The Antitrust Bodies consist of three institutions that were established pursuant to the Restrictive Trade Practices Law: the Antitrust Tribunal located in Jerusalem, the General Director who heads the Israel Antitrust Authority, and the Exemptions and Mergers Advisory Committee.

The Antitrust Bodies are active with regard to three areas: monopolies, restrictive arrangements and mergers.  The legislature arranged the relationship between these three areas and the entities composing the Antitrust Bodies, and established different functions, along with different coordinating powers, for each of them.  These powers are intended to provide the Antitrust Bodies with appropriate abilities to deal with various antitrust phenomena – phenomena that can threaten and restrict free competition.

The Exemptions and Mergers Advisory Committee is active in two of the areas dealt with by the Antitrust Bodies – the regulation of restrictive arrangements and of merger transactions.  The other two entities – the Antitrust Tribunal and the General Director – are also involved with the issue of monopolies.  The division of powers between the Tribunal and the General Director is defined and delineated in the Restrictive Trade Practices Law.

Aside from these three institutions, the legislature has also granted private enforcement powers in the area of antitrust law to those who are injured by violations of the Law, and to consumers’ organizations and business organizations.  This element of private enforcement through individual and class actions is crucial for ensuring the absorption of the principles of competition within the economy.