the uk competition regime: an example of inter-institutional working cathryn ross deputy director of...
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The UK competition regime: an example of inter-institutional working
Cathryn RossDeputy Director of RemediesCompetition Commission
2 February 2004
Overview
• Introduction
• Structure of UK competition enforcement
• The Competition Act 1998
• The Enterprise Act 2002
• Concurrency
• Regulation and competition
• EU modernisation
• Conclusions
Introduction: Who am I? Why am I here?
Deputy Director of Remedies, CC Overseeing provision of advice on remedies in merger inquiries
and market investigations
Head of Competition Economics, ORR Overseeing competition analysis
Development of regulatory policy relating to competition
Economic Adviser, Oftel Competition analysis under competition law and sectoral
legislation
Competition enforcement in the UK (1)
The Competition Act 1998• Similar to Article 81 (EU) Article 82 (EU)• Ch I: Prohibition on anti-competitive
agreements– Includes cartels, resale price maintenance etc. – Block exemptions possible (eg transport ticketing)– Land and vertical agreement exclusion
• Ch II: Prohibition on abuse of dominance– Includes excessive pricing, predation, discrimination, refusal to deal etc
• Specific legal exclusion• Section 60 obligation
CA98 enforcement: institutional overview
Office of Fair
Trading (OFT)
Concurrent sectoral regulators
Ofcom
Ofgem
ORR Ofwat CAA
Ofreg
Serious Fraud Office
Competition Appeals Tribunal
High Court
House of Lords
Inve
stig
atio
n a
ndde
cisi
onA
ppea
l
Competition enforcement in the UK (2)
The Enterprise Act 2002• Amended the CA98 – eg criminalisation of
cartels (SFO involvement in investigation)• Established new merger regime:
– ‘Substantial lessening of competition’ test (‘SLC’): phase 1 inquiry by OFT, possible referral to CC for phase 2
– CC assesses SLC, negotiates and implements remedies– OFT (still) monitors compliance– OFT can review remedies and request that the CC remove or
alter
Merger regime enforcement
Office of Fair Trading
Competition Commission
Sectoral regulators
SLC? Nature of remedies
Competition Appeals TribunalOffice of Fair Trading
Negotiation of remedies
High Court
House of Lords
Pha
se 1
Pha
se 2
Inqu
iryM
onito
ring
App
eals
Competition enforcement in the UK (3)
The Enterprise Act 2002• Market investigations
– OFT/sectoral regulators can refer markets to CC for investigation– CC looks at whether any feature or combination of features of
the market has an adverse effect on competition (‘AEC’)– CC can implement remedies and/or make recommendations
(can modify licences)
• Vitally important element of UK regime – allows action to be taken to make markets work better even where no breach of law (non-collusive oligopoly)
Market investigation regime
Office of Fair Trading
Competition Commission
Sectoral regulators
AEC? Nature of remedies
Office of Fair Trading
Negotiation of remedies
Pha
se 1
Pha
se 2
Inve
stig
atio
nM
onito
ring
App
eals
Competition Appeals Tribunal
High Court
House of Lords
Other bodies?
Competition enforcement in the UK (4)Summary• Legislative base:
– CA98: agreements and abuse of dominance– EA02: mergers
market investigations
• Institutional base:– Office of Fair Trading– Sectoral regulators (Ofcom, Ofwat, ORR, Ofgem, Ofreg, CAA)– Competition Commission– Competition Appeals Tribunal and courts
Concurrency (1)
• Some sectoral regulators have powers to investigate suspected infringements of the CA98 in their areas. Why?– Regulated industries often complex. Takes advantage of
sectoral knowledge. Can use data gathered for regulatory purposes.
– Complementarity of regulatory powers and CA98 powers. ‘Joined up approach’. Regulators can choose most appropriate tool for the job (strategic decision).
– Shifting regulatory focus towards ‘light touch’ regime?
Concurrency (2)
How does concurrency work?• Only one institution investigates – no joint
investigations
• If OFT becomes aware of possible breach (eg by
complaint) which relates to regulated sector it will
discuss with regulator who is ‘best placed’ to
investigate. And vice versa
• Discussions continue throughout investigation
• ‘Concurrency Working Party’ aids consistency
Concurrency (3)
Issues to think about…• Expertise
• Conflicting concerns/priorities
• Flow of information
• Consistency of decision making
• Importance of good relationship between institutions
There are trade offs!
Concurrency (4)
The merger regime: vertical concurrency?!• Two stage merger inquiries:
– OFT: Phase 1 (brief examination, clearance, undertakings in lieu, or reference)
– CC: Phase 2 (in-depth examination, clearance or adverse finding, remedies)
• Differences in expertise• Objective second look at merger• But need consistency and good relations• IBA appeal…?
Competition and regulation (1)
Competition law • General prohibitions on behaviour with anti-
competitive effect (CA98 and EA02 merger regime);
• Protects existing competitionSectoral regulatory legislation: • General and specific behavioural conditions,
often concerned with effect in regulated sector • Mimics and promotes competition in sector• Move to lighter touch regulation?
Competition and regulation (2)The merger regime• Allows prohibition of mergers generating
substantial lessening of competition (SLC)• Protects existing levels of competition• But mergers which lead to SLC can be allowed
subject to conditions: – Structural (eg divestment)– Behavioural (eg price control, commitment not to act anti-competitively)
• Allows for blend of protection, promotion and mimicking of competition
EC modernisation (1)
Regulation 1/2003 means:• Abolition of notification of agreements
• National Competition Authorities (NCAs) apply EU
competition law in full (including Art.81(3))
• Member states need to cooperate closely, exchanging
information and assisting investigations (ECN)
• European Commission’s powers of investigation are
strengthened and clarified
EC modernisation (2)
Abolition of notifications• UK CA98 allowed notifications in line with then EU
regime
• Now proposes to remove notifications
• Firms responsible for assessing own behaviour
• Competition authorities save resource
• Benefit to business of alignment of regimes
• But greater compliance cost?
EU modernisation (3)
NCAs apply EU competition law in full• Can apply Art. 81(3), individual exemptions.
• Where NCAs apply national competition law to situations
where Arts 81,82 are applicable, they must also apply
Arts 81,82 where there is an effect on ‘trade between
member states ‘ – widely interpreted!
• Vertical exclusion? Specific legal exclusion? S21(2) of
RTPA (insignificant by direction)?
• Exclusions by Secretary of state and for international
obligations will remain
EU modernisation (4)
Closer cooperation between NCAs• Greater information exchange• Institutions to play role in each others’
investigations (UK NCAs will conduct investigations for the European Commission)
• ECN will play a key role– Information exchange to take place via the network– ‘coordindation reflex’– development of joint thinking– Only designated NCAs will participate
EU modernisation (5)
Stronger clearer European Commission powers of investigation
• Eg to search domestic premises, to seal premises
• OFT powers in many ways stronger than Commission
• But when acting to enforce Arts 81, 82 (EU) OFT will
have effectively same powers as the Commission
• Some harmonisation of powers needed (eg site visits
with warrants, sealing premises) - possible information
leakage
EU modernisation (6)
Modernisation allows NCAs to enforce Arts 81, 82 and requires consistent application of Arts 81, 82
But NCAs impose penalties as allowed by domestic regimes
• Current EC maximum penalty – 10% worldwide turnover in
business year preceding breach
• Current UK maximum penalty – 10% of ‘relevant turnover’
up to maximum of 3 years, options for change proposed
• Possibility of forum shopping?
Conclusions: lessons for Poland? (1)
Commitment to competition: • High level political commitment …• …without political micromanagement• NCAs as competition advocates – espousing
the theory, exemplifying best practice• Possibility of a virtuous circle – if the regime
works it gets political support
Conclusions: lessons for Poland? (2)
Benefits of effective inter-institutional working:• creates a whole greater than the sum of its
parts• but to work it needs good working relationships
common thinking and approaches, information sharing
• inter-institutional system is inevitable post-modernisation…provides an opportunity to re-think?
Conclusions: lessons for Poland?(3)
Particular opportunities in broadcasting:• The EU Electronic Communications
Directives…• The new Polish Broadcasting Act….
… Is a combined electronic communications regulator and competition authority the way forward for Poland?