The National Association of Paper Merchants

"Promoting the Value of the UK Paper & Board Merchant"

Competition Law

Policy Statement on Competition Law

The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM) is subject to all United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) competition law. It is the declared policy of The NAPM to fully comply with all laws applicable to its entire range of activities. This general policy includes strict compliance with all UK and EU Competition Law.

As a significant trade association Competition Law applies to all activities of The NAPM including its Policy Group, Divisions and sub-committees together with any working groups and sub-groups.

Activities potentially caught by competition law include the holding of meetings for both business and social purposes, representation at industry functions, the collection and dissemination of statistics, use of its website, the collection and distribution of other information related to the UK paper merchanting industry sector, discussing, recommending or agreeing certain courses of action.

Compliance with this policy is the responsibility of each and every member company of The NAPM together with any person who acts on behalf of The NAPM or who participates in NAPM activities.

Member Responsibility

In participating in an NAPM activity, each member company and its representatives are required to:

1. Co-operate fully with The NAPM’s policy of compliance with competition law;

2. Familiarise themselves with the provisions of competition law. In particular, each Member must clearly understand that the NAPM does not permit any exchanges of price information, discussion or agreement on prices;

3. Consider the competition law aspects of any NAPM work they are involved in and if appropriate take relevant advice before voicing an opinion, making a recommendation, issuing any rules, exchanging information, committing to a course of action, taking a decision or reaching an agreement.

Whilst The NAPM cannot prescribe how its member companies and their representatives conduct themselves outside of NAPM activities, it does however expect them to fully comply with competition law in all their business dealings through the NAPM.

Members companies and their representatives must avoid any action, decision or agreement that might suggest in any way whatsoever that The NAPM is used as a vehicle to facilitate, or is a party to, any unlawful conduct under competition law.

Philip Raven - a partner in Freeth Cartwright LLP and the NAPM's legal advisor on all competition law issues

NOTE: The NAPM can give advice to members on all aspects of competition law and has other documentation readily available which may be of assistance in understanding the complex nature of all the current laws.