Draft Vertical Agreements Block Exemption Order

This block exemption Order under section 6 of the Competition Act 1998 gives effect to the Competition and Markets Authority’s recommendation that certain specified agreements should be exempt from the prohibition in Chapter I of the Act which prohibits agreements between firms that prevent, restrict or distort competition.

The purpose of the Order is to ensure that businesses are not prevented or disincentivised from entering into agreements that the Competition and Markets Authority considers to be beneficial and not anticompetitive. The Order replaces a similar block exemption, the retained Vertical Agreements Block Exemption Regulation (retained VABER) which was made under EU law and retained in UK law after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The retained VABER expires on 31 May 2022.

The draft explanatory memorandum includes an explanation of the draft legislation.

We would like your views and feedback on this Order to make sure it delivers the policy correctly and effectively.

Please send your comments to competition@beis.gov.uk.

The Competition and Markets Authority will publish guidance to accompany this Order, the CMA Verticals Guidance.

Read the BEIS consultation privacy notice.