Compecon Limited.

Submission to the UK Department of Trade and Industry on the White Paper: A World Class Competition Regime.

Submitted: 5 October 2001.

Executive Summary.

This submission was prepared in response to the Department of Trade and Industry’s request for submissions on its White Paper A World Class Competition Regime published on 31 July 2001.

The submission is concerned primarily with the proposals to introduce criminal penalties for cartel offences. However, it addresses some of the other matters raised in the White Paper. The submission concludes that:

Criminal penalties are appropriate for hard-core cartels;
Hard core cartel practices should be defined as per se offences in line with the US model;
Police officers should be assigned to assist the OFT in cartel investigations;
Such police officers should have normal police powers;
Criminal offences should extend to corporate bodies;
Ministers should not be involved in decisions concerning a divestment of corporate assets; and
Disqualification as a director should be confined to individuals who have been convicted of hard core cartel behaviour and such sanctions should not be imposed on individuals who have not been convicted of such offences.

For a copy of the full submission e-mail us at info@compecon.ie

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