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Competition Commission

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their operation. If a regulated company did not agree to a modification of its licence proposed by the regulator, the regulator was required to refer the question to the CC. The CC then considered whether any matter referred to in the reference could be expected to operate against the public interest and, if so, whether it could be remedied by modifications to the licence. These references could involve the price control applied to the company.
341:. The OFT had the statutory duty to keep these undertakings or orders under review and if it considered that due to a change of circumstances a set of undertakings or an order should be varied or terminated, then the OFT referred it for consideration by the CC. Responsibility for deciding on variation or termination of undertakings lay with the CC. 264:(OFT) (which referred merger and market inquiries), or one of the sector regulators (which could refer markets within their sectoral jurisdictions or make regulatory references in relation to price controls and other licence modifications) or as a result of an appeal from a decision of one of the sector regulators. 276:(the Enterprise Act), the OFT could review mergers to investigate whether there was a realistic prospect that they would lead to a substantial lessening of competition (SLC), unless it obtained undertakings from the merging parties to address its concerns or the market was of insufficient importance. 47: 321:
In market investigations the CC had to decide whether any feature or combination of features in a market prevents, restricts or distorts competition, thus constituting an adverse effect on competition (AEC). Before finding out what percentage firms take up, the CC has to 'define the market'. This is
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In relation to regulatory references, the CC's role was dictated by the relevant sector-specific legislation. Companies regulated under the gas, electricity, water and sewerage, postal services, railways or airports legislation generally had a formal instrument (a licence) setting out the terms of
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gave the Competition Commission wider powers and greater independence than the MMC had previously, so that it could make decisions on inquiries rather than giving recommendations to Government, and was also responsible for taking appropriate actions and measures (known as remedies) following
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Where an inquiry was referred to the CC for in-depth investigation, the CC had wide-ranging powers to remedy any competition concerns, including preventing a merger from going ahead. It could also require a company to sell off part of its business or take other steps to improve competition.
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The Competition Commission (CC) was an independent public body which conducts in-depth inquiries into mergers, markets and the regulation of the major regulated industries, ensuring healthy competition between companies in the UK for the benefit of companies, customers and the economy.
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the combined businesses supply (or acquire) at least 25 per cent of a particular product or service in the UK (or in a substantial part of the UK), and the merger results in an increase in the share of supply or
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enabled the OFT (and the sector regulators) to investigate markets and, if they were concerned that there may be competition problems, to refer those markets to the CC for in-depth investigation.
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If the CC concluded that this was the case, it was required to seek to remedy the problems that it identified either by introducing remedies itself or by recommending action by others.
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The Government was still able to intervene on mergers that involve a specified public interest criterion such as media plurality, national security and financial stability.
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was set up on 1 January 1949, in response to the recommendations of several committees of inquiry into restrictive commercial activity. It was established under the
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the Commission became, from 1 November 1973, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, with wider powers to deal with references either from the
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and a registrar of restrictive trading agreements. The commission was again reconstituted, and its powers extended, by the
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In exceptional cases where public interest issues are raised, the Secretary of State could also refer mergers to the CC.
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All of the CC's inquiries were undertaken following a reference made by another authority, most often the
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the merger must not have taken place already, or must have taken place not more than four months ago; and
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when they have to find out which products are in which industries so they know what percentage to do.
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To qualify for investigation by the OFT, a merger needed to meet all three of the following criteria:
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Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility):
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Competition Commission market investigation – the supply of airport services in the UK by BAA
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Undertakings or orders are the primary means by which remedies were given effect under the
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the business being taken over has a turnover in the UK of at least £70 million; or
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or from the Department of Trade and Industry. On 1 April 1999, as a result of the
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Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business
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Competition Commission market investigation – Payment protection insurance (PPI)
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Defunct non-departmental public bodies of the United Kingdom government
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Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act 1948
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Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
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On 1 April 2014 the Competition Commission was replaced by the
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The CC had an appeal function following decisions by the
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Minister of State for Industry and Investment Security:
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Energy code modifications and Communications Act appeals
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Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies
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Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
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Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
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Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation
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inquiries which had identified competition problems.
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In 1969 oversight of the Commission passed to the 906:Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 283:two or more enterprises must cease to be distinct; 1032: 206:Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission 1061:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 740:Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service 409:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 377:and in relation to price control decisions by 157:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 838:Nuclear Liabilities Financing Assurance Board 570: 1071:2014 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 1046:Consumer organisations in the United Kingdom 1041:Corporate governance in the United Kingdom 577: 563: 473:Monopolies and Mergers Commission (1990), 1066:1999 establishments in the United Kingdom 989:Office for Product Safety & Standards 921:Science and Technology Facilities Council 818:Committee on Radioactive Waste Management 373:to modify certain energy codes under the 230:Department of Employment and Productivity 344: 309: 248:, it became the Competition Commission. 162:The Competition Commission replaced the 98:Superseding Non-departmental public body 27:UK non-ministerial government department 355:Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 166:on 1 April 1999. It was created by the 14: 1033: 74:Preceding Non-departmental public body 823:Industrial Development Advisory Board 558: 371:Gas and Electricity Markets Authority 54:Non-departmental public body overview 916:Natural Environment Research Council 901:Economic and Social Research Council 891:Arts and Humanities Research Council 218:Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1955 30:For similar non-UK commissions, see 550:internationalcompetitionnetwork.org 289:one of the following must be true: 24: 962:Council for Science and Technology 25: 1082: 770:Nuclear Decommissioning Authority 663:Competition and Markets Authority 519: 329:Reviews of undertakings or orders 190:Competition and Markets Authority 164:Monopolies and Mergers Commission 105:Competition and Markets Authority 81:Monopolies and Mergers Commission 1015: 1014: 828:Land Registration Rule Committee 353:The CC also had roles under the 234:Department of Trade and Industry 151:in the United Kingdom. It was a 45: 974:Independent Complaints Reviewer 381:, following a reference by the 226:Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965 750:Civil Nuclear Police Authority 490: 466: 444: 426: 212:. It was reconstituted as the 143:responsible for investigating 13: 1: 957:Government Office for Science 859:Central Arbitration Committee 611:Minister of State for Climate 419: 979:Office of Manpower Economics 701:Intellectual Property Office 141:non-departmental public body 7: 952:Financial Reporting Council 864:Competition Appeal Tribunal 843:Regulatory Policy Committee 780:Small Business Commissioner 760:Committee on Climate Change 745:British Hallmarking Council 655:Non-ministerial departments 392: 383:Competition Appeal Tribunal 222:Restrictive Practices Court 10: 1087: 969:Groceries Code Adjudicator 947:Commissioner for Shale Gas 790:UK Research and Innovation 785:UK Atomic Energy Authority 475:The role of the Commission 414:History of competition law 267: 216:on 31 October 1956 by the 199: 29: 1012: 929: 881: 851: 813:Committee on Fuel Poverty 805: 732: 719: 681: 653: 592: 121: 113: 97: 89: 73: 58: 53: 44: 911:Medical Research Council 387:Communications Act 2003 359:Legal Services Act 2007 251: 1051:Competition regulators 477:(3rd ed.), HMSO, 262:Office of Fair Trading 242:Office of Fair Trading 220:, which also set up a 194:Office of Fair Trading 137:Competition Commission 62:1 April 1999 40:Competition Commission 1004:Pubs Code Adjudicator 994:Oil and Gas Authority 942:Certification Officer 937:British Business Bank 502:The National Archives 438:12 March 2009 at the 404:Competition regulator 345:Regulatory references 339:Fair Trading Act 1973 310:Market investigations 238:Fair Trading Act 1973 232:, and in 1970 to the 214:Monopolies Commission 153:competition regulator 32:Competition regulator 18:Monopolies Commission 246:Competition Act 1998 168:Competition Act 1998 765:Competition Service 335:Enterprise Act 2002 316:Enterprise Act 2002 274:Enterprise Act 2002 179:Enterprise Act 2002 172:Enterprise Act 2002 41: 869:Copyright Tribunal 833:Low Pay Commission 696:Insolvency Service 683:Executive agencies 39: 1028: 1027: 883:Research councils 877: 876: 775:Salix Finance Ltd 133: 132: 16:(Redirected from 1078: 1018: 1017: 730: 729: 722:Non-departmental 668:HM Land Registry 639:Kevin Hollinrake 579: 572: 565: 556: 555: 531: 530: 528:Official website 513: 512: 510: 508: 494: 488: 487: 470: 464: 463: 461: 459: 448: 442: 430: 385:(CAT) under the 129: 127:Archived website 69: 67: 49: 42: 38: 21: 1086: 1085: 1081: 1080: 1079: 1077: 1076: 1075: 1031: 1030: 1029: 1024: 1008: 999:Ordnance Survey 925: 873: 847: 801: 726: 723: 715: 711:UK Space Agency 691:Companies House 677: 649: 588: 583: 526: 525: 522: 517: 516: 506: 504: 496: 495: 491: 485: 471: 467: 457: 455: 450: 449: 445: 440:Wayback Machine 431: 427: 422: 399:Competition law 395: 375:Energy Act 2004 367: 347: 331: 312: 270: 254: 202: 149:competition law 125: 109: 85: 65: 63: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1084: 1074: 1073: 1068: 1063: 1058: 1053: 1048: 1043: 1026: 1025: 1013: 1010: 1009: 1007: 1006: 1001: 996: 991: 986: 981: 976: 971: 966: 965: 964: 954: 949: 944: 939: 933: 931: 927: 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Retrieved 501: 492: 474: 468: 456:. Retrieved 446: 428: 368: 352: 348: 332: 324: 320: 313: 304: 301: 296:consumption. 278: 271: 259: 255: 236:. Under the 213: 205: 203: 187: 184: 176: 163: 161: 136: 134: 114:Jurisdiction 93:1 April 2014 36: 795:Innovate UK 433:Berr.gov.uk 1035:Categories 706:Met Office 535:bis.gov.uk 420:References 272:Under the 155:under the 66:1999-04-01 733:Executive 594:Ministers 90:Dissolved 1021:Category 852:Tribunal 806:Advisory 458:27 March 436:Archived 393:See also 357:and the 337:and the 507:27 June 268:Mergers 200:History 145:mergers 122:Website 64: ( 481:  139:was a 59:Formed 930:Other 673:Ofgem 379:Ofcom 509:2013 479:ISBN 460:2013 314:The 252:Role 204:The 177:The 135:The 1037:: 637:: 622:: 613:: 604:: 500:. 389:. 361:. 196:. 174:. 117:UK 578:e 571:t 564:v 511:. 462:. 68:) 34:. 20:)

Index

Monopolies Commission
Competition regulator

Monopolies and Mergers Commission
Competition and Markets Authority
Archived website
non-departmental public body
mergers
competition law
competition regulator
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Competition Act 1998
Enterprise Act 2002
Enterprise Act 2002
Competition and Markets Authority
Office of Fair Trading
Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act 1948
Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1955
Restrictive Practices Court
Monopolies and Mergers Act 1965
Department of Employment and Productivity
Department of Trade and Industry
Fair Trading Act 1973
Office of Fair Trading
Competition Act 1998
Office of Fair Trading
Enterprise Act 2002
Enterprise Act 2002
Enterprise Act 2002
Fair Trading Act 1973

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