Besluitpunt "DRAFT COMMISSION REGULATION ON THE APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 81(3) OF THE EC TREATY TO CATEGORIES OF VERTICAL AGREEMENTS AND CONCERTED PRACTICES DRAFT GUIDELINES ON VERTICAL RESTRAINTS"

The Commission:

­ approved the draft Commission Regulation and the accompanying draft guidelines, distributed respectively as C(2009)5365/3 and SEC(2009)946/3;

­ empowered Ms KROES, the Commission Member responsible for competition, in agreement with the PRESIDENT, to carry out the procedural steps provided for in Articles 5 and 6 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 19/65 i, and in particular:

­ to transmit to the Advisory Committee for Restrictive Practices and Dominant Positions, for initial consultation, the draft Block Exemption Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices, and the draft PV(2009)1881 final (8 July 2009) PV(2009)1881 final 15 notice containing guidelines on vertical restraints;

­ subsequently, and taking into account the observations of the Advisory Committee, to publish the texts as drafts for public consultation;

­ to consult the Advisory Committee once again on the texts, taking into account the results of the public consultation.

Subject to the outcome of the steps set out above, the Member responsible for competition would then submit the final texts to the Commission for adoption.