The linked document (Competition Law and Trade Associations) addresses the main issues under Competition Law and provides general guidance on minimising infringement risk and avoiding violations. It contains lots of important information regarding competition law and should be read by all members to ensure compliance.
Trade Associations perform useful, legitimate and pro-competitive functions. However, since they bring together companies that are actual or potential competitors, competition law concerns may arise.
Trade Associations are often scrutinised by competition authorities due to suspicions that they are acting as a conduit for anti-competitive behaviour between members.
Any breach of competition law rules may carry serious consequences. A Trade Association may be fined up to 10% of the sum of the total turnover of each member active on the market affected by the infringement of the association, when this infringement relates to the activities of its members.
Other than the UK, the national Competition Laws of individual Member States are not covered by this Compliance Programme.
This compliance programme does not constitute and is not a substitute for legal advice on any particular facts of any specific situation.
