UK Competition Act 1998: Primary UK legislation governing competition law, prohibiting anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant market position. Essential for ensuring distribution agreements comply with competition regulations.
Enterprise Act 2002: Legislation providing framework for merger control and market investigations, relevant for distribution agreements that may affect market structure.
Retained EU Competition Law: Post-Brexit retained EU law principles, including Article 101 TFEU principles, affecting vertical agreements and distribution arrangements.
Vertical Agreements Block Exemption Regulation (VABER): Regulation providing safe harbor for certain vertical agreements, including distribution agreements, from competition law prohibitions.
Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999: Legislation governing how third parties may enforce terms of a contract, relevant for distribution chains and sub-distributors.
Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977: Controls the use of exclusion and limitation clauses in contracts, ensuring fairness in commercial relationships.
Consumer Rights Act 2015: Key legislation protecting consumer rights, relevant if distribution involves consumer goods.
Sale of Goods Act 1979: Fundamental legislation governing the sale of goods, including terms about quality, fitness for purpose, and transfer of property.
Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982: Legislation governing contracts for the supply of goods and services, including implied terms about quality and fitness.
Commercial Agents Regulations 1993: Regulations protecting commercial agents, potentially relevant if the distribution arrangement includes agency elements.
Trade Marks Act 1994: Legislation protecting trademarks and governing their use, crucial for brand protection in distribution agreements.
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988: Protects intellectual property rights, relevant for protecting marketing materials, product designs, and technical information.
Trade Secrets Regulations 2018: Protects confidential business information, crucial for safeguarding proprietary information in distribution relationships.
UK GDPR: Data protection regulation governing the processing of personal data, relevant for customer information handling.
Data Protection Act 2018: UK's implementation of data protection standards, complementing UK GDPR in protecting personal data.
Export Control Order 2008: Controls the export of strategic goods, relevant for international distribution arrangements.
Customs and Excise Management Act 1979: Governs import/export procedures and duties, crucial for international distribution.
Trade Act 2021: Post-Brexit legislation establishing UK's independent trade policy, affecting international distribution arrangements.
Product Safety and Metrology Regulations: Ensures products meet safety standards and technical requirements, crucial for product compliance in distribution.
