Competition Act 1998: Primary UK legislation governing competition law, prohibiting anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant market position. Essential for structuring distribution arrangements and territorial restrictions.
Enterprise Act 2002: Complements the Competition Act and provides for market investigations and merger control. Relevant for distribution agreements that may affect market competition.
Sale of Goods Act 1979: Regulates the sale of goods in commercial relationships, including implied terms about quality and fitness for purpose in distribution arrangements.
Consumer Rights Act 2015: Relevant when distribution chain leads to consumer sales, establishing quality standards and consumer protection requirements.
Commercial Agents Regulations 1993: Implements EU Directive on commercial agents, providing protection for commercial agents including compensation upon termination.
Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982: Governs contracts for the supply of goods and services, including implied terms about quality and fitness for purpose.
Retained EU VABER: Post-Brexit retained EU law on vertical agreements block exemption, providing safe harbor for certain vertical agreements including distribution agreements.
Trade Marks Act 1994: Protects trademarks and regulates their use, crucial for brand protection in distribution relationships.
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988: Governs intellectual property rights protection, relevant for marketing materials and product designs in distribution agreements.
UK GDPR: Regulates processing of personal data, important for customer data handling in distribution relationships.
Export Control Act 2002: Controls the export of goods, particularly relevant for international distribution arrangements.
Bribery Act 2010: Anti-corruption legislation requiring adequate procedures to prevent bribery in business relationships.
Modern Slavery Act 2015: Requires businesses to ensure transparency in supply chains and prevent modern slavery.
Value Added Tax Act 1994: Governs VAT obligations in commercial transactions, including distribution arrangements.
Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977: Regulates contractual terms that exclude or restrict liability, crucial for liability provisions in distribution agreements.
