Competition Act 1998

[F1 Part 6 U.K. Disclosure etc

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 8A inserted (9.3.2017) by The Claims in respect of Loss or Damage arising from Competition Infringements (Competition Act 1998 and Other Enactments (Amendment)) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/385), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 4 (with Sch. 1 para. 5)

Disclosure orders U.K.

27. (1) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule (and subject to sub-paragraph (2)), a court or the Tribunal makes a disclosure order in respect of something if—

(a) in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, it orders its disclosure or production in accordance with procedural rules, or

(b) in Scotland, it grants commission and diligence for its recovery or makes an order in respect of it under section 1 of the Administration of Justice (Scotland) Act 1972 (inspection of documents etc).

(2) A court or the Tribunal does not make a disclosure order in respect of something if it does something described in sub-paragraph (1) for the purposes of enabling a court or the Tribunal to determine whether it is a cartel leniency statement or a settlement submission.

Restriction in relation to settlement submissions and cartel leniency statements U.K.

28. For the purposes of competition proceedings, a court or the Tribunal must not make a disclosure order in respect of—

(a) a settlement submission which has not been withdrawn, or

(b) a cartel leniency statement (whether or not it has been withdrawn).

Restriction in relation to investigation materials U.K.

29. For the purposes of competition proceedings, a court or the Tribunal must not make a disclosure order in respect of a competition authority’s investigation materials before the day on which the competition authority closes the investigation to which those materials relate.

Restriction in relation to material in a competition authority’s file U.K.

30. (1) For the purposes of competition proceedings, a court or the Tribunal must not make a disclosure order addressed to a competition authority in respect of documents or information included in a competition authority’s file.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply where the court or the Tribunal making the order is satisfied that no-one else is reasonably able to provide the documents or information.

Power of High Court in Northern Ireland to order disclosure etc by non-parties U.K.

31. (1) On the application of a party to competition proceedings, where it appears to the High Court in Northern Ireland that evidence relevant to the proceedings is likely to be in the possession, custody or power of a person who is not a party to the proceedings, the court may order the person—

(a) to disclose whether such evidence is in the person’s possession, custody or power, and

(b) if it is, to produce it—

(i) to the applicant, or

(ii) on such conditions as may be specified in the order, to the applicant’s legal adviser or other professional adviser.

(2) An order under sub-paragraph (1) must not be made if the court considers that compliance with it would be likely to be injurious to the public interest.

(3) Rules of court may make provision specifying circumstances in which a court may or may not make an order under sub-paragraph (1).

(4) The power under sub-paragraph (3) includes power to make incidental, supplementary and consequential provision.

(5) Sub-paragraph (1) is without prejudice to the exercise by the High Court in Northern Ireland of any power to make orders which is exercisable apart from this paragraph.]