Competition Policy
Wikileaks cables shows Obama Administration role in lobbying EU to approve Oracle acquisition of MySQL and other Sun assets
Submitted by James Love on 29. August 2011 - 13:49Two cables recently disclosed by Wikileaks illustrate the degree to which the Obama Administration was monitoring the EU review of the Oracle acquisition of Sun, and leaning on the European Union to permit Oracle to acquire MySQL and other "open source" assets controlled by Sun.
Both cables were signed by Ambassador Christopher W. Murray, who served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Mission to the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium, from 2007 to 2010.
Microsoft, Gates Foundation Timeline
Submitted by James Love on 26. November 2010 - 17:28November 29, 2010
Revised January 4, 2011
Introduction
This timeline contains a number of selected data points concerning Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The motivations for this timeline, which features entries for both Microsoft and the BMGF, are several.
Ticketmaster merger threatens consumer interest - Public interest and consumer groups ask DOJ to block merger
Submitted by Manon Ress on 2. December 2009 - 10:20Washington, DC. December 1, 2009. Five of the nation’s most prominent public interest groups today called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block the proposed merger by entertainment giants Ticketmaster and Live Nation. DOJ is currently reviewing the merger and is expected to make a decision in the next month. The organizations include Consumer Action, the National Consumers League (NCL), the American Antitrust Institute, the Consumer Federation of America and Knowledge Ecology International.
59 U.S. Senators write the EU to support Oracle acquisition of MYSQL
Submitted by James Love on 28. November 2009 - 7:53On the 24th of November, 59 U.S. Senators wrote the European Union, asking that the Oracle/Sun merger be allowed, without addressing the anticompetitive aspects of the Oracle acquisition of MySQL. The letter reflects the enormous influence wielded by Oracle, a company that generates enormous fees licensing database software to the federal government.
Letter to the EC opposing Oracle's acquisition of MySQL
Submitted by Staff on 19. October 2009 - 16:30The following is a letter that KEI, Richard Stallman and ORG have sent to the European Commission, asking the European Commission to prevent Oracle from acquiring MySQL as part of its acquisition of Sun. The European Commission has the authority to require a divestiture of MySQL, so that it would not be part of the merger, in order to ensure that MySQL would operate independently, or be sold to a different company that would not face the same conflicts as Oracle does. KEI would have raised similar objections if Microsoft was the proposed buyer of MySQL.
Timeline: Some important dates for MySQL and the proposed Oracle/Sun merger
Submitted by Malini Aisola on 5. October 2009 - 13:071994
Michael Widenius and David Axmark start developing MySQL
1995
Software company MySQL AB founded by Michael Widenius, David Axmark and Allan Larsson
23 May 1995
First internal release of MySQL
April 1998
Michael Kunze coins the acronym LAMP for an open source web server software bundle comprised of Linux, Apache HTTP Server, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python
07 October 2005
Gilead Dispute
Wednesday, 07 July 2004
KEI asks US Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Gilead effort to control market for AIDS drugs ingredients: (press release, complaint).
KEI asks FTC to Investigate Gilead Effort To Control Market For AIDS Drugs Ingredients
Press Release
15 Feb 07
FMI James Love +1.202.332.2670, cell +1.202.361.3040, james.love@keionline.org
(See attachment for patent and health experts contact information)
FTC ASKED TO INVESTIGATE GILEAD EFFORT TO CONTROL MARKET FOR AIDS DRUGS INGREDIENTS
[Complaint available here:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/ftcgilead12feb07.pdf ]
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS): Some Examples of Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Alliances
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Alliances with Big Pharma (recent alliance updates can be found here):
Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership - This partnership sells and markets Plavix®. In 2006, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership sold in excess of $3.5 billion of Plavix® in the United States.
