EU Publishes Findings Of The Evaluation Of The Vertical Block Exemption Regulation

The European Commission published on Tuesday, September 8, a Staff Working Document that summarises the findings of the evaluation of the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER), together with the Vertical Guidelines.

The aim of the evaluation was to gather evidence on the functioning of the VBER, together with the Vertical Guidelines, in order to decide whether it should lapse, be renewed in its current form, or be revised. Based on the findings of the evaluation, the Commission will launch an impact assessment to look into the policy options for a revision of the rules in order to address the issues identified during the evaluation.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said, “The evaluation has shown that the VBER and the Vertical Guidelines are useful tools that significantly facilitate the self-assessment by businesses of their vertical agreements. At the same time, the market has significantly changed and the evaluation has identified a number of issues that need to be addressed. The Commission will therefore reflect on how to address these issues to ensure that the rules remain fit for a world that is increasingly digital and changing at a fast pace.”

Read The Full Document Here