Sustainability has become an important area of discussion in the competition and consumer protection law and policy circles. Competition, consumer protection and sustainability are all intersecting. Consumer empowerment and business efforts can significantly contribute to promoting sustainable consumption and production and to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. When empowered consumers value the importance of sustainable products and make well-informed decisions, businesses have an incentive become more sustainable.
7 April 2020
October 2020
6 May 2021
Key findings of the Staff Working Document
The Staff Working Document responds to feedback that the Commission has received in consultations to date, and concludes that the H-BERs and the Horizontal Guidelines are useful instruments and remain relevant for stakeholders, but that they require revision in certain areas.
The key feedback identified by the Commission includes:
General issues
Discrepancies in definitions compared to other EU legislation (e.g., non-full functionality joint ventures, potential competitors)
Insufficient clarity on the centre of gravity of horizontal cooperation agreements (when cooperation involves a combination of different types of horizontal agreement)
Guidance solely aimed at horizontal cooperation may be insufficient, as cooperation agreements often include some vertical elements