Unlocking Cooperation: New EU Regulations Provide Clarity on Sustainable Partnerships and Competition Rules
01 Jun 2023
The European Commission has adopted revised Horizontal Block Exemption Regulations (HBERs) and Guidelines that provide clearer guidance on exemptions from competition restrictions for research and development (R&D) and specialization agreements.
Notably, a new chapter on Sustainability Agreements clarifies that antitrust rules do not impede agreements between competitors pursuing sustainability objectives. The revised regulations and guidelines will come into force on July 1, 2023, and aim to facilitate self-assessment and reduce compliance costs for businesses.
