CC Review of Market Investigation References Guidelines (CC3)

 

The market investigation regime was established by the Enterprise Act 2001. The Competition Commission (CC) published guidelines for the conduct of market investigations (CC3) in June 2003:

Market Investigation References: Competition Commission Guidelines, June 2003

Since then, the CC has received eleven market investigations references and published final reports on nine of these. The CC therefore decided in early 2010 that the guidelines should be updated to capture the lessons the CC had absorbed since the introduction of the regime.

An initial letter to stakeholders of 16 March 2010 set out the analytical issues the CC considered might be covered in revised guidelines and asked for initial comments and views. That letter and the responses received are published below.

Consultation letter to stakeholders

Responses to the letter to stakeholders

Work on new market investigation guidelines continues and the CC intends to conduct a formal public consultation on these during the year. In the meantime, as a continuation of the dialogue initiated by the March 2010 letter, the CC is seeking comments from stakeholders on those sections of the working draft that have so far been extensively developed. The current revised draft for comment is:

Market investigation guidelines revision: draft for comment

Comments on the draft are invited by 15 July 2011 and should be sent to:
Tony.gooch@cc.gsi.gov.uk

Any responses, or a summary of them, will be published on the CC website and respondents should indicate if they are submitting any information they regard as confidential.