Commerce Department Publishes Competition Rules and Complaints Procedure

The Commerce Department of the Velocity Interoperability Network today published the competition rules of the Network. The rules prohibit agreements between undertakings that prevent, restrict or distort competition within the Network, prohibit the abuse of a dominant position, and require mergers above the notification thresholds to be notified to the Department before they are completed.

A merger must be notified where the undertakings concerned would together supply or acquire 25 per cent or more of goods or services of a description within the Network, or where the combined turnover of the undertakings within the Network in the preceding year exceeded 50,000,000 credits. Notified mergers are reviewed in a first phase of 25 working days; where the Department finds that a merger may substantially lessen competition, a second phase of 90 working days follows. Seven mergers notified under interim arrangements during the transition period are carried into the Department's casework from today.

Any person may complain to the Department about conduct they believe to be anti-competitive. Complaints are made by writing to the Department and are acknowledged within five working days; the Department decides within 40 working days whether to open an investigation. The rules, the notification thresholds and the complaints procedure are set out on the Competition page of this site. Enquiries may be sent to contact@commerce.gov.vin.