Competition Committee

The Competition Policy Committee aims to provide constructive input to the EU institutions to ensure the development of efficient and balanced EU competition policies that reflect the needs of both business and consumers. Competition policy is essential to the success of the single market. By ensuring a level playing field for business, effective EU competition policy serves to generate wealth and employment, protects the interests of consumers and promotes economic efficiency by fostering innovation.

UEIL is concerned with securing supplies of raw materials to member companies. In the lubricants industry, base oil suppliers are often at the same time lubricant manufacturers and hence competitors to the independents. This dual function can jeopardise free competition, particularly at times of base oil shortages. UEIL is confident that an adequate EC legislative and regulatory framework will give the independent lubricant manufacturers the opportunity to meet the challenge of competition with major oil companies on an equal footing.

Current Issues
Key issues include: modernisation of EU competition policy and enforcement; restrictive practices and abuses of dominant positions; mergers and acquisitions or joint ventures and public undertakings and state aid.
UEIL is particularly interested in the correct application of the EU’s Regulation 461/2010 (in force June 2010 until June 2023) on the application of the EU anti-trust rules to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector, a Regulation of great importance to the UEIL membership as it aims to provide a better level playing field in the aftermarket prohibiting abuse of warranties, limiting exclusivity agreements and guaranteeing access to information on performance criteria for spare parts.

Please read here further information about the UEIL leaflet "Purchase and use of lubricants within the European Union", which outlines of some of the principles of the European legal framework relating to the purchase and use of lubricants and other functional fluids.

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