The Chairperson of the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee has called for submissions on the Commerce Amendment Bill.

The bill would amend the Commerce Act 1986. It would explicitly prohibit those who have substantial market power from doing something that has the purpose, effect, or likely effect of substantially lessening competition. This would align New Zealand law with the equivalent provision in Australian law. The bill would provide for exemptions, by allowing the Commerce Commission to authorise conduct that would otherwise be covered by the prohibition, if it is in the public interest.

The Act currently contains safe harbour provisions that protect certain intellectual property rights from specified prohibitions. The bill would repeal these. The bill also proposes other, more minor, amendments to improve the functioning of the Act.

Tell the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 30 April 2021.

For more details about the bill:

· Read the full content of the bill

· Get more details about the bill

· What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?

· Follow the committee’s Facebook page for updates

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