The goal of both EU and national competition policy is to protect and develop effective competition in the market. While competition law is not intended to restrain legitimate business activity, strict rules apply which prohibit anti-competitive behavior and activities. These rules are enforced by a range of penalties, including significant fines and personal sanctions.
The competition rules also apply to formal or informal gatherings organized by industry associations, such as the events organized by EPL. In view of the fact that industry associations organize meetings between actual and potential competitors, the competition rules need to be followed strictly.
The following guidelines provide general guidance so as to avoid the risk that competition law may be breached during EPL events. These rules apply to all events organized by EPL, including physical meetings, social events, webinars, online meetings, etc.
Commercially sensitive information can only be exchanged if it is:
The EPL committee, each member and its representative(s) need to ensure strict compliance with the following safeguards when conducting any type of EPL meeting: