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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.
330:. 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.
253:(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.
265:(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.
36:
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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
338:
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
170:
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
294:
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.
245:
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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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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443:. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. 8 January 2013
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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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181:(CMA), which also took over several responsibilities of 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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217:. In 1969 oversight of the Commission passed to the
895:Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
272:two or more enterprises must cease to be distinct;
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195:Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission
1050:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
729:Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
398:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
366:and in relation to price control decisions by
146:Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
827:Nuclear Liabilities Financing Assurance Board
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462:Monopolies and Mergers Commission (1990),
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978:Office for Product Safety & Standards
910:Science and Technology Facilities Council
807:Committee on Radioactive Waste Management
362:to modify certain energy codes under the
219:Department of Employment and Productivity
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237:, it became the Competition Commission.
151:The Competition Commission replaced the
87:Superseding Non-departmental public body
16:UK non-ministerial government department
344:Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
155:on 1 April 1999. It was created by the
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63:Preceding Non-departmental public body
812:Industrial Development Advisory Board
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360:Gas and Electricity Markets Authority
43:Non-departmental public body overview
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19:For similar non-UK commissions, see
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342:The CC also had roles under the
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140:in the United Kingdom. It was a
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126:Competition Commission
51:1 April 1999
29:Competition Commission
993:Pubs Code Adjudicator
983:Oil and Gas Authority
931:Certification Officer
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491:The National Archives
427:12 March 2009 at the
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299:Market investigations
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21:Competition regulator
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55:1999-04-01
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79:Dissolved
1010:Category
841:Tribunal
795:Advisory
447:27 March
425:Archived
382:See also
346:and the
326:and the
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257:Mergers
189:History
134:mergers
111:Website
53: (
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128:was a
48:Formed
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662:Ofgem
368:Ofcom
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