The Consumer Protection (Enforcement) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2020
2020 No. 484
Consumer Protection
Enforcement
The Consumer Protection (Enforcement) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2020
Made 30th April 2020
Laid before Parliament 5th May 2020
Coming into force 2nd June 2020
The Secretary of State has been designated1for the purposes of making regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722in relation to measures relating to consumer protection.
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 210(9) and 212(3) of the Enterprise Act 20023and section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, makes the following Regulations:
PART 1
Introduction
Citation and commencement
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Consumer Protection (Enforcement) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2020.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 2nd June 2020.
PART 2
Amendment of primary legislation
Amendment of the Enterprise Act 2002
2.—(1) The Enterprise Act 2002 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 213 (enforcers), in subsection (5A)—
(a)
(a) in the words before paragraph (a), for “Article 4(1) or 4(2)” substitute “Article 5(1)”;
(b)
(b) at the end of paragraph (j), for the full stop substitute a semi-colon;
(c)
(c) after paragraph (j) insert—
“(k)
“(k) the Department for Infrastructure;
(l)
(l) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency;
(m)
(m) the Office of Rail and Road;
(n)
(n) the Office for the Traffic Commissioner.”
(3) For the italic heading before section 214 substitute “Enforcement orders and interim enforcement orders”.
(4) After section 218 insert the italic heading “Online interface orders and interim online interface orders”.
(5) After the italic heading inserted by paragraph (4) insert—
“Applications
The CMA may apply for an online interface order or an interim online interface order if the CMA thinks that there has been or is likely to be a Community infringement.
An online interface order or an interim online interface order may be sought against the person the CMA thinks has engaged, is engaging or is likely to engage in conduct which constitutes the Community infringement or against another person.
The following courts have jurisdiction to make an online interface order or an interim online interface order—
(a)
(a) the High Court or the county court if the person against whom the order is sought carries on business or has a place of business in England and Wales;
(b)
(b) the High Court or a county court if the person against whom the order is sought carries on business or has a place of business in Northern Ireland;
(c)
(c) the Court of Session or the sheriff if the person against whom the order is sought carries on business or has a place of business in Scotland.
Online interface orders
The court may make an online interface order on an application under section 218ZA if it finds that—
(a)
(a) there has been or is likely to be a Community infringement,
(b)
(b) there are no other available means of bringing about the cessation or prohibition of the infringement which, by themselves, would be wholly effective, and
(c)
(c) it is necessary to make the order to avoid the risk of serious harm to the collective interests of consumers.
An online interface order must direct the person against whom it is made to do, or to co-operate with another person so that other person may do, one or more of the following—
(a)
(a) remove content from or modify content on an online interface;
(b)
(b) disable or restrict access to an online interface;
(c)
(c) display a warning to consumers accessing an online interface;
(d)
(d) delete a fully qualified domain name and take any steps necessary to facilitate the registration of that domain name by the CMA.
Where an online interface order is made, the CMA may publish in such form and manner as it thinks appropriate for the purpose of eliminating any continuing effects of the Community infringement to which the order relates—
(a)
(a) the online interface order, and
(b)
(b) where known, the identity of the person who has engaged, is engaging or is likely to engage in conduct which constitutes the infringement.
An online interface order made by a court in one part of the United Kingdom has effect in any other part of the United Kingdom as if made by a court in that part.
Interim online interface orders
The court may make an interim online interface order on an application under section 218ZA if it appears to the court—
(a)
(a) that it is alleged that there has been or is likely to be a Community infringement,
(b)
(b) that if the application had been an application for an online interface order it would be likely to be granted,
(c)
(c) that it is expedient to bring about the cessation or prohibition of the Community infringement immediately, and
(d)
(d) if no notice of the application has been given to the person against whom the order is sought that it is appropriate to make an interim online interface order without notice.
An interim online interface order must direct the person against whom it is made to do, or to co-operate with another person so that person may do, one or more of the following—
(a)
(a) remove content from or modify content on an online interface;
(b)
(b) disable or restrict access to an online interface;
(c)
(c) display a warning to consumers accessing an online interface;
(d)
(d) delete a fully qualified domain name and take any steps necessary to facilitate the registration of that domain name by the CMA.
An application for an interim online interface order against a person may be made at any time before an application for an online interface order against the person in respect of the same infringement is determined.
An application for an interim online interface order must refer to all matters—
(a)
(a) which are known to the CMA, and
(b)
(b) which are material to the question whether or not the application is granted.
If an application for an interim online interface order is made without notice the application must state why no notice has been given.
The court may vary or discharge an interim online interface order on the application of—
(a)
(a) the CMA;
(b)
(b) the person against whom it is made.
An interim online interface order against a person is discharged on the determination of an application for an online interface order made against the person in respect of the same infringement.
An interim online interface order made by a court in one part of the United Kingdom has effect in any other part of the United Kingdom as if made by a court in that part.
Online interface orders: supplementary
In sections 218ZA to 218ZC, “online interface” means any software, including a website, part of a website or an application, that is operated by or on behalf of a trader, and which serves to give consumers access to the trader’s goods and services.
In subsection (1), “trader” means a person acting for purposes relating to that person’s trade, business, craft or profession, whether acting personally or through another person acting in the trader’s name or on the trader’s behalf.
Nothing in sections 218ZA to 218ZC limits the operation of any provisions of this Part relating to—
(a)
(a) enforcement orders,
(b)
(b) interim enforcement orders, or
(c)
(c) undertakings,
in respect of Community infringements.”
(6) Before section 218A insert the italic heading “Enforcement procedure: supplementary”.
(7) In section 218A (unfair commercial practices: substantiation of claims)—
(a)
(a) in subsection (1), for “an enforcement order or for an interim enforcement order” substitute “an enforcement order, an interim enforcement order, an online interface order or an interim online interface order”;
(b)
(b) in subsection (2), for “the person named in the application” substitute “the relevant person”.
(c)
(c) after subsection (2) insert—
“2A. In subsection (2), “the relevant person”, in relation to an application, means—
(a) where the application is for an enforcement order or an interim enforcement order, the person named in the application under section 215(1);
(b) where the application is for an online interface order or an interim online interface order, the person alleged by the CMA to have engaged, be engaging or be likely to engage in conduct which constitutes the Community infringement, provided that person is either the person against whom the order is sought or otherwise a party to the proceedings.”
(8) In section 219 (undertakings), in subsection (1), for “under section 215” substitute “for an enforcement order or an interim enforcement order under section 215 or for an online interface order or an interim online interface order under section 218ZA”.
(9) In section 219A (definition of enhanced consumer measures), in subsection (2)—
(a)
(a) for paragraph (a) substitute—
“(a)
“(a) measures offering compensation or other redress to consumers—
who have suffered loss as a result of the conduct which has given rise to the enforcement order or undertaking, or
where that conduct constitutes a Community infringement, who have been affected in any other way by that conduct.”;
(b)
(b) for paragraph (b) substitute—
“(b)
“(b) where the conduct which has given rise to the enforcement order or undertaking relates to a contract, measures offering consumers falling within paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) the option to terminate (but not vary) that contract,”;
(c)
(c) in paragraph (c), for “such consumers” substitute “consumers falling within paragraph (a)(i) or (ii)”.
(10) In section 219B (inclusion of enhanced consumer measures etc.)—
(a)
(a) in subsection (4), for “An” substitute “Where the conduct which has given rise to an enforcement order or undertaking constitutes a domestic infringement and not a Community infringement, the”;
(b)
(b) after subsection (4) insert—
“4A. Where the conduct which has given rise to an enforcement order or...
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