Competition (Amendment) Act 2022

Bill entitled an Act to give effect to the implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market; for that purpose to provide for a system of non-criminal enforcement of certain provisions of competition law, including the appointment and empowerment of independent adjudication officers, and the issuing of prohibition notices in response to certain suspected infringements of competition law; to provide for a system of enforcement and non-criminal penalties in relation to certain breaches of competition law, including by the imposition of non-criminal structural and behavioural remedies and certain non-criminal financial sanctions, and to provide for processes by which such non-criminal sanctions may be appealed, remitted or confirmed by the High Court; to provide for a leniency programme in relation to certain undertakings; to provide for cooperation between competition authorities in the European Union and certain bodies in the State; to increase the penalties for certain criminal offences for breach of competition law; to provide additional powers of surveillance to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in relation to the investigation of certain criminal offences; to amend certain provisions relating to the procedure for notifying mergers to the relevant authorities; for those and other purposes to amend the Competition Act 2002, the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, the Communications Regulation Act 2002, the Consumer Protection Act 2007 and the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009; and to provide for related matters.

Last updated: 28 Dec 2022

Sponsored by: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Source: Government

Originating House: Dáil Éireann