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PART 2Amendment of the Competition Act 1998

3.—(1) Section 10(1) is amended as follows.

(2) In the heading, for “Parallel exemptions” substitute “Retained exemptions”.

(3) Before subsection (1) insert—

(A1) An agreement is exempt from the Chapter I prohibition if it falls within a category of agreements specified as exempt in a retained block exemption regulation..

(4) Omit subsections (1) and (2).

(5) In subsection (3), for “parallel exemption” substitute “retained exemption”.

(6) In subsection (4)—

(a)for “parallel exemption” substitute “retained exemption”;

(b)omit paragraph (a) (together with the final “and”);

(c)in paragraph (b), for “exemption from the Community prohibition” substitute “retained block exemption regulation”.

(7) In subsection (5)—

(a)in paragraph (a)—

(i)for “parallel exemption” substitute “retained exemption”;

(ii)after “effect” insert “in respect of an agreement”;

(b)in paragraph (d), after “exemption” insert “in respect of an agreement”.

(8) Omit subsections (9) to (11).

(9) After subsection (11), insert—

(12)  In this Part, “retained block exemption regulation” means the following regulations as amended from time to time—

(a)Council Regulation (EC) 169/2009 applying rules of competition to transport by rail, road and inland waterway;

(b)Commission Regulation (EC) 906/2009 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements, decisions and concerted practices between liner shipping companies (consortia);

(c)Commission Regulation (EU) 330/2010 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices;

(d)Commission Regulation (EU) 461/2010 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector;

(e)Commission Regulation (EU) 1217/2010 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to certain categories of research and development agreements;

(f)Commission Regulation (EU) 1218/2010 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to certain categories of specialisation agreements;

(g)Commission Regulation (EU) 316/2014 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of technology transfer agreements..

(1)

Section 10 was amended by paragraph 38(1) and (8) of Schedule 25 to the Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), paragraphs 1 and 4 of Schedule 5 to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (c. 24), S.I. 2004/1261 and S.I. 2012/1809.