(1)The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c. 8) is amended as follows.
(2)Section 143 (power to make rules endorsing the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers etc) is repealed.
(3)In section 144 (power to make price stabilising rules), for subsection (7) substitute—
“(7)“Consultation procedures” means procedures designed to provide an opportunity for persons likely to be affected by alterations to those provisions to make representations about proposed alterations to any of those provisions.”.
(4)In section 349 (exceptions from restrictions on disclosure of confidential information), after subsection (3) insert—
“(3A)Section 348 does not apply to—
(a)the disclosure by a recipient to which subsection (3B) applies of confidential information disclosed to it by the Authority in reliance on subsection (1);
(b)the disclosure of such information by a person obtaining it directly or indirectly from a recipient to which subsection (3B) applies.
(3B)This subsection applies to—
(a)the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers;
(b)an authority designated as a supervisory authority for the purposes of Article 4.1 of the Takeovers Directive;
(c)any other person or body that exercises public functions, under legislation in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom, that are similar to the Authority’s functions or those of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.”.
(5)In section 354 (Financial Services Authority’s duty to co-operate with others), after subsection (1) insert—
“(1A)The Authority must take such steps as it considers appropriate to co-operate with—
(a)the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers;
(b)an authority designated as a supervisory authority for the purposes of Article 4.1 of the Takeovers Directive;
(c)any other person or body that exercises functions of a public nature, under legislation in any country or territory outside the United Kingdom, that appear to the Authority to be similar to those of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.”.
(6)In section 417(1) (definitions), insert at the appropriate place—
““Takeovers Directive” means Directive 2004/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council;”.