North America: Antitrust/Competition Law

The U.S. has implemented sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, marking the first time USMCA-compliant products face such measures in the ongoing trade dispute. Canada has responded with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. imports, while additional auto industry tariffs loom on the horizon. How will these escalating trade actions reshape cross-border commerce and what strategic adjustments should businesses consider?

Le Canada annonce des contre-mesures tarifaires de 27,6 G$ CA sur plus de 600 catégories de produits américains en réponse aux tarifs imposés par les États-Unis. Ces mesures toucheront l'acier, l'aluminium, les produits laitiers, l'électronique et plusieurs autres secteurs, avec des taux variant de 15 % à 50 % selon les produits.

As the United States and Canada engage in an escalating trade war with tit-for-tat tariffs threatening nearly $900 billion in bilateral commerce, the breakdown of interim negotiations reveals deep divisions over automobiles, metals, and agricultural products. With thousands of jobs at stake and the future of USMCA hanging in the balance, will Canada's defiant stance against Washington reshape North American trade relations, or will economic pressures force a compromise?

The U.S. has implemented sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, marking the first time USMCA-compliant products face such measures in the ongoing trade dispute. Canada has responded with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. imports, while additional auto industry tariffs loom on the horizon. How will these escalating trade actions reshape cross-border commerce and what strategic adjustments should businesses consider?

Découvrez les développements récents en droit de la concurrence et de l'investissement étranger au Canada, incluant les activités d'application de la loi du Bureau de la concurrence, les examens de fusions par secteur, et les nouvelles accusations criminelles pour pratiques commerciales trompeuses. Cette édition analyse également les tendances clés en matière d'investissements étrangers culturels et non culturels sous la Loi sur Investissement Canada.

The FY 2025 HSR Annual Report reveals significant shifts in merger enforcement patterns, with agencies issuing fewer Second Requests yet maintaining scrutiny of large transactions while demonstrating increased willingness to negotiate settlements. The report captures a transitional period spanning two administrations, showing how enforcement priorities and approaches to merger remedies have evolved.

This comprehensive global antitrust roundup examines recent enforcement actions, investigations, and court decisions across multiple jurisdictions, including major U.S. litigation involving alleged price-fixing in casino hotels and sugar markets, Mexico's heightened scrutiny of the agri-food sector, and European Commission proceedings against construction chemical manufacturers. The analysis reveals emerging patterns in algorithmic pricing enforcement, vertical restraints, and sustainability-related competi

California's Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced Assembly Bill 1776, the COMPETE Act, which would significantly expand the state's antitrust regime to include single-firm conduct under the Cartwright Act. The committee removed the private right of action, limiting enforcement to public prosecutions, while incorporating several substantive amendments that narrow the bill's scope and raise the threshold for establishing viable claims.

Global competition authorities in Q2 2026 delivered a spectrum of enforcement outcomes—from unconditional clearances to structural remedies and deal abandonment—across media, construction, digital services, defense, and visual-content markets. Federal clearance no longer shields transactions from parallel state or private enforcement, while European regulators increasingly weigh competitive pressure from digital platforms and generative AI. The quarter underscores that commercial arrangements ma