本平台将致力于为您提供与您在澳洲的投资项目相关的法律信息与服务、同时也会将与中国企业及个人投资者热切关注的产业相关澳洲新闻、最新行业规定等讯息及时传递给您。
反垄断和竞争法规
2010年竞争和消费者法（ACCA），前身为 1974年贸易行为法（联邦），是澳大利亚最常见的诉讼立法之一，受澳大利亚竞争和消费者委员会（ACCC）管理，ACCC旨在确保遵守ACCA的竞争、公平交易和消费者保护法。
关于竞争或反垄断问题，ACCA禁止的各种反竞争行为包括：
卡特尔（共谋）行为
联合抵制
价格限定
转售价格控制
独家交易
滥用市场力量
在澳大利亚的某一市场严重削弱商品和服务的竞争的其他安排（包括兼并、收购和并购）
违反ACCA时，每次违约将导致针对公司不超过1000万澳元和针对个人不超过50万澳元的罚款，以及禁令、资产剥离命令、以及民事诉讼赔偿。特别需要提到的是，卡特尔行为（两个竞争者之间商定价格、限制其供给或固定投标的安排）是一种非常严重的罪行，一经发现，将可能面临刑事起诉和处罚，包括监禁（以及高额的经济处罚）。
然而，如果是基于公共利益，上面的某些行为在提出申请后可能被ACCC批准。
消费者保护
ACCA通过澳大利亚消费者保护法（ACL）对消费品的成分、设计和标签进行管控。类似的州规定适用于个人。另外还详细规定了最低安全和信息的需求，使消费者可以做出明智的购买。官方会进行抽样检查，以确定合规性。调查也可以由消费者或竞争对手的投诉引发。
不合规行为可能导致罚款，且不符合规定的商品可能会被拒绝进入澳大利亚。消费者也可以提起个人法律诉讼。
误导性或欺骗性的行为以及不合情理的行为
ACL第18条（前身为TPA第52条）禁止一个公司进行误导性或欺骗性的行为，或可能存在误导或欺骗的行为。州公平交易法中存在适用于独家经营和其他类型的企业结构的相应禁令。
不要求有意误导或欺骗
普通法中对于假冒侵权的规定，也保护企业的商誉及声誉不被非法窃取，并防止竞争者损害或不当利用该商誉和声誉。
原产国标签
未能正确地指出其原产地或原产国的产品可能因误导性和欺骗性的行为导致责任。原产国的描述是任何陈述、声称或暗示该商品的来源国家的标签、包装、标志或广告，例如“日本制造”或“法国产品”。
澳大利亚标准
澳大利亚标准要求某些商品符合特定的性能特性、成分、生产方法或工序、制作、包装规则或可能规定需要向消费者披露的信息类型，但经常是自愿性质的且不具有约束力，除非是被法律采纳的标准。
不遵守法律采纳的标准即属违法。然而不遵守自愿的或强制性的标准可能是疏忽的证据，表明该产品存在缺陷或不适合其用途。
危险和不安全产品
含有被认为可能对人或环境有害的成分的产品受监管控制。强制性安全标准适用于被认为很可能特别危险的产品。ACCC实行强制性产品安全并禁止不安全商品。
贸易计量
在澳大利亚，各种物品的进口受TPA的管制，其部长有权宣布某些商品是不安全的，或对其施加某些规定。此外，国家立法中含有针对包装食品的特定标识规范。
广告宣传
关于产品的某些类型的虚假、误导性的或欺骗性的宣传（包括广告）是被ACL明确禁止的。企业在其广告中不得虚假宣传商品或服务的质量、款式、型号或历史、该商品是否全新、性能特性、商品和服务的优点和用途、修复设备或配件的有效性、原产地、购买者对商品或服务的需要以及商品或服务的任何免责条款。
关于价格的陈述是由ACCA和ACCC监管的。当一个企业存在以下行为时，该企业可能被裁定为违反ACCA：
进行虚假的或具误导性的价格对比
虚假地将广告价格表述为商品或服务的总价
在知道或应该知道在一个合理的时间内商品或服务的供应量不足的情况下以一个特定的价格宣传其商品或服务
广告标准局（ASB）通过ASB和广告赔偿委员会实施一个广告自律的国家制度。 ASB处理关于语言使用、对人的不公正描述、暴力、色情、裸露、健康和安全、儿童福利以及向儿童推销食品和饮料的投诉。
法定保证
法定保证适用于TPA和州公平贸易法中所规定的某些商品和服务。这些隐性保证不能被零售商或供应商外包、或拒绝、更改或限制。此类保证包括：
无可争议的商品所有权
服务基于应有的谨慎和技能提供
商品和服务符合其用途并具有适宜销售的品质。
零售商和供应商还可以提供额外的明确保证，例如：
退款保证
商店退货政策
商店退换政策
法定保证责任的排除
违反法定保证的责任不能被豁免，且只限于ACL所允许的程度之内。根据ACL的规定，意图排除法定保证的行为可能构成误导或欺诈行为，并导致民事和刑事处罚。
产品责任
当存在缺陷的产品导致了人身伤害或财产损失时，除了疏忽、违反合同或担保，ACCA提供了另一种索偿手段，并允许受影响的人向生产商或进口商索赔。
根据ACCA，如果商品没有达到消费者一般有权期望的安全程度，该商品即有缺陷的。可以追偿的损失（自导致损失的日期或知悉制造商身份的日期起，不超过3年）包括：当一个产品导致受伤或死亡时，相关人士遭受的随之而来的损失，以及对商品或土地的损害。
然而，如果可以证明该缺陷是提供该产品之后产生的，由强制性标准导致的或生产时的科学或技术状态无法发现的，制造商可以进行辩护。如果该产品是一个成品的组成部分，还可以进一步进行辩护。
____________________________
【专业干货——助您成功投资澳洲业务】
以下是我们会在最近即将为您带来的专题信息：
· 常见领域法律与规定：反垄断和消费者保护法、合同法、公开接管、电子商务、商业移民和雇主担保签证、房地产、环境法、气候变化相关规定
欲查阅之前我们发布的如下【在澳经商基本法律法规】主题系列以及与您生意相关的其他资讯，请进入订阅号点击右上角按钮，选择“查看历史消息”：
· 在澳大利亚注册公司
· 澳大利亚的公司管理规则
· 澳大利亚公司的劳资关系
· 澳大利亚的外商投资基本规则
· 澳大利亚税收政策
· 澳大利亚政府概况
· 澳大利亚法律制度概况
· 澳大利亚企业结构概况
· 技术与知识产权保护
（原创文章，欢迎转发，谢谢关注！未经授权，严禁转载！）
Anti-Trust and Consumer Law
【Laws and Regulations in Common Area II】
Anti-Trust & Competition Regulation
The Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (ACCA), previously known as the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), is one of the most litigated pieces of legislation in Australia and is regulated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) which has the aim of ensuring that the ACCA’s competition, fair trading and consumer protection laws are complied with.
With respect to competition or anti-trust issues, the ACCA prohibits a range of anti-competitive behaviour including:
cartel (collusive) conduct
boycotts
price fixing
resale price maintenance
exclusive dealing
abuse of market power
other arrangements (including mergers, takeovers and acquisitions) that have the purpose or effect of substantially lessening competition in a market for goods and services in Australia.
Contraventions of the ACCA can lead to fines of up to $10 million for companies and $500,000 for individuals per breach, as well as in junctions, divestiture orders, and damages under civil action. In particular,cartel conduct (arrangements between two competitors fixing prices, restricting their supplies or fixing a bid) is a very serious offence, with those who are found to be in breach at risk of facing criminal prosecution and penalties including imprisonment (and substantial financial penalties).
However, some of the conduct above may be approved, on application, by the ACCC on the grounds of public benefit.
Consumer Protection
The ACCA imposes controls on the composition, design and labelling of consumer products, by means of a schedule to the ACCA known as the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Similar state provisions apply to individuals.They also detail minimum safety and information requirements to enable consumers to make informed purchases. Authorities conduct random inspections to determine compliance. Investigations may also be initiated by a consumer orcompetitor complaint.
Failure to comply can result in penalties, and non-compliant goods may be refused entry into Australia. Consumers can also take private legal action.
Misleading or Deceptive Conduct and Unconscionable Conduct
Section 18 of the ACL (former Section 52 of the TPA) prohibits a corporation from engaging in conduct that is misleading ordeceptive, or is likely to mislead or deceive. There is a corresponding prohibition in State Fair Trading legislation that applies to sole business operations and other types of business structures.
Intention to misleador deceive is not required
The common law, under the tort of passing off, also protects the goodwill and reputation of a business from wrongful appropriation and is directed at preventing competitors from damaging or wrongfully attempting to take advantage of that goodwill and reputation.
Country of originlabelling
A product which has labelling which incorrectly states that it has been made in a particular place or country may give rise to liability for misleading and deceptive conduct. A country of origin representation is any labelling, packaging, logo or advertising that makes a statement, claim or implication about which country goods come from, such as ‘Made in Japan’ or‘Product of France’.
Australian Standards
Whilst often voluntary and not binding, unless adopted by legislation, Australian Standards impose requirements on certain goods to comply with specific performance characteristics, composition, methods of manufacture or process, construction, packaging rules or may dictate the type of information required to be distributed to consumers.
Failure to comply with a standard adopted by legislation isan offence. However failure to observe a voluntary or mandatory standard may beevidence of negligence, indicating that the product is defective or not fit forits purpose.
Hazardous and unsafegoods
Products containing ingredients which are deemed to have the potential to harm people or the environment are subject to regulatory control. Mandatory safety standards are declared for products that are likely to beespecially hazardous. The ACCC enforces mandatory product safety and bans of unsafe goods.
Trade measurement
Importation of various items is regulated in Australia under the TPA where the Minister has power to declare certain goods to be unsafe orto apply certain regulations to them. Further, state legislation imposes particular labelling specifications for packaged foods.
Advertising claims
Certain types of false, misleading or deceptive claims regarding products (including in an advertisement) are specifically prohibitedby the ACL. Businesses, in their advertisements, must not make false claims asto the quality, style, model or history of goods or services, whether the goodsare new, performance characteristics, benefits and uses of goods and services,availability of repair facilities or spare parts, place of origin goods,buyer’s need for the goods or services and any exclusions on the goods orservices.
Representations as to price are regulated by the ACCA and the ACCC. A business may be held to be in breach of the ACCA where it:
makes false or misleading price comparisons
falsely represents an advertised price as the total price ofthe goods or services
advertises goods or services at a specific price when itknows, or should have known that there are insufficient goods or services available for a reasonable period of time.
The Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) administers anational system of advertising self-regulation through the ASB and the Advertising Claims Board. The ASB determines complaints regarding the use of language, discriminatory portrayal of people, violence, sex, nudity, health andsafety, children’s welfare and marketing food and beverages to children.
Statutory warranties
Statutory warranties apply to certain goods and services asset out in the TPA and State Fair Trading laws. These implied warranties cannotbe contracted out of, or refused, changed or limited by a retailer or supplier. Warranties include:
undisputed ownership of goods
services carried out with due care and skill
goods and services being fit for their purpose and of merchantable quality.
Retailers and suppliers may also offer additional express warranties such as:
money-back guarantee
store refund policy
store exchange policy
exclusions of liability for statutory warranties.
Liability for breach of statutory warranties cannot beexcluded and may only be limited to the extent permitted under the ACL.Provisions purporting to exclude statutory warranties may constitute misleading and deceptive conduct under the ACL which attracts both civil and criminal penalties.
Product Liability
Aside from negligence, breach of contract or warranty, the ACCA provides another means of recourse when a defective product causes injuryor property damage and allows the affected person to claim compensation fromthe manufacturer or importer.
Under the ACCA, goods are defective if they do not have the degree of safety that a consumer is generally entitled to expect. Losses thatare recoverable (for a period of up to 3 years from the date of the loss or of becoming aware of the identity of the manufacturer) include: when a product causes injury or death to a person; consequent loss suffered by a related person; and for damage to goods or land.
A manufacturer can, however, defend liability if it can be shown that the defect occurred after the supply of the product, was caused by mandatory standards or was not discovered due to the state of scientific or technical knowledge at the time of manufacture. Further defences exist if the product was a component part in a finished good.
____________________________
【We provideexcellent, expert advice to businesses wishing to invest in Australia.】
The coming topicsinclude:
· Laws and regulations in common areas, includinganti-trust and consumer law, contract law, business migration, real property,public takeovers, and electronic commerce etc.
To view ourprevious news releases for Chinese investors and the following articles of thetopic ‘Basic legal knowledge on doing business in Australia’, please click theupper-right button on our WeChat platform, and choose ‘view previousinformation’:
· Setting up in Australia
· Company Administration
· Workplace Relations
· Foreign Investment
· Tax
· Australian Government
· Australian Legal System
· Australian Business Structures
· Protection of Technology and IntellectualProperty
