Competition Act 1998

1. Introductory Text

2. Part I Competition

   1. Chapter I Agreements

      1. Introduction

         1. 1. Enactments replaced.

      2. The prohibition

         1. 2. Agreements etc. preventing, restricting or distorting competition.

      3. Excluded agreements

         1. 3. Excluded agreements.

      4. Exemptions

         1. 4. Individual exemptions.

         2. 5. Cancellation etc. of individual exemptions.

         3. 6. Block exemptions.

         4. 7. Block exemptions: opposition.

         5. 8. Block exemptions: procedure.

         6. 9. The criteria for individual and block exemptions.

         7. 10. Parallel exemptions.

         8. 11. Exemption for certain other agreements.

      5. Notification

         1. 12. Requests for Director to examine agreements.

         2. 13. Notification for guidance.

         3. 14. Notification for a decision.

         4. 15. Effect of guidance.

         5. 16. Effect of a decision that the Chapter I prohibition has not been infringed.

   2. Chapter II Abuse of Dominant Position

      1. Introduction

         1. 17. Enactments replaced.

      2. The prohibition

         1. 18. Abuse of dominant position.

      3. Excluded cases

         1. 19. Excluded cases.

      4. Notification

         1. 20. Requests for Director to consider conduct.

         2. 21. Notification for guidance.

         3. 22. Notification for a decision.

         4. 23. Effect of guidance.

         5. 24. Effect of a decision that the Chapter II prohibition has not been infringed.

   3. Chapter III Investigation and Enforcement

      1. Investigations

         1. 25. Director’s power to investigate.

         2. 26. Powers when conducting investigations.

         3. 27. Power to enter premises without a warrant.

         4. 28. Power to enter premises under a warrant.

         5. 29. Entry of premises under warrant: supplementary.

         6. 30. Privileged communications.

         7. 31. Decisions following an investigation.

      2. Enforcement

         1. 32. Directions in relation to agreements.

         2. 33. Directions in relation to conduct.

         3. 34. Enforcement of directions.

         4. 35. Interim measures.

         5. 36. Penalty for infringing Chapter I or Chapter II prohibition.

         6. 37. Recovery of penalties.

         7. 38. The appropriate level of a penalty.

         8. 39. Limited immunity for small agreements.

         9. 40. Limited immunity in relation to the Chapter II prohibition.

         10. 41. Agreements notified to the Commission.

      3. Offences

         1. 42. Offences.

         2. 43. Destroying or falsifying documents.

         3. 44. False or misleading information.

   4. Chapter IV The Competition Commission and Appeals

      1. The Commission

         1. 45. The Competition Commission.

      2. Appeals

         1. 46. Appealable decisions.

         2. 47. Third party appeals.

         3. 48. Appeal tribunals.

         4. 49. Appeals on point of law etc.

   5. Chapter V Miscellaneous

      1. Vertical agreements and land agreements

         1. 50. Vertical agreements and land agreements.

      2. Director’s rules, guidance and fees

         1. 51. Rules.

         2. 52. Advice and information.

         3. 53. Fees.

      3. Regulators

         1. 54. Regulators.

      4. Confidentiality and immunity from defamation

         1. 55. General restrictions on disclosure of information.

         2. 56. Director and Secretary of State to have regard to certain matters in relation to the disclosure of information.

         3. 57. Defamation.

      5. Findings of fact by Director

         1. 58. Findings of fact by Director.

      6. Interpretation and governing principles

         1. 59. Interpretation.

         2. 60. Principles to be applied in determining questions.

3. Part II Investigations in relation to Articles 85 and 86

   1. 61. Introduction.

   2. 62. Power to enter premises: Commission investigations.

   3. 63. Power to enter premises: Director’s special investigations.

   4. 64. Entry of premises under sections 62 and 63: supplementary.

   5. 65. Offences.

4. Part III Monopolies

   1. 66. Monopoly investigations: general.

   2. 67. Offences.

   3. 68. Services relating to use of land.

   4. 69. Reports: monopoly references.

5. Part IV Supplemental and Transitional

   1. 70. Contracts as to patented products etc.

   2. 71. Regulations, orders and rules.

   3. 72. Offences by bodies corporate etc.

   4. 73. Crown application.

   5. 74. Amendments, transitional provisions, savings and repeals.

   6. 75. Consequential and supplementary provision.

   7. 76. Short title, commencement and extent.

6. Schedules:

   1. Schedule 1

      Exclusions: Mergers and Concentrations.

      1. Part I Mergers.

      2. Part II Concentrations subject to EC controls.

   2. Schedule 2

      Exclusions: Other Competition Scrutiny.

      1. Part I Financial Services.

      2. Part II Companies.

      3. Part III Broadcasting.

      4. Part IV Environmental Protection.

   3. Schedule 3

      General Exclusions.

   4. Schedule 4

      Professional Rules.

      1. Part I Exclusion.

      2. Part II Professional Services.

   5. Schedule 5

      Notification under Chapter I: Procedure.

   6. Schedule 6

      Notification under Chapter II: Procedure.

   7. Schedule 7

      The Competition Commission.

      1. Part I General.

      2. Part II Performance of the Commission’s General Functions.

      3. Part III Appeals.

      4. Part IV Miscellaneous.

      5. Part V Transitional provisions.

   8. Schedule 8

      Appeals.

      1. Part I General.

      2. Part II Rules.

   9. Schedule 9

      Director’s Rules.

   10. Schedule 10

       Regulators.

       1. Part I Monopolies.

       2. Part II The Prohibitions.

       3. Part III The Prohibitions: Northern Ireland.

       4. Part IV Utilities: Minor and Consequential Amendments.

       5. Part V Minor and Consequential Amendments: Northern Ireland.

   11. Schedule 11

       Interpretation of Section 55.

   12. Schedule 12

       Minor and Consequential Amendments.

   13. Schedule 13

       Transitional Provisions and Savings.

       1. Part I General.

       2. Part II During the Interim Period.

       3. Part III On the Starting Date.

       4. Part IV On and After the Starting Date.

       5. Part V The Fair Trading Act 1973.

       6. Part VI The Competition Act 1980.

       7. Part VII Miscellaneous.

   14. Schedule 14

       Repeals and Revocations.

       1. Part I Repeals.

       2. Part II Revocations.