COMPETITION COMMISSION

an independent organization set up by the British government to replace the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1999. Its job is to prevent unfair trading when single companies have so great a share of the supply of particular goods or services in Britain that there is little or no competition. The Commission investigates cases in which one company takes over another or when two companies join together, when asked to do so by another organization, usually the Office of Fair Trading . It then takes any action it considers necessary.