Search Legislation

Competition Act 1998

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

Competition Act 1998, Part I is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 March 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

  • s. 31G-31L and cross-heading inserted by S.I. 2019/93, reg. 8A (as inserted) by S.I. 2019/1245 reg. 3 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)
  • s. 46(3)(ha)(hb) inserted by S.I. 2019/93, reg. 14(d) (as inserted) by S.I. 2019/1245 reg. 5 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)
  • s. 47(1)(ca) inserted by S.I. 2019/93, reg. 15(b) (as substituted) by S.I. 2019/1245 reg. 6 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)
  • s. 60A(10) inserted by 2023 c. 28 s. 6(10)
  • Sch. 6A para. 1A inserted by S.I. 2019/93, reg. 29A(2) (as inserted) by S.I. 2019/1245 reg. 7 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)
  • Sch. 6A Pt. 3 inserted by S.I. 2019/93, reg. 29A(4) (as inserted) by S.I. 2019/1245 reg. 7 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. The affecting statutory instrument has no legal effect. It was made under a procedure which meant that it ceased to have effect 28 days after signing unless it was debated and approved in Parliament within that time. It was not debated and approved within 28 days, so it has expired with no effect.)

Part IU.K. Mergers

Enterprises ceasing to be distinct: the Chapter I prohibitionU.K.

1(1)To the extent to which an agreement (either on its own or when taken together with another agreement) results, or if carried out would result, in any two enterprises ceasing to be distinct enterprises for the purposes of [F1Part V of the M1Fair Trading Act 1973 (“the 1973 Act”)] [F1Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (“the 2002 Act”)], the Chapter I prohibition does not apply to the agreement.U.K.

(2)The exclusion provided by sub-paragraph (1) extends to any provision directly related and necessary to the implementation of the merger provisions.

(3)In sub-paragraph (2) “merger provisions” means the provisions of the agreement which cause, or if carried out would cause, the agreement to have the result mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).

(4)[F2Section 65 of the 1973 Act] [F2Section 26 of the 2002 Act] applies for the purposes of this paragraph as if—

(a)in subsection (3) (circumstances in which a person or group of persons may be treated as having control of an enterprise), and

(b)in subsection (4) (circumstances in which a person or group of persons may be treated as bringing an enterprise under their control),

for “may” there were substituted “ must ”.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in Sch. 1 para. 1(1) substituted (20.6.2003 for specified purposes, 29.12.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 38(50)(a)(i); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with arts. 3(1), 8); S.I. 2004/3233, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3-5)

F2Words in Sch. 1 para. 1(4) substituted (20.6.2003 for specified purposes, 29.12.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 38(50)(a)(ii); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with arts. 3(1), 8); S.I. 2004/3233, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3-5)

Marginal Citations

Enterprises ceasing to be distinct: the Chapter II prohibitionU.K.

2(1)To the extent to which conduct (either on its own or when taken together with other conduct)—U.K.

(a)results in any two enterprises ceasing to be distinct enterprises for the purposes of [F3Part V of the 1973 Act] [F3Part 3 of the 2002 Act]), or

(b)is directly related and necessary to the attainment of the result mentioned in paragraph (a),

the Chapter II prohibition does not apply to that conduct.

(2)[F4Section 65 of the 1973 Act] [F4Section 26 of the 2002 Act] applies for the purposes of this paragraph as it applies for the purposes of paragraph 1.

Textual Amendments

F3Words in Sch. 1 para. 2(1)(a) substituted (20.6.2003 for specified purposes, 29.12.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 38(50)(b)(i); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with arts. 3(1), 8); S.I. 2004/3233, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3-5)

F4Words in Sch. 1 para. 2(2) substituted (20.6.2003 for specified purposes, 29.12.2004 in so far as not already in force) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 38(50)(b)(ii); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with arts. 3(1), 8); S.I. 2004/3233, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3-5)

Transfer of a newspaper or of newspaper assetsU.K.

F53U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F5Sch. 1 para. 3 repealed (29.12.2003) by Communications Act 2003 (c. 21), s. 411(2), Sch. 19(1) Note 1 (with Sch. 18); S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)

Withdrawal of the paragraph 1 exclusionU.K.

4(1)The exclusion provided by paragraph 1 does not apply to a particular agreement if the [F6CMA] gives a direction under this paragraph to that effect.U.K.

(2)If the [F6CMA] is considering whether to give a direction under this paragraph, [F7it] may by notice in writing require any party to the agreement in question to give [F7the [F6CMA]] such information in connection with the agreement as [F7it] may require.

(3)The [F6CMA] may give a direction under this paragraph only as provided in sub-paragraph (4) or (5).

(4)If at the end of such period as may be specified in rules under section 51 a person has failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed under sub-paragraph (2), the [F6CMA] may give a direction under this paragraph.

(5)The [F6CMA] may also give a direction under this paragraph if—

[F8(a)it considers that the agreement will, if not excluded, infringe the Chapter I prohibition; and]

(b)the agreement is not a protected agreement.

(6)[F9For the purposes of sub-paragraph (5), an individual exemption is unconditional if no conditions or obligations are imposed in respect of it under section 4(3)(a).]

(7)A direction under this paragraph—

(a)must be in writing;

(b)may be made so as to have effect from a date specified in the direction (which may not be earlier than the date on which it is given).

Textual Amendments

F6Words in Sch. 1 para. 4(1)-(5) substituted (1.4.2014) by Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), s. 103(3), Sch. 5 para. 53(2) (with s. 28); S.I. 2014/416, art. 2(1)(d) (with Sch.)

F7Words in Sch. 1 para. 4(2) substituted (20.6.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 38(50)(c)(ii); S.I. 2003/1397, art. 2(1), Sch. (with art. 8)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Sch. 1 para. 4 applied (1.3.2000) by S.I. 2000/310, art. 7

Protected agreementsU.K.

5U.K.An agreement is a protected agreement for the purposes of paragraph 4 if—

[F10(a)the [F11CMA] or (as the case may be) the Secretary of State has published its or his decision not to make a reference F12... under section 22, 33, 45 or 62 of the 2002 Act in connection with the agreement;

(b)the [F11CMA] or (as the case may be) the Secretary of State has made a reference F12... under section 22, 33, 45 or 62 of the 2002 Act in connection with the agreement and [F13the CMA] has found that the agreement has given rise to, or would if carried out give rise to, a relevant merger situation or (as the case may be) a special merger situation;

(c)the agreement does not fall within paragraph (a) or (b) but has given rise to, or would if carried out give rise to, enterprises to which it relates being regarded under section 26 of the 2002 Act as ceasing to be distinct enterprises (otherwise than as the result of subsection (3) or (4)(b) of that section); or

(d)the [F11CMA] has made a reference F12... under section 32 of the Water Industry Act 1991 in connection with the agreement and [F13the CMA] has found that the agreement has given rise to, or would if carried out give rise to, a merger of any two or more water enterprises of the kind to which that section applies.]

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open Schedules only

The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources