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On 6 October 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California enacted a series of laws that included an amendment to California’s antitrust statute, the Cartwright Act. He declared that the series of bipartisan legislation “further protects families by creating stronger consumer protections and increasing affordability.” Specifically, the antitrust amendment prohibits the use or distribution of “common pricing algorithms” that rely on competitor data or facilitate coordinated pricing. Two days later, Governor Newsom signed a second bill into law dramatically increasing penalties for Cartwright Act violations—raising corporate criminal fines, individual criminal fines, and giving courts discretion to apply civil penalties for misconduct.

On 16 April 2024, the Trade Remedy Authority (TRA) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) received a petition for an antidumping investigation (AD) regarding ceramic and porcelain tiles originating from India. The petitioners include nine companies representing domestic manufacturers. On 18 August 2025, the MOIT issued Decision No. 2333/QD-BCT to officially conduct the antidumping investigation with a case code of AD23. After that, on 25 August 2025, the TRA issued Notice No. 131/TB-PVTM regarding the issuance of a questionnaire for sampling foreign manufacturers/exporters in the AD23 case.

The Ninth Circuit dismissed antitrust claims against Las Vegas hotels and software provider Cendyn, ruling that independent use of algorithmic pricing tools doesn’t constitute unlawful price-fixing under the Sherman Act. The court found no coordinated conduct or restraint of trade, diverging from the DOJ’s broader interpretation. While businesses may adopt pricing algorithms, they must avoid collusion. The decision sets key boundaries for antitrust liability in the context of AI-driven pricing strategies.

The 2025 Export Block Exemption, introduced by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, provides a five-year legal framework allowing firms to coordinate strategically in export markets — such as through joint marketing, logistics, and infrastructure development without breaching competition laws. Aimed at countering rising global tariffs and trade barriers, the exemption includes strict safeguards against anti-competitive conduct and mandates the inclusion of historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs) and SMMEs in all agreements. By enabling collective action, the exemption seeks to enhance the global competitiveness of South African exports while promoting inclusive economic participation.

At the Annual Compliance conference recently held in London, the session on ‘Supply chains – Navigating ESG and Trade-related Risks’ examined the intensifying ESG and trade-related risks facing global supply chains, shaped by shifting political priorities and evolving regulatory frameworks.

In February 2025, the European Commission presented its “Omnibus” package aiming to delay application as well as simplify certain obligations under the CSRD, CSDDD and the EU Taxonomy with the ultimate goal of reducing administrative burden and thus addressing concerns that the rules would hamper European competitiveness (see our summary of the Omnibus here). Following the approval of the “stop the clock” Directive, which delays application of the CSRD and CSDDD for certain companies, the EU institutions are now focusing efforts on the substantive proposal to simplify and streamline certain obligations under these rules. In parallel, the EU Commission is also working to publish updates to the EU Taxonomy.

The European Commission has issued its first fine in a no-poach case in the labor market, and its first sanction of the anti-competitive use of a minority share in a competing business. With the fine of EUR 329 million, the Commission joins the ranks of a number of high-profile antitrust enforcers worldwide that have targeted HR-related infringements. The Commission’s first intervention is also likely to encourage other EU regulators to follow suit and is an important reminder of the need to carefully manage antitrust risk (specifically information flows) where a company holds a minority shareholding in a competitor.

On 3 June 2025, SECEX (the Brazilian Secretariat of International Trade) initiated an antidumping investigation on the Brazilian imports of hot-rolled flat steel from China, commonly classified under certain NCM codes.The investigation may result in the imposition of antidumping measures and the consequent increase in the cost of Brazilian imports of flat-rolled hot-rolled flat laminates for a period of five years.

Our speakers provided an overview of the key antitrust enforcement priorities and trends across the EU, UK, US and Asia Pacific. As companies globally face the challenges presented by supply chain disruption, input shortages, cost increases and tariff uncertainties, authorities are clamping down on collusive responses to these challenges –…