06.04.2004
Großbritannien: Jahresprogramm 2004/2005 des Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
Großbritannien
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https://www.oft.gov.uk |
Die britische Wettbewerbsbehörde, das Office of Fair Trading, hat zum zweiten Mal ein Jahresprogramm (Annual Plan) veröffentlicht, diesmal für die Jahre 2004 und 2005. Darin werden die Ziele beschrieben und die Aufgaben genannt, wobei zu berücksichtigen ist, dass das OFT nicht nur Hüterin des Wettbewerbs, sondern auch Verbraucherschutzbehörde ist.
Ausgehend von den Grundsätzen (values) wird dargestellt, welche Maßnahmen ergriffen werden sollen, um die Märkte funktionsfähiger zu machen (making markets work better), wobei es hauptsächlich um Aufklärung und Rechtsdurchsetzung geht (guidance, enforcement, communication). Es schließen sich die hauptsächlichen Vorhaben an, die im Planungszeitraum angegangen werden sollen (key objectives). In einem kurzen Abschnitt geht man auf das Risikomanagement ein (risk management) und zählt dann die notwendigen Haushaltsmittel für 2004 / 2005 auf (ressource allocation):
- Guidance and Enforcement 36 Millionen Pfund
- Market Studies 9,4 Millionen Pfund
- Communication 7,0 Millionen Pfund
In einem Anhang wird dann das Arbeitsprogramm konkretisiert (objectives and deliverables). Dabei interessiert vor allem das Wettbewerbsrecht:
"Objective 3 (Kartellrecht)
We will use our powers actively under competition legislation to deal with anti-competitive practices.
Direct budget £10.6m
Deliverables:
- Using the Competition Act powers and/or our powers under Articles 81 and 82 of the EC treaty
- we expect to investigate between 45 and 65 cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect an infringement of the prohibition(s)
- we expect to make between 5 and 10 reasoned, published infringement decisions
- we expect to publish between 20 and 30 other case closures of which 5 to 10 cases will involve informal resolution of potential competition issues by the parties.
We will:
- investigate carefully – together with the Serious Fraud Office (and the Crown Office in Scotland) – potential criminal cartel offences
- use OFT´s powers under sector-specific competition regimes to investigate carefully those schemes, rules and practices that raise potential competition issues, and take prompt action where significant anti-competitive effects are found
- put in place sound procedures to implement the decentralisation of EC competition law and will publish clear guidance on the changes. We will work closely with the other members of the new ECN, including the European Commission, in cases affecting trade between Member States
- deal with appeals to the CAT in a way which seeks to develop and enhance the effectiveness of the UK competition regime.
Objective 4 (Fusionskontrolle)
We will keep markets open and competitive through merger control.
Direct budget £1.8m
Deliverables
We will:
- make references to the CC or accept undertakings in lieu in all mergers which we believe may substantially lessen competition
- we expect to consider between 180 and 230 public mergers
- of these we expect 30 to 50 to raise more complex issues and hence to be considered by a case review meeting
- based on experience, and the Court of Appeal´s clarification of the substantive merger test, we expect to refer to the CC or accept undertakings in lieu of reference for between 20 and 25 mergers
- seek to play a full part in working within the new EC merger regime."