England and Wales · Competition Appeal Tribunal
When must a respondent file a defence to a CAT appeal?
File the ordinary appeal defence within six weeks after receiving the Registrar’s appeal copy. Send every other party its documents simultaneously. Merger-review and penalty-appeal substitutions have separate four-week periods.
- Period
- Six weeks
- Trigger
- Actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b)
- Rule
- Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1)-(8)
Reviewed against the retained current official sources. The proceeding uses the ordinary six-week appeal defence, not the four-week substituted merger-review or penalty-appeal period.
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When must a respondent file a defence to a CAT appeal?
File the ordinary appeal defence within six weeks after receiving the Registrar’s appeal copy. Send every other party its documents simultaneously. Merger-review and penalty-appeal substitutions have separate four-week periods.
Responsible actor. The respondent whose decision is under appeal.
Actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b)
The proceeding uses the ordinary six-week appeal defence, not the four-week substituted merger-review or penalty-appeal period.
The proceeding uses the ordinary six-week appeal defence, not the four-week substituted merger-review or penalty-appeal period. The actual receipt date of the Registrar’s copy is established; the appellant’s earlier filing date does not start this respondent clock. No further time allowed by the Tribunal changes the ordinary period.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1)-(8)How does this provision count time?
- Exclude the day of actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b). Count 42 calendar days under Rule 112(2), including intervening weekends and bank holidays.
- For file the defence and send its accompanying documents to every other party at the same time., Rule 112(5) carries a final weekend or bank holiday to the next nonclosed day. Completion ordinarily occurs before 5PM under Rule 112(1).
Exclude the day of actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b). Count 42 calendar days under Rule 112(2), including intervening weekends and bank holidays.
For file the defence and send its accompanying documents to every other party at the same time., Rule 112(5) carries a final weekend or bank holiday to the next nonclosed day. Completion ordinarily occurs before 5PM under Rule 112(1).
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1)-(8)What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Fictitious established ordinary branch. Actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b) is Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Fictitious established ordinary branch. Actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b) is Tuesday, October 13, 2026. CAT 112 excludes the actual starting day. Intervening weekends count. Carry the final required-act weekend or bank holiday under 112(5). | Tuesday, November 24, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Fictitious boundary or material scenario. CAT 112 excludes the actual starting day. Intervening weekends count. Carry the final required-act weekend or bank holiday under 112(5). CAT 112 excludes the actual starting day. Intervening weekends count. Carry the final required-act weekend or bank holiday under 112(5). | Tuesday, December 29, 2026 |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | Fictitious boundary or material scenario. This is a Rule 26 merger-review respondent, not the ordinary six-week appeal respondent. This is a Rule 26 merger-review respondent, not the ordinary six-week appeal respondent. | This is a Rule 26 merger-review respondent, not the ordinary six-week appeal respondent. |
Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, effective service, relief or a direction.
Try these dates in the calculatorWhich conditions and exceptions apply?
- Applicable procedure
- The proceeding uses the ordinary six-week appeal defence, not the four-week substituted merger-review or penalty-appeal period.
- Actual triggering facts
- The actual receipt date of the Registrar’s copy is established; the appellant’s earlier filing date does not start this respondent clock.
- Material qualification
- No further time allowed by the Tribunal changes the ordinary period.
- Counting and completion
- Exclude the day of actual receipt of the copy of the appeal notice sent by the Registrar under Rule 14(1)(b). Count 42 calendar days under Rule 112(2), including intervening weekends and bank holidays. For file the defence and send its accompanying documents to every other party at the same time., Rule 112(5) carries a final weekend or bank holiday to the next nonclosed day. Completion ordinarily occurs before 5PM under Rule 112(1).
- The proceeding uses the ordinary six-week appeal defence, not the four-week substituted merger-review or penalty-appeal period. The actual receipt date of the Registrar’s copy is established; the appellant’s earlier filing date does not start this respondent clock. No further time allowed by the Tribunal changes the ordinary period.
- The actual receipt date of the Registrar’s copy is established; the appellant’s earlier filing date does not start this respondent clock.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
When must a respondent file a defence to a CAT appeal?
Does the appellant’s filing date start my defence period?
No. Rule 15(1) starts the period when the respondent receives the Registrar’s copy under Rule 14(1)(b).
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1);14(1)(b)Is six weeks the same as six working weeks?
No. Weekends are counted. Rule 112(3) reaches the same weekday six weeks later, subject to the final-day rule.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 112(2)-(5)Can the Tribunal allow more time for the defence?
Yes. Rule 15(1) expressly permits further time. Establish the actual order before using the ordinary six-week result.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1)Which proceedings have a four-week defence instead?
A section 120 merger review and a section 114 penalty appeal substitute four weeks. An ordinary appeal remains six weeks.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 26(2);28(2)What information belongs in the defence?
Include respondent and representative details, a United Kingdom service address, factual and legal arguments, evidence objections, relief, directions and annex schedule.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(2)-(5)Must I send the defence to other parties when I file?
Yes. Rule 15(8) requires sending a copy and accompanying documents to every other party at the same time as filing.
Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(8)Official sources and review
Provisions used (9)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1)-(8) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 112(1)-(5) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 111 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1);14(1)(b) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 112(2)-(5) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(1) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 26(2);28(2) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(2)-(5) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules 2015, rule 15(8) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |