For Your Information: June 6, 2006

FTC/DOJ File Joint Amicus Brief in Case of Latino Quimica-Amtex S.A. v. Atofina, et al.; FTC Approves Federal Register Notice Concerning the Guides for the Nursery Industry

Commission approval of joint amicus brief filing: The Commission has authorized the filing of a joint amicus brief with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the case of Latino Quimica-Amtex S.A. v. Atofina, et al., No. 05-5754-CV (2d Cir.). The case involves an international price-fixing conspiracy by manufacturers of two chemicals, sodium monochloroacetate and monochloroacetic acid, which are used in manufacturing foods, pharmaceuticals, herbicides, and plastics. At issue are the Sherman Act claims of several foreign companies that purchased the chemicals from manufacturers located outside the United States, for delivery outside of the United States. The brief, which was filed on June 2, 2006, urges the Second Circuit to affirm a decision of the District Court, which dismissed the complaint for lack of jurisdiction.

The Commission vote authorizing the filing of the brief was 5-0. A copy can be found on the FTC’s Web site as a link to this press release. (FTC File No. P062113; the staff contact is Lawrence DeMille-Wagman, Office of the General Counsel, 202-326-2448.)

Commission approval of Federal Register notice: The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice concerning the FTC’s Guides for the Nursery Industry (Nursery Guides). The notice, which can be found on the Commission’s Web site as a link to this press release, announces that as part of the regulatory review process, the Commission is soliciting public comments on the Guides, which were originally promulgated in 1979 and address numerous sales practices for outdoor plants, including deceptive claims as to quantity, size, grade, kind, species, age, maturity, vigor, hardness, growth ability, price, and origin or place where grown. The notice provides information on how consumers can submit comments, the date by which they must be submitted, and a brief history of the Guides’ amendments. The Commission vote authorizing the publication of the Federal Register notice was 5-0. (FTC File No. P994248; the staff contact is Janice Podoll Frankle, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3022.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Media Contact:
FTC Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

Last Modified: Friday, June 24, 2011