Informal guidance on the Landscape Enterprise Networks scheme
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued informal guidance to 3Keel on the Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) scheme which facilitates businesses collaborating to co-fund regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions.
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The CMA has provided informal guidance to 3Keel in relation to an environmental sustainability agreement. The informal guidance has been issued as part of the CMA’s ‘open-door’ policy, which is set out in the Green Agreements Guidance.
What this informal guidance is about
This informal guidance concerns the new processes designed to support the scaling up of the LENs scheme (the LENs 2.0 scheme).
In 2020, 3Keel launched LENs (in the form of pilots) to encourage more businesses to co-fund regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions that will enhance ecosystem services (meaning the benefits humans derive from nature).
Our informal guidance addresses the LENs 2.0 scheme framework (meaning the way the overall scheme is set up and operating), focusing on 3 particular issues from a competition law perspective:
- the eligibility criteria for joining the scheme
- the use of guide prices
- the risk of coordination arising out of 3Keel’s position as the operator of the LENs 2.0 scheme
We engaged with 3Keel throughout our process and based on the information provided by 3Keel, the CMA has advised that we would not expect to take enforcement action against the LENs 2.0 scheme framework, subject to a number of conditions set out in the informal guidance.
As explained in the informal guidance, given the fact specific nature of the joint purchasing and joint selling agreements that would take place under the LENs 2.0 scheme, the parties to such agreements should self-assess them on the basis of the CMA’s guidance on horizontal agreements. To support this self-assessment, we set out practical points on the risks of exchange of competitively sensitive information in the informal guidance.
Supporting beneficial collaboration and scalability
This informal guidance is an example of how the CMA supports pro-growth collaboration.
The CMA’s Strategy for 2026 to 2029 sets out our approach to promote effective competition which refers to the CMA’s action to enable legitimate, pro-growth collaboration, helping firms to scale and secure investment.
Find out more about collaborating with other businesses.
Why the CMA has published this informal guidance
The CMA has published this informal guidance to support similar initiatives by other businesses and industries so that they may proceed with greater confidence as to how to remain on the right side of competition law.
How to contact the CMA
Send any requests for informal guidance to: sustainabilityguidance@cma.gov.uk.