Press Release: Commission reforms competition rules for co-operation between companies

On 29.11.00, the European Commission adopted new competition rules concerning so-called horizontal co-operation agreements, that is to say, co-operation agreements between competitors. They consist of revised block exemption regulations on research and development agreements and specialisation agreements and guidelines on various types of co-operation agreements. The new rules reform a key area of competition policy and are part of a wider review undertaken by the Commission to streamline and adapt EC competition law.