A U.S. district judge has dismissed a suit against Visa and MasterCard that was brought by the National ATM Council, which represents owners of automated teller machines. The group had alleged an anti-competitive environment based on a conspiracy by the card issuers to prevent ATM owners from charging varying fees for use of the transaction networks. "Notably absent from each of the complaints are facts showing the existence of an agreement, the essential element of any conspiracy," U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote.