Collecting debt principal through the Plan of Payments to Suppliers does not impede the claiming of late payment interest
The voluntary or involuntary waiving of late payment interest is contrary to EU regulations and therefore null
CAPSULAS Nº 166
In recent years various so-called “Plans of Payments to Suppliers” (PPP, as abbreviated in Spanish) have been approved in Spain. The PPP are financing mechanisms for payment to suppliers of Public Authorities, intended to offset the non-payments suffered by said suppliers as a consequence of the economic crisis. However the regulations controlling the PPP also... Read More
The existence of similar contractual conditions may imply a restriction on competition
Judgment of the Supreme Court, Contentious-Administrative Chamber, of 13 November 2015
CAPSULAS Nº 166
Background The judgment we discuss is the result of a sanctioning procedure brought by the Spanish Competition Authority (CNMC) against several cinema distributors. The CNMC, in a ruling of 10 May 2006, and the Spanish National High Court, in a judgment of 5 June 2013, declared that there had been a breach of competition law... Read More
Making a mistake does not necessarily mean automatic exclusion from a tender
Decision by the Central Administrative Court for Contractual Appeals of 4 December 2015, number 1108/2015
CAPSULAS Nº 166
Background When a dossier is prepared for taking part in a public tender, it is common for many documents to be handled. Furthermore, each one must be placed in its corresponding envelope in accordance with a large number of instructions described in the specifications. This all means that on more than one occasion, involuntary mistakes... Read More
The Supreme Court dismisses the automatic review of reference prices
Supreme Court judgments of 10 and 11 November 2015, on Royal Decree 177/2014 on reference prices and homogeneous groups
CAPSULAS Nº 166
Background In 2014 the Spanish federation of wholesaler associations (FEDIFAR) challenged Royal Decree 177/2014, alleging that it failed to contemplate controls to guarantee the supply of lower-priced medicinal products, and that it would affect its commercial margin by not providing for sufficient periods of price coexistence. A second appeal from the Pharmacists Business Federation (FEFE)... Read More
La CNMC aporta frescura al debate del RD de Precios
El Global
Para muchos farmacéuticos y empresas del sector, la Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y de la Competencia (CNMC) debe ser lo más parecido a Jano, el dios romano del principio y del final, habitualmente representado con sus dos caras mirando en direcciones opuestas. En efecto, hablar de competencia y farmacia suele encender los ánimos, especialmente... Read More
El papel de la Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia
El Global
Esta semana, en la que la Asamblea General de Asebio ha renovado sus cargos confiando la presidencia a la compañía Celgene, representada por Jordi Martí, me parece oportuno comentar una reciente sentencia del Tribunal Supremo, de 17 de noviembre, que trata sobre el posicionamiento jurídico de ciertas entidades. En este caso, el Tribunal Supremo debía... Read More
La sanidad, un sector con ventaja en temas de compliance
Derecho Penal & Compliance
La Vanguardia, Togas.biz
Desde que en Julio de este año entró en vigor el nuevo Código Penal se ha hablado mucho de “compliance”, un terreno en el que asesores de diferentes especialidades se han lanzado a la búsqueda de clientes y proyectos, animados también por la creciente relevancia de los asuntos penales en nuestras vidas. En este ámbito,... Read More
The price of medicinal products in Europe cannot be used to reduce their prices in Spain
Judgment of the Supreme Court of 28 October 2015 annulling the Second Additional Provision of Royal Decree 177/2014
Capsulas Nº 165
Background In 2014, with the enactment of Royal Decree 177/2014 regulating the reference pricing system and homogenous groups of medicinal products within the Spanish Health System, it was established that reference prices could not fall beneath the minimum threshold of €1.60. The regulation also stipulated that, in some instances, the reference price could not be... Read More
To contract with public administrations, companies must comply with the mandatory employment quota of 2% for people with disabilities
Law 40/2015, of 1 October, on the Legal System governing the Public Sector
Capsulas Nº 165
Background In October, the new law on the Legal System governing the Public Sector was published in the Official State Gazette. As usual, the legislator took advantage of the enactment of a new law to amend other legal texts in force by including a wide range of final provisions. Thus, Final Provision Nine of Law... Read More
Consultancy firms may be fined for restricting competition if they actively collaborate in the management of a cartel
Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 22 October 2015, Case C-194/14 P, AC-Treuhand
Capsulas Nº 165
Background Community competition law, as is well known, considers that agreements between companies, decisions by business associations and concerted practices that could potentially affect trade between Member States and that may prevent, restrict or distort competition in the internal market are inconsistent with said market and thus prohibits them. The Spanish Competition Law contains similar... Read More