{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ec-competition-law-articles-88-and-89-enforcement-regulations-1996/regulation-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ec-competition-law-articles-88-and-89-enforcement-regulations-1996/regulation-3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1996/2199",
  "legislation_title": "The EC Competition Law (Articles 88 and 89) Enforcement Regulations 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/ec-competition-law-articles-88-and-89-enforcement-regulations-1996",
  "path": "regulation/3",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Preliminary investigation by the Director",
  "text": "(1) If it appears to the Secretary of State that the United Kingdom might have a duty under Article 88 to rule on the question —\n(a) whether or not there is or has been in existence an agreement prohibited by Article 85 to which a qualifying undertaking is a party, or\n(b) whether or not the carrying on of a practice by a qualifying undertaking constitutes an infringement of Article 86,\nhe may ask the Director to carry out an investigation (a “preliminary investigation”) and to advise the Secretary of State of the outcome.\n(2) In carrying out a preliminary investigation, the Director shall take into account all representations made to him by persons appearing to him to have a substantial interest in the subject matter of the investigation.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "amended",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/506",
      "affecting_title": "The Competition Act 1998 (Competition Commission) Transitional, Consequential and Supplemental Provisions Order 1999"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2199/regulation/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T12:36:21.785949+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}