Anti-Competitive Policy

The aims of the Australasian Plastics and Rubber Institute Incorporated (APRI Inc.) are to promote development, for public benefit, of the Institute as a professional body, and to enhance polymer education and training. The Institute comprises members concerned with science and technology of polymers in academic, research, commercial and administrative capacities. That membership may include product consumers, suppliers and distributors.

To achieve the Institute’s aims, we legitimately, intentionally and regularly assemble, to conduct activities with or on behalf of our members. It is during such meetings or assemblies, regardless of their purpose, that we undertake to interact in a manner avoiding any violation of international and domestic anti-competition (also known as anti-trust) laws. Likewise we will not interact in a manner that could be construed to violate such laws.

Actions and discussions that could be deemed to violate anti-trust laws include:

  • Colluding to fix prices.
  • Discussion of commercial matters best left to private negotiation between buyers and sellers, or any matters that are commercially sensitive, including intellectual property.
  • Discussing or debating prices or anything that may affect prices, including costs, margins, terms of sale, price changes, policies, discounts, credit terms and facilities/limits, production targets, market allocations or divisions, etc.
  • Conspiring to do anything that may limit production or supply of any product into the market.
  • Monopolisation of any part of trade or commerce.
  • Discuss, debate, agree or conspire to exclude or refuse to deal with competitors, or likewise any standard, code, ethic or behaviour that inhibits or restricts competition.
  • Disclosing information of a competitively sensitive nature.
  • Any other activity or discussion prohibited by anti-trust law, or which may result in restraint of trade.

Each member is expected to:

  • Remove themself from a discussion or event that may contravene, or be seen to contravene Anti-Trust Law, and to state to the meeting why they are removing themselves.
  • Report to a Council member, any concerns about activities or discussions observed or participated in at any APRI event, that may contravene or be seen to contravene Anti-Trust Law.
    If a member is found to have violated APRI Anti-Trust policy:

That member may be subject to expulsion from the APRI, or other disciplinary action, in accordance APRI’s regulations.

  • The APRI will minute the violation and outcome for perpetual record.
  • The APRI will notify the violation and outcome to its membership, and any other party who may not be a member, that it deems to be affected by that violation.