"Towards 2016” contains a Government commitment to introduce amending legislation to exclude voice-over actors, freelance journalists and session musicians when engaging in collective bargaining, from the provisions of Section 4 of the Competition Act 2002. The commitment takes into account, inter alia, that there would be negligible negative impacts on the economy or on the level of competition, and would have regard to the specific attributes and nature of the work involved, and be subject to consistency with EU competition rules.
I intend, subject to consistency with EU competition law, to give effect to this commitment in the legislation currently being prepared to merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority. This legislation will also amend, reform and update certain provisions of existing competition and consumer law. I hope to publish the Bill during the course of 2011.