The ACCC proposes to deny authorisation for the provisions of a settlement and licence agreement between Celgene and generic drug companies, Juno and Natco. The companies are seeking authorisation to settle a patent dispute currently before the Federal Court of Australia.
The Australian Competition Tribunal has today denied authorisation for the NSW Minerals Council and ten mining companies to collectively negotiate the terms and conditions, including price, of access to the Port of Newcastle to export coal and other minerals.
The ACCC has granted an urgent interim authorisation permitting the cooperation and sharing of information by companies in the supply chain to ensure critical retail goods, including food supplies, are able to reach consumer and businesses in Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT).
The ACCC has today issued a determination allowing joint marketing arrangements between the four owners of the Mereenie gas field in the Northern Territory. It is located in the Amadeus Basin, approximately 250 km west of Alice Springs.
Central Petroleum, Macquarie Mereenie, New Zealand Oil and Gas, and Cue Energy are currently the joint venture partners in the field.
The ACCC has granted an urgent interim authorisation permitting manufacturers and other industry stakeholders to collaborate on arrangements for the supply of the diesel exhaust fluid, known as ‘AdBlue’ that is used in most modern diesel vehicles to control noxious emissions.
AdBlue manufacturers are seeking to share information and work together to develop solutions to any potential future shortages of refined urea, a key ingredient in AdBlue, as part of a coordinated government and industry response to current global pressures on the supply of urea.
Shaw Academy Ltd has agreed to refund hundreds of former students after admitting some students experienced difficulties cancelling a free trial offered by Shaw Academy before it became a paid subscription to the company’s online courses.
This follows an ACCC investigation into Shaw Academy, an international online education organisation providing students with online courses.
The University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of South Australia and other South Australian education providers can collaborate on travel and quarantine accommodation arrangements for the return of international students following an ACCC interim authorisation.
The proposed arrangements prioritise the return of continuing students, including those who need to complete practical or on-site components of their course to progress their studies or to graduate.
The ACCC has made its final decision allowing New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory universities to collaborate on travel arrangements for the return of international students for 15 months.
A recently announced NSW Government pilot plan enables the staggered return of fully vaccinated international students to resume their studies. The first phase of the plan is to bring back 500 students by the end of the year.
The ACCC has granted interim authorisation to medicine wholesalers to continue to co-operate in providing fair and efficient access to essential medication and pharmacy products as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
The new interim authorisation also allows the National Pharmaceutical Services Association (NPSA) to collectively negotiate on behalf of its members with the Commonwealth government in relation to possible COVID-19 vaccine distribution arrangements.
The ACCC has denied authorisation for Qantas (ASX:QAN) and Japan Airlines to coordinate flights between Australia and Japan under the terms of a joint business agreement. The ACCC found that the agreement would likely lead to reduced competition as international travel resumes, to the detriment of passengers travelling between Australia and Japan.
“The ACCC can only authorise an agreement between competitors if it is satisfied the public benefits would outweigh the harm to competition. The alliance did not pass this test,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.