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ARTICLE · 06 AUGUST 2020

Competition Bureau Invites Comments To Revisions To The Competitor Collaboration Guidelines

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On July 27, 2020, the Competition Bureau (the "Bureau") released a draft revision ("Draft Revision") to the Competitor Collaboration Guidelines (the "Guidelines") and is inviting comments in a...

CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
William Wu
William Wu
François Tougas
François Tougas
Isabelle Guevara
Isabelle Guevara
Kristen Shaw
Kristen Shaw
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On July 27, 2020, the Competition Bureau (the "Bureau") released a draft revision ("Draft Revision")1 to the Competitor Collaboration Guidelines (the "Guidelines") and is inviting comments in a public consultation. The Guidelines set out the Bureau's enforcement approach to competitor collaborations under both the criminal cartel and civil agreement provisions of the Competition Act (the "Act"). They were last updated in 2009 after the passage of major amendments to the Act in the same year. The Draft Revision reflects developments in competition law enforcement and the Bureau's experience over the last decade.

Changes Affecting Mergers

A particularly important change in the Draft Revision relates to mergers and acquisitions. The Bureau already deals with such transactions pursuant to the merger notification and review provisions of the Act, which focus on whether a transaction will or is likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in a relevant

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The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.

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