Competition and 
Consumer Policies

THE SET OF MULTILATERALLY AGREED EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES AND RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF RESTRICTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES

PART I: PREFACE

The United Nations Conference on Restrictive Business Practices was convened by the General Assembly in its resolution 33/153 of 20 December 1978 under the auspices of UNCTAD. Pursuant to resolution 103 (V) of 30 May 1979 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Conference on Restrictive Business Practices met at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 19 November to 8 December 1979. At the conclusion of that period, the Conference requested a resumed session in order to complete its work. In accordance with General Assembly decision 34/447 of 19 December 1979, the Conference reconvened from 8 to 22 April 1980. In concluding its work, the United Nations Conference on Restrictive Business Practices adopted a resolution in which it approved the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices. and transmitted this Set of Principles and Rules to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth Session for adoption as a resolution.

Accordingly, the General Assembly, at its thirty-fifth session. in its resolution 35/63 of 5 December 1980, adopted the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices approved by the United Nations Conference on Restrictive Business Practices.

Since the adoption of the Set in 1980, four United Nations Conferences to Review All Aspects of the Set have taken place under the auspices of UNCTAD, in 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000 respectively. The Fourth Review Conference (25-29 September 2000) adopted a resolution (TD/RBP/CONF.5/15 of 4 October 2000) in which it, inter alia: