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

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/2376 24.11.2025 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 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(5) and Article 218(8), second subparagraph, thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 8 June 2023, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’) for a supplementing agreement within the meaning of Article 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(1), of 30 December 2020 (‘the Trade and Cooperation Agreement’), regarding cooperation in competition matters.

(2) The Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the Union, an Agreement between the Union and the United Kingdom regarding cooperation on the application of their respective competition laws (the ‘Agreement’). The negotiations have been completed at the technical level.

(3) 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 the other part, with a view to enhancing the effective enforcement of the competition laws of the Union and 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, 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.

(4) The Commission has recognised by means of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1772(2) 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(3) from the Union to the United Kingdom.

(5) Therefore, the Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

(6) 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(4) and delivered an opinion on 15 July 2025(5),

(1) 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).

(2) 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).

(3) 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).

(4) 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).

(5) https://www.edps.europa.eu/data-protection/our-work/publications/opinions/2025-07-15-opinion-132025-proposals-council-deci- sions-signing-and-conclusion-agreement-between-european-union-and-united-kingdom-great-britain-and_en.

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2376/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 24.11.2025

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The signing 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 is hereby authorised on behalf of the Union, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement(6).

Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 4 November 2025.

For the Council The President L. AAGAARD

(6) The text of the Agreement will be published together with the Decision on its conclusion.

2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2376/oj