The European Commission asked the Council of the European Union on Tuesday 11 May for authorisation to negotiate a cooperation agreement with the UK in the competition field on behalf of the EU.
Provided for in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement approved by the European Parliament at the end of April (see EUROPE 12708/7), such an agreement would be binding for the Commission and the Member States’ competition authorities on the one hand, and their UK counterparts on the other. It could be similar to the one agreed in 2013 with Switzerland, according to the Commission.
The EU-Switzerland agreement is the most advanced of the agreements agreed with third countries (USA in 1991, Canada in 1999, Japan in 2003, South Korea in 2009), as it allows for the confidential exchange of information on mergers even if the parties do not give their explicit consent. This will depend on British ambitions in this area.
It is now up to the EU Council to give its green light to the proposal for a recommendation transmitted to it by the Commission. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)