Competition Matters

“Oh, if I could but live another century and see the fruition of all the work for women. There is so much yet to be done.” – Suffragist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

The consumer movement, trust-busting, the women’s movement, and the work of the FTC have traveled parallel (and often intersecting) paths. Women’s History Month offers us a chance to consider the contribution women have made to the mission of the FTC and the unprecedented moment in women’s history we’re witnessing at the FTC today.

When Congress passed the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, it created minimum dollar thresholds to limit the burden of premerger reporting. In 2000, it amended the HSR statute to require the annual adjustment of these thresholds based on the change in gross national product. As a result, reportability under the Act changes from year to year as the statutory thresholds adjust. The PNO fields many questions about the upcoming adjustments to the HSR thresholds from parties whose transactions may take place around the time of the revisions.

Today’s the day we open the hood to explore competition issues around state regulation of motor vehicle distribution.  If you can’t attend our day-long workshop, watch the live webcast using the LIVE WEBCAST link on the Auto Distribution workshop page.

It’s been a busy year for antitrust news. And in case you missed any particular event, here’s my list of the top ten FTC-related antitrust developments for 2015:

The New York State Public Service Commission is on a path to move away from traditional cost-of-service regulation for electric utilities. This is good news for New York consumers who might be looking to lower their electric bill or reduce their reliance on the power grid. In fact, the policy move is motivated by advances in energy technology, increased concerns about the environmental impact of fossil-fuel generation, and consumers’ interest in having more direct control over their electric service.

With a tinge of both nostalgia and anticipation, I am pleased to announce a number of management changes at the Bureau. As you may have heard, Deputy Director Steve Weissman will be returning to private practice shortly. Steve is heading back to Baker Botts, where he will help lead the firm’s antitrust group. Steve has been a terrific deputy with numerous accomplishments, including leading the FTC team to victory in FTC v. Sysco/US Foods.

Antitrust law seeks to promote efficiency and economic welfare. But companies may want to collaborate to advance other social objectives. I recently spoke at a program entitled “Antitrust Law and Corporate Social Responsibility,” hosted by the Council for International Business. The purpose of the program was to discuss whether and how companies can work together to achieve social welfare goals—such as environmental objectives, health and safety objectives, or labor objectives—without running afoul of the antitrust laws. I made two key points.

Today I spoke to a group of antitrust practitioners and business people at a GCR Live event in New York, where I discussed the court’s decision in FTC v. Sysco Corp.

Today, the Commission (with the help of our friends at the Justice Department) filed a proposed settlement in federal court to settle charges that three funds managed by Third Point violated the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act by failing to make the necessary premerger notification filings when they acquired shares of Yahoo! Inc.