI judgment in a ruling to overturn its ban on French group Schneider Electric's takeover of rival Legrand. It is the second time in 2002 that the Commission has had a merger decision overruled by a European court. In summary the ECFI said: The Commission's economic analysis is vitiated by errors and omissions which deprive it of probative value, save in relation to French sectoral markets. With regard to French sectoral markets, while acknowledging the anti-competitive effects of the operation, the Court of First Instance finds a serious infringement of the rights of the defence, which leads it to annul the prohibition decision.

ESO: In Focus: Reform of EC Merger Regulation, January 2002 http://www.europeansources.info/record/reform-of-ec-merger-regulation-january-2002/

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