Council Decision (EU) 2026/2304 of 9 October 2026 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws

L_202602304EN.000101.fmx.xml Official Journal of the European Union EN L series 2026/2304 19.10.2026 COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2026/2304 of 9 October 2026 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 103 and 352, in conjunction with Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) (v) and Article 218(8), second subparagraph, thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament ( 1 ) , Whereas: (1) In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2025/2376 ( 2 ) the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws (the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 25 February 2026, subject to its conclusion at a later date. (2) The purpose of the Agreement is to promote and provide a framework for the existing cooperation and coordination in competition matters between the competition authorities of the Union and its Member States, of the one part, and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’), of the other part, with a view to enhancing more effective enforcement of the competition laws of the Union and of the United Kingdom. While the competition authorities of the Union and of the United Kingdom cooperate on the basis of Article 361(2) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part ( 3 ) , of 30 December 2020 (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), Article 361(4) states that the parties may enter into a separate agreement on cooperation and coordination in competition matters. As such, the Agreement constitutes a supplementing agreement within the meaning of Article 2 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. (3) The Commission has recognised by means of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1772 ( 4 ) that the United Kingdom ensures an adequate level of protection of personal data transferred within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 5 ) from the Union to the United Kingdom. (4) The Agreement should be approved on behalf of the Union. (5) The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 6 ) and delivered an opinion on 15 July 2025, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws ( 7 ) is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption ( 8 ) . Done at Luxembourg, 9 October 2026. For the Council The President S. HARRIS ( 1 ) Consent of 16 September 2026 (not yet published in the Official Journal). ( 2 ) Council Decision (EU) 2025/2376 of 4 November 2025 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws ( OJ L, 2025/2376, 24.11.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2376/oj ). ( 3 ) Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part ( OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2021/689(1)/oj ). ( 4 ) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1772 of 28 June 2021 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the adequate protection of personal data by the United Kingdom ( OJ L 360, 11.10.2021, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/1772/oj ). ( 5 ) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) ( OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj ). ( 6 ) Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC ( OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj ). ( 7 ) The text of the Agreement is published in OJ L, 2026/2305, 19.10.2026, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2026/2305/oj . ( 8 ) The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/2304/oj ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)

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