; and (2) to encourage disadvantaged firms to establish joint ventures and projects either among themselves or in cooperation with public or private sector organizations for the purpose of increasing the share of any market activity now being performed by disadvantaged business. (b) Joint programs permitted For purposes of subsection (a)(2): (1) The Assistant Secretary may, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and with the prior written approval of the Attorney General, approve any agreement between such disadvantaged firms or public or private sector organizations providing for a joint program for market development if the Assistant Secretary finds that the joint program proposed will maintain and strengthen the free enterprise system and the economy of the Nation. The Assistant Secretary or the Attorney General may at any time withdraw approval of the agreement and the joint program for market development covered thereby, if either finds that the agreement or the joint program carried on under it is no longer in the best interests of the competitive free enterprise system and the economy of the Nation. A copy of the statement of any such finding and approval intended to be within the coverage of this paragraph, and a copy of any modification or withdrawal of approval, shall be published in the Federal Register. The authority conferred by this on the Assistant Secretary shall not be delegated. (2) No act or omission to act, pursuant to and within the scope of any joint program for market development under an agreement approved by the Assistant Secretary under this subsection, shall be construed to be within the prohibitions of the antitrust laws or the Federal Trade Commission Act. Upon publication in the Federal Register of the notice of withdrawal of his approval of the agreement granted under this paragraph, either by the Assistant Secretary or by the Attorney General, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any subsequent act or omission