The Competition Act, 2002

Introduction

In pursuit of globalization, India responded to opening up its economy, removing control and resorting to liberalization. The MRTP Act, 1969 became obsolete in certain aspects in the light of international economic developments and there was a need to shift our focus from curbing monopolies to promoting competition which lead to the passing of The Competition Act, 2002.

What is a Competition?

Competition Is “a situation in a market in which firms or sellers independently strive for the buyers’ investment in order to achieve a particular business objective for example, profits, sales or market share” (World Bank, 1999)

Important provisions of the Act

• Section 3- Prohibiting Anti-Competitive agreements

• Section 4 – Prohibiting abuse of Dominant position

• Section 5 and Section 6 – Regulation of Combinations

• Competition Commission of India

Anti-Competitive agreements - Section 3

Section 3(1) No enterprise or association of enterprises or person or association of persons shall enter into any agreement in respect of production, supply, distribution, storage, acquisition or control of goods or provision of services, which causes or is likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.

Section 3(2) any agreement entered into in contravention of the provisions contained in sub-section (1) shall be void.

Competition among suppliers of goods and services will stabilize prices at a reasonable level. The principal objective of suppliers of goods and services who are in a position to manipulate the market is to maintain their profits at pre determined levels. They seek to achieve this through various means. Agreements for price fixing, limiting supply of goods or services, dividing the market etc. are the usual modes of interfering with the process of competition and ultimately reducing or eliminating competition. Where competition is adversely affected to an appreciable extent, such agreements would be anti competitive.

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Evaluating appreciable adverse effect on competition within India

To ascertain the effect on competition of an agreement stated as being anti competitive, the first step is to determine the market where the competition is complained of as having been adversely affected. The market that has to be taken into consideration for this purpose is called the ‘Relevant Market’.

‘Relevant Market’ means the market which may be determined by the Commission with reference to- (1) the relevant geographic market or (2) the relevant product market or (3) or both the markets.

‘Relevant geographic market’ means a market comprising the area in which the conditions of competition for supply of goods or services are distinctly homogeneous. It can be distinguished from the conditions prevailing in the neighbouring areas.

Under Section 19 (6) the Competition Commission of India shall have regard to the following factors while determining the relevant market:

1. Regulatory trade barriers2. Local specification requirements3. National procurement policies4. Adequate distribution facilities5. Transport costs6. Language7. Consumer preferences8. Need for secure or regular supplies or rapid after sale services.

‘Relevant product market’ means a market comprising all those products or services which are regarded as interchangeable or substitutable by the consumer. This is by the reason of characteristics of the products or services, their prices and indented use.

What is to ascertain is whether the extent of competition in the market for the goods or services that existed before the agreement has been reduced or eliminated as a result of the enforcement of the agreement. If the effect were adverse and appreciable, in a substantial part of that market, the agreement would be one prohibited by S. 3 and therefore void.

Anti Competitive agreements -Horizontal Agreements

3(3) Any agreement entered into between enterprises or associations of enterprises or persons or associations of persons or between any person and enterprise or practice carried on, or decision taken by, any association of enterprises or association of persons, including cartels, engaged in identical or similar trade of goods or provision of services, which—

a) Directly or indirectly determines purchase or sale prices

b) Limits or controls production, supply, markets, technical development, investment or provision of services

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c) Shares the market or source of production or provision of services by way of allocation of geographical area of market, or type of goods or services or number of customers in the market or any other similar way

(d)Directly or indirectly results in bid rigging or collusive bidding

Shall be presumed to have an appreciable adverse effect on competition.

Bid rigging occurs when there is an agreement between enterprises or persons engaged in identical or similar production or trading of goods or provision of services which has the effect of eliminating or reducing competition for bids or adversely affects or manipulates the process of bidding. Members of the group by keeping the bid amount at a predetermined manipulated level take away Independence in the bidding process.

Anti Competitive agreements -Vertical Agreements

Where the parties are in different stages or levels of production claim, this practice is called a vertical restraint.

3(4) any agreement amongst enterprises or persons at different stages or levels of the production chain in different markets, in respect of production, supply, distribution, storage, sale or price of, or trade in goods or provision of services, including—

a) tie-in arrangement; (This is an arrangement by which a seller agrees to sell a product known as the tying item only on condition that buyer agrees to buy a second product known as the tied product from the seller.eg., Insistence of gas distributer to buy a gas stove as a condition to the gas connection, Requiring a stabilizer to be bought along with the refrigerator.)

b) exclusive supply agreement; (This includes any agreement restricting the purchaser from acquiring or otherwise dealing in any goods other than those of the seller or any other person.

c) exclusive distribution agreement; (This includes any agreement to limit, restrict, or withhold the output or supply of any goods, or allocate any area or market for the disposal or sale of goods)

d) refusal to deal; (This includes any agreement which restricts, or is likely to restrict, the persons, or classes of persons to whom goods are sold, or from whom goods are bought.)

e) resale price maintenance; (This includes any agreement to sell goods on condition that the prices to be charged on the resale by the purchaser shall be the prices stipulated by the seller unless it is clearly stated that prices lower than those prices may be charged.)

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Shall be an agreement in contravention of sub-section (1) if such agreement causes or is likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.

Case: Bata restraining the small scale producers with whom it entered into arrangement for buying footwear, from purchasing raw material parties other than those approved by Bata and prohibiting them from selling additional production to any other party, or at prices without Bata’s approval amounted to restrictive trade practice. (1976) 46 Com Cases 441)

Substance of Section 3

Section 3 (1) is a general prohibition of any agreement in respect of production, supply, distribution, storage, acquisition or control of goods or provision of services, which causes or is likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.

Subsections (3) & (4) deal with certain kinds of anti competitive agreements.

S. 3(3) deals with certain decisions made by a group of persons or associations including cartels.

Section 3(4) indicates certain Vertical restraints in trade and they are not exhaustive. They are vertical restraints imposed through agreements among enterprises in different stages of production or supply. A simple example of the same is one between a manufacturer and seller.

Anti competitive agreements that do not fall under subsections (3) & (4) and which are general will be covered by subsection (1).

As there has been no enumeration of anti competitive practices set out in subsection (1) showing the range and kinds of practices that would restrain or restrict competition, the question will have to be decided upon, each time on the facts of the particular case and by the rule of reason.

Abuse of Dominant position- Section 4

(1) No enterprise or group shall abuse its dominant position.

(2) There shall be an abuse of dominant position if an enterprise or a group

(a) directly or indirectly, imposes unfair or discriminatory

(i) Condition in purchase or sale of goods or services; or

(ii) price in purchase or sale (including predatory price) of goods or service.

The abuse of a dominant position is another way of interfering with competition in the market place. ‘Dominant Position’ means a position of strength. This is enjoyed by an enterprise in the relevant market in India. This enables the enterprise to operate independently of competitive forces prevailing in the relevant market or affect its competitors or consumers or the relevant market in its favour.

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Whether an enterprise enjoys a dominant position or not is decided by factors such as market share of the enterprise, size and resources of the enterprise, size and importance of the competitors, economic power of the enterprise including commercial advantages over competitors, vertical integration of the enterprises or sale or service network of such enterprises, dependence of consumers on the enterprise, monopoly or dominant position whether acquired as a result of any statute or by virtue of being a Government Company or a public sector undertaking or otherwise, entry barriers such as regulatory barriers, technical entry barriers, economies or sale, high cost of substitutable goods or service for consumers, countervailing buying power, market structure and size of market, social obligations and social costs, relative advantage, by way of the contribution to the economic development, by the enterprise enjoying a dominant position having or likely to have appreciable adverse effect on competition.

Combinations -Section 5

The acquisition of one or more enterprises by one or more persons or merger or amalgamation of enterprises shall be a combination of such enterprises and persons or enterprises.

According to Section 6, no person or an enterprise shall enter into a combination which causes or is likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within the relevant market in India and such a combination is void.

Regulation of combinations-Section 6

Notice to the Commission – Any person or enterprise who or which proposes to enter into a combination shall give notice to the commission disclosing the details of the proposed combination within thirty days of approval of the proposal of combination by the Board of directors.

Post filing waiting period – no combination shall come into effect until 210 days have passed from the day on which the notice has been given to the commission or the commission has passed orders, whichever is earlier.

Competition Commission of India

To prevent practices having adverse effect on competition To promote and sustain competition in the markets To protect the interest of consumers To ensure freedom of trade carried on by other participants in market.

Establishment – Establishment by Central Government.

Composition – Chairperson and not less than two and not more than six other members, appointed by the central government.

Term of Office – 5 years and shall be eligible for reappointment.

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