Other agreements may be exempted under a `block exemption`, i.e. a block exemption which automatically exempts certain agreements falling within its scope. Different block exemptions may apply depending on the nature of the agreement or market sector concerned. For example, there are block exemptions for vertical agreements, technology transfer agreements, and research and development agreements Exclusivity agreements can be challenged under three different provisions of federal cartel laws, but are most often challenged under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, which requires an agreement between two or more parties. If the agreement relates to a property or other physical product, the challenger may make a claim under section 3 of the Clayton Act. If one of the parties to the agreement is a monopolist or quasi-monopolist, a challenger could also assert a claim under Section 2 of the Sherman Act alleging that the exclusivity agreement is exclusionary behavior used to illegally acquire or maintain monopoly power. This usually takes the form of a claim of monopolization or attempted monopolization. The prohibition laid down in Article 45(1)(a) applies to the price of supplying a product and not to the purchase price of a product. Therefore, joint purchasing agreements – including those between companies that compete in the purchase of products – are not in themselves prohibited by section 45(1)(a) (or section 45(1)(b) or (c) and are subject only to review under the provisions of Part VIII of the Auditable Matters Act. As a result, procurement agreements, including non-recruitment agreements and salary agreements, may be reviewed in accordance with the provisions of Part VIII of Part VIII of the Auditable Matters Act. Footnote 16 X, Y and Z are companies that compete with each other in the retail sale of gadgets in Canada. They are all supplied by Company A, an intermediary distributor, and have always been aggressive competitors who never spoke to each other. Company A told X that it wanted to increase the price of the gadgets and that it had already received approval from Y, which agreed to raise prices by 5% if X also increased its prices by 5%.

X has agreed with its supplier to increase its price by 5%. `horizontal cooperation` means agreements or arrangements between undertakings operating at the same level of the supply chain, i.e. actual (or potential) competitors, e.B a joint R&D project between competing technology undertakings or a joint sales and marketing undertaking between competitors. In contrast, “vertical” agreements are agreements between companies operating at different levels of the supply chain, e.B. a supply contract from a supplier of raw materials to a manufacturer or a distribution agreement between a manufacturer and a retailer.4 Without mergers, strategic alliances and similar transactions, there are many ways for competitors to work together under competition law. Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), with its equivalents under the national law of the EU Member States, is the most important provision of EU competition law in this context. On the whole, it prohibits agreements which have as their object or effect competition (Article 101(1) TFEU). However, agreements which can be shown to provide consumer-friendly benefits outweighing the anti-competitive effects may be exempted provided that the relevant exemption conditions are met (Article 101(3) TFEU). The European Commission has identified certain categories of horizontal agreements that can benefit from an automatic exemption if they fall within the parameters of the various block exemption regulations described in this quick start guide.

Other types of subcontracting between competitors (called by the Commission to subcontract to increase production, e.B subcontracting agreements) are not covered by the block exemption, but similar principles apply under the Guidelines. The Commission Communication on subcontracting7 may also be relevant. If your competitor uses exclusivity agreements, you might be annoyed about it, but in most cases, exclusivity agreements are legal under antitrust laws. But that doesn`t mean that all exclusivity agreements are legal. In fact, if you`re the competitor using (or considering) exclusive deals, you should consult an experienced antitrust lawyer. Some of the conduct referred to in Section 1 is so anti-competitive that it is in itself illegal and results in criminal sanctions enforced by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. This is not the case with exclusive agreements. Challenges related to exclusivity often have redemptive competitive virtues and are therefore judged according to the rule of reason.

Applicants challenging an exclusivity agreement must therefore demonstrate that the anti-competitive effects of the agreement at issue outweigh any pro-competitive advantage. Other agreements between competitors that are not inherently harmful to consumers are valued according to a flexible standard of the “convenience rule” that aims to determine their macroeconomic impact. The focus here is on the nature of the agreement, the damage that could be caused and whether the agreement is reasonably necessary to obtain pro-competitive advantages. This agreement would likely raise concerns under section 45 of the Act. Subsection 45(1) of the Act provides that it is illegal for two or more competitors to agree to fix, maintain, increase or control the price of the supply of a product. It is not necessary for the parties to communicate directly. In that case, the intermediary`s assurances that Y would increase its prices if X did so too much facilitated the parties` “opinion formation”, as required by Article 45(1). If Company A had then had a similar conversation with Z and Z was not aware of X`s involvement in the plot, but was aware of Y`s involvement, Z could be found guilty of conspiracy with X and Y, even if it did not know that Company X was involved in the conspiracy.

In addition, Company A may also be guilty of an offence under section 45 of complicity in conspiracy, as described in sections 21 and 22 of the Code, although Company A is not in competition with X, Y or Z in the retail market. In particular, as regards co-production/specialisation agreements with joint sales and sales, the Guidelines specify that they may always be exempted beyond the 20 % ceiling, provided that joint sales are a necessary element of the overall scheme: in other words, the parties would not otherwise have concluded the joint production agreement (the parties would also have to demonstrate: that the agreement makes it possible to achieve significant efficiency gains that are passed on. to consumers). The Commission also notes that while production agreements involving marketing functions such as joint selling/marketing carry a higher risk of restrictive effects on competition, such agreements are generally less likely to restrict competition than autonomous joint sales/marketing agreements. There is no equivalent to the exemption for anti-competitive agreements. However, a dominant undertaking may demonstrate that, in certain circumstances, it has an objective justification for otherwise abusive conduct. Professional associations made up of competitors can offer their members significant services and benefits that improve efficiency and reduce costs. These services and benefits can range from general industry promotion to high-tech support. However, if an association of competitors denies these benefits to potential members who offer a competitive alternative that consumers want, the restriction can affect competition and keep prices high. This problem only occurs when association members have a significant presence in the market and it is difficult for non-members to compete without access to association-sponsored services. The risks associated with participation in an anti-competitive agreement or abuse of a dominant position are serious.

In addition to the above consequences, another risk for businesses is disruption and damage to a company`s reputation resulting from lengthy investigations or subsequent litigation by customers, competitors and consumers, as well as significant legal fees and management time. Given the serious consequences of non-compliance, undertakings should regularly review the compatibility of their practices and agreements with competition law. For any undertaking, and in particular for any undertaking holding a significant share of the markets in which it operates, it is essential to promote workers` understanding of the type of behaviour permitted by competition law and what is not. In this context, it should be ensured that the licence does not contain any of the hardcore restrictions on competition set out in the TTBE. The existence of such restrictions is extremely difficult to justify under Article 101(3) and may invalidate the entire licence and potentially expose the parties to the risk of fines and actions for damages brought by third parties. The hardcore limitations of an IPR licence between competitors under the TTBE are as follows: the Commission generally refers to these agreements as `marketing agreements`. This applies to the joint sale, where the parties agree on all commercial aspects related to the sale of the product, including the price. .