In today's Morgunblaðið, there is an interview with Sævar Þór Jónsson,
the lawyer for the food company Gunnar Mayonnaise, where he finds that
The Competition Authority's proceedings in the investigation into the Kaupfélag's acquisitions
Skagfirðinga at the company.
It is reported that the company was sold last May.
and the transaction was subsequently reported to the regulator. He is quoted as saying that now
When six months have passed, the purchase still has not been approved. Then it is stated
according to him, the matter had been unduly delayed, in addition to the red tape and
that the data collection required of Gunnars mayonnaise is unnecessarily extensive. He questioned it.
one wonders whether this process is half-impossible for small businesses.
In the interests of an informed debate on the handling of competition matters,
It is inevitable that the following should be stated:
- Merger notification regarding
The case was received by the Competition Authority on 20 July, and proceedings began.
of the case. Therefore, the handling of the case has not taken six months and the case is being pursued
within statutory time limits.
- In the course of the proceedings
the supervisory authority has repeatedly held status meetings where the parties to the case have been present
informed about the status of the matter. Are such meetings usually held for the benefit of
the relevant companies so that they can assess the status of the matter as soon as possible.
- At a status meeting at the beginning
In October, the parties were presented with the Competition Authority's preliminary assessment of possible harmful
the effects of the merger and invited them to submit their views. From them
The timing of the handling of the case has been dictated by the merger parties' reactions to the preliminary assessment.
of the supervisory authority. The supervisory authority's efforts to simplify the handling of the case have
was not successful.
- The Competition Authority is now waiting
views that merger parties have put forward, no later than 16 December in accordance with
granted an extension.
