Competition Policy
Association members agree:
To remember that the association itself can beCom liable for breaches of competition law, and that a breach can have both financial and reputational consequences for the association
To make sure members are familiar with this competition compliance policy
To forbid members from discussing competitively sensitive information
To require members to leave, and to report to the association any meetings with competitors where competitively sensitive information is discussed
To ensure that any standard contract terms and conditions developed by the association are clear, easily understood, in plain language and fair to consumers
To ensure that rules and admission criteria for the association are transparent, proportionate, non-discriminatory and based upon objective standards
To ensure that the requirements for any quality certification schemes the association operates are fair, reasonable and are available to all businesses that meet them
Not to have rules that prevent the members from taking independent commercial decisions
Not to let the association be a channel for, or otherwise facilitate, the sharing of competitively sensitive information between members about pricing, customers or output plans
Not to allow members to discuss competitively sensitive information in or around association events, including in ‘unofficial meetings’ or at social events
Not to issue formal or informal pricing or output recommendations to members
Not to develop association rules or practices that restrict members from advertising their prices or discounts, soliciting for business or otherwise competing with other members
Not to require members to provide the association with competitively sensitive information, such as information about pricing and/or output intentions
Not to publish messages suggesting that lower prices means lower quality with the intention of influencing prices
Not to adopt rules that restrict members’ advertising and promotional business practices, beyond ensuring such practices are legal, truthful and not misleading
Not to prevent members from using different contractual conditions from any association-developed standard conditions if they wish to do so