The highlight of the month is that a draft of a new Serbian Competition Act has been published. We have prepared an overview of the main novelties the new legislation would bring.
Elsewhere, the Kosovo NCA gives a green light to unifying the prices of prescription medicine and a high level of merger enforcement in the region continues.
Serbia
Merger control
Eight new merger decisions
During the previous month, the Serbian NCA published eight new merger decisions. All were unconditional Phase I clearances.
Other developments
Draft of new Competition Act published
A draft of a new Serbian Competition Act has been published. What novelties will it bring to Serbian competition law?
Kosovo NCA
Unifying and determining the prices of medicine allowed
The Kosovo NCA has allowed the Ministry of Health to unify and determine drug prices throughout Kosovo. The NCA found that, in principle, price fixing is against the principles of competition law. With respect to medicines, the authority reasoned that the setting of prices may be justified for public health reasons. The NCA's position relates only to prescription drugs - with respect to OTC medicine, the authority is of the view that the fixing of prices is not justified.
Montenegro
Merger control
Three new merger decisions
During the previous month, the Montenegrin NCA published three new merger decisions. All were unconditional Phase I clearances.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Merger control
One new merger notification
The Bosnian NCA has published a notice of one new merger notification, concerning a planned transaction between Coca-Cola HBC Serbia and Bambi a.d. (Serbia). The market concerned is the wholesale of confectionery products in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
North Macedonia
Merger control
Six new merger notifications
During May, the North Macedonian NCA published six new merger notifications:
- Link Mobility Group AS (Norway) - Tera Communications (Bulgaria), Teravoice (Bulgaria);
- Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Arabia) - Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Saudi Arabia);
- JV between Daimler AG (Germany) and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (PRC);
- TP Group PLC (UK) - Sapienza Consulting Holding BV (Netherlands);
- SYNOT W, a.s. (Czech Republic) - THE-SLOTS doo (North Macedonia);
- Hamburger Recycling Group GmbH (Austria) - 3 K.F. doo (Croatia).
General
Merger control in the Balkans: The app
An innovative online app for checking the merger filing thresholds in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
Originally sent by e-mail. Original issue (mailchi.mp) · gajin.rs