First published: mEMo [1st November 2007]
In September, the European Commission published its final
report on competition in business insurance. One of the key
battlegrounds has been the retention of the block exemption for
some forms of co-operation between insurers. Essentially, the
block exemption permits certain types of
co-operation without there being a breach of
the EU's competition laws, including the joint
establishment and distribution of calculations and studies,
standard policy conditions and technical specifications, rules
and codes of practice on security devices, and also joint
coverage of risks.
The block exemption will expire on 31 March
2010 and the European Commission is considering
whether it should be renewed. In its interim report, the
Commission highlighted some concerns about the differences
between the ways in which member states utilise the block
exemption. In
