Approaching CCS for Guidance or Decision

CCS's position is that it will only examine agreements which have been concluded (notwithstanding that some may not have yet come into effect) as it will have to assess the agreement in its entirety and the surrounding circumstances in coming to a decision.

CCS has published a list of self-assessment criteria on its website to help you assess if your agreement infringes the Act. You can also refer to the CCS Guidelines on the Section 34 Prohibition 2016 and the CCS Guidelines on the Section 47 Prohibition 2016 for more information.
If you are still in doubt, you may wish to seek independent legal advice.

Alternatively, you may apply for a notification for guidance or decision to seek CCS's view on whether the agreement is likely to infringe or infringes the Act. You will have to provide CCS with the relevant information required for CCS to properly assess your agreement. You will also be required to pay a fee according to the table below. The initial fee is always required, and the further fee may be charged depending on the complexity of the case. 

If you apply for guidance or decision as to whether the same agreement, practice or conduct infringes either the section 34 prohibition or the section 47 prohibition, you may use a single form for the application.


Please refer to the CCS Guidelines on Filing Notifications for Guidance or Decision with respect to the Section 34 Prohibition and Section 47 Prohibition 2016 for more information.

CCS will be able to give a written view as to whether your agreement or conduct is likely to infringe the Act (in the case of guidance) or whether it does infringe the Act (in the case of a decision).

An undertaking which notifies an agreement is immune from financial penalties for infringements of the section 34 prohibition arising from that agreement during the period when CCS is considering the matter. If CCS finds an infringement, the undertaking will be given a short period to comply with the Act. This immunity from possible financial penalties does not apply to notifications in respect of conduct which may constitute an abuse of a dominant position.

Needless to say, there are no financial penalties if agreements or conduct are found not to have infringed the Act, or if they are found to be excluded or exempted from the Act.

In the case of guidance, CCS may indicate whether the agreement or conduct is likely to infringe the section 34 and/or 47 prohibition and for agreements, whether they are exempted under a block exemption. In the case of decision, CCS will indicate whether the agreement or conduct infringes the section 34 or 47 prohibition and if the law has not been infringed, whether this is because of an exclusion or exemption (for agreements).

If CCS gives favourable guidance or makes a favourable decision, there are only limited circumstances under which the matter can be reopened. There are fewer instances under which CCS is allowed to take action after a favourable decision has been made, compared to favourable guidance. 

In the case of guidance, once CCS has issued a guidance that infringement is unlikely, it will take no further action unless:

• it has reasonable grounds for believing that there has been a material change of circumstance since it gave its guidance; 

• it has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the information on which it based its guidance was incomplete, false or misleading in a material particular; 

• a complaint about the agreement or conduct has been made to CCS (in the case of agreements, the complaint is to come from someone who is not a party to the agreement); or 

• (in the case of agreements) one of the parties to the agreement applies to CCS for a decision in respect of the agreement, under section 44 of the Act.

In the case of decisions, once CCS has issued a decision that there is no infringement, CCS will take no further action in respect of the notified agreement or conduct, unless:

• CCS has reasonable grounds for believing that there has been a material change of circumstance since it gave its decision; or 

• CCS has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the information on which it based its decision was incomplete, false or misleading in a material particular.

However, applications for decision are not afforded the same level of confidentiality as that which may be given to applications for guidance. In particular, once an application for decision is made, a summary of the application's details (provided by the applicant) will be entered into a public register. 

Finally, the filing fee is higher for decisions than guidance (see below), reflecting the greater amount of effort required to determine the outcome.

The fees for decision and guidance are in the table below:

If you apply for decision or guidance as to whether the same agreement, practice or conduct infringes either the section 34 prohibition or the section 47 prohibition, you may use a single form for the application.

Applications for guidance or decision are made by submitting Form 1 to CCS, together with the initial fee. Where requested by CCS, the applicant must also submit Form 2. In cases where Form 2 is submitted, CCS may, within 2 months of receiving Form 2, specify a time frame within which the applicant is to pay CCS a further fee. This further fee will be levied in cases where CCS is of the opinion that the case is a complex one requiring significant analysis. The applicant may choose not to pay the further fee, in which case CCS may then determine the application by not giving guidance or a decision. 

There will be no refund of the fees paid if the information required by CCS is not received by the prescribed deadline, but CCS will be amenable to reasonable requests for extensions of time.

You will be required to submit Form 1 to CCS, together with the prescribed fee. CCS may also request for you to submit Form 2 if it is needed for determining the application. Applicants are free to submit Form 2 on their own accord, together with Form 1, as this will speed up the process in cases where it can be foreseen that Form 2 will eventually be required. 

Applicants will be notified of whether they are required to pay the further fee within 2 months of CCS's receipt of Form 2. If applicants do not pay the further fee, CCS may determine the application by not giving guidance or a decision. 

Applicants should refer to the guideline on notifications for guidance or decision as well as the Competition Regulations, where more details on how to fill out Form 1 or Form 2 are available. Three hard copies of the completed form(s) and accompanying documents, as well as a soft copy of the form(s) in Microsoft Word format (preferably saved into a CD-Rom) must be submitted to CCS at the following address:

Application for Guidance/Decision
Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore
45 Maxwell Road, #09-01
The URA Centre
Singapore 069118

The applicant is required to take all reasonable steps to notify all other parties to the agreement or conduct about the application. This notification can be given before the notification is filed with CCS, and must, at the very latest, be given within 7 working days from the date of filing of the notification.

Yes, a lawyer may file the application on your behalf, and many firms find it useful, and more efficient to employ a specialist. However, the application should include a letter of authorisation signed by you (the applicant). The declaration in Form 1 and Form 2 (where provided) must be signed by the applicant(s) and the joint representative where one has been appointed.