The Competition Act 1998 (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2012
This Order excludes from the Chapter I prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 an agreement between the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and representatives of the petroleum supply industry concerning the supply of fuel in an emergency. It also excludes from the prohibition certain arrangements implementing that agreement. The Chapter I prohibition precludes agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings or concerted practices which may affect trade within the United Kingdom and which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the United Kingdom. Where there are exceptional and compelling reasons of public policy for doing so, the Secretary of State may exclude an agreement or an agreement of a particular description from the Chapter I prohibition.