Hydrocortisone tablets: alleged anti-competitive agreements and abusive conduct (50277-2)

The CMA is investigating alleged anti-competitive agreements and abusive conduct with respect to hydrocortisone tablets under Chapters I and II CA98 and Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.

Case reference: 50277-2

Case timetable

Date Action
February 2020 Supplementary statement of objections issued
May 2017 to October 2019 (estimate) Further evidence gathering and analysis, decision on whether to proceed with the case
April to May 2017 Receipt of written and oral representations on the statement of objections
March 2017 Statement of objections issued
September 2016 to February 2017 Further information gathering and analysis of information requests
September 2016 Decision to continue with the investigation
August 2016 to September 2016 Investigation and analysis including further information requests and stakeholder meetings
April 2016 to July 2016 Initial investigation: information gathering, including issuance of formal or informal information requests and parties’ responses. CMA analysis and review of parties’ responses to information requests. Potential state of play meetings with parties under investigation
April 2016 Investigation opened

Supplementary statement of objections

12 February 2020: The CMA issued a supplementary statement of objections in relation to its hydrocortisone investigations. The CMA has been conducting three separate investigations into alleged excessive and unfair pricing, anti-competitive agreements and abusive conduct in relation to the supply of hydrocortisone tablets in the UK. Due to the interrelationship of the facts and allegations in the three hydrocortisone investigations, the CMA brought them together and revised certain aspects of its provisional findings in the respective statements of objections through this supplementary update, including taking account of further evidence which has been obtained since the original statements of objections were issued. Please see the Hydrocortisone case page for more information.

Statement of objections

3 March 2017: The CMA issued a statement of objections alleging that Concordia and Actavis UK have breached UK and EU competition law by entering into anti-competitive agreements in relation to the supply of hydrocortisone tablets in the UK. In doing so, the CMA also alleges that Actavis UK abused its dominant position by inducing Concordia not to enter the market independently in the UK market.

Notes

  • The investigation is under Chapter I and Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998 (CA98) and Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
  • No conclusion should be drawn that there has been an infringement of competition law at this stage and the recipients of the statement of objections will now have the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
  • The CMA will consider any representations it receives before any decision is taken as to whether competition law has in fact been infringed.
  • Changes to the timing of original entries in the case timetable will be made where the estimated timing changes.

Contacts

Assistant Directors

Director, Andrew Groves (020 3738 6927, andrew.groves@cma.gov.uk)

Senior Responsible Officer, Michael Grenfell (020 3738 6134, michael.grenfell@cma.gov.uk)

Updates to this page

Published 12 April 2016
Last updated 10 July 2019 + show all updates
  1. The timetable for this case has been updated.

  2. Case timetable updated.

  3. Statement of objections issued

  4. Timetable updated.

  5. Timetable updated.

  6. First published.