This Order is a block exemption Order under section 6 of the Competition Act 1998 (c. 41) (“the Act”). It gives effect to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (“CMA”) recommendation that certain R&D agreements (as defined in article 3(2) of the Order) constitute a category of agreements which are likely to be exempt agreements as a result of section 9 of the Act. Agreements which fall within the category specified in article 3 of the Order are exempt from the prohibition in Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Act (“the Chapter I prohibition”).