Competition Policy Section - What’s New

18^th December 2009 – The Services Directive and Casual Trading

Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market comes into force on the 28 December 2009. The aim of the Directive is to create an internal market in services. The Directive will have some impact on the way authorisation systems such as casual trading are operated. The Department has prepared the attached documents as a guide to the Department's understanding on how the Directive affects casual trading.

• Guide on Impact of Services Directive on Casual Trading

• Summary of Rights and Obligations under Services Directive for Casual Trading

Any queries on this issue should be sent to casual_trading@entemp.ie.

11^th August 2009 - Public Consultation in relation to the introduction of a Code of Practice for Grocery Goods Undertakings

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan T.D., has announced a public consultation in relation to the introduction of a Code of Practice for Grocery Goods Undertakings.

As part of the debate in relation to grocery prices, north south price differentials and other developments in the grocery goods sector, concerns have been raised in relation to the nature of the relationships between grocery goods undertakings and in particular in the relationships between suppliers and retailers of grocery goods.

The consultation paper includes an initial draft outline of a possible Code, upon which she is seeking views of all interested parties.

• Code of Practice for Grocery Goods Undertakings Consultation Paper (PDF, 196KB)

Comments on the consultation paper should be submitted by close of business on Wednesday, 30^th September 2009 by electronic format to conspol@entemp.ie, or by post to Grocery Code of Practice Consultation, Competition and Consumer Policy Section, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Earlsfort Centre, Lr. Hatch Street, Dublin 2.

Please note that all comments, observations and submissions will be subject to the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 – 2003 and may be put up on the Department’s website. Consequently, when submitting material, parties should identify any information, which they do not wish to have released together with an accompanying explanation.

For further information and assistance, please contact the Competition & Consumer Policy Section of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on (01) 6312612.