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F EDERAL C OMPETITION A UTHORITY Austria Birgit Schwabl-Drobir. Session 4. Promotion of Competition . Independent Market Players. F EDERAL C OMPETITION A UTHORITY Promotion of Competition (1). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Session 4.Promotion of Competition.
Independent Market Players.
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Austria
Birgit Schwabl-Drobir
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 2 / 11
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Promotion of Competition (1)
• Rise transparency to foster competition:
Input of the Federal Competiton Authority:
- Periodical newsletter regarding the developments in the fuel market
- Various investigations on specific topics in that market:
intrastate price differentials; the formation of prices; market entries; consequences of weekdays, public holidays and vacations on the fuel prices; effect of recommended prices on prices in reality; development
of margins at fuel stations (differentiated between highway and non-highway stations); etc.
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 3 / 11
• Rise transparency to foster competition:
Input of the Ministry of Economics:
- Regulation concerning the time of fuel price increases:price increases are only allowed once a day at 12 p.m., decreases are always permitted
- Electronic calculator of cheapest fuel prices nearby available in the Net:
price increases have to be reported immediately, price decreases within 30 minutes by every operator of a gas station
(implemented in August 2011)
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Promotion of Competition (2)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 4 / 11
• Screenshot of the calculator:
insert locationselect type
of fuel
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Promotion of Competition (3)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 5 / 11
• Screenshot of the calculator:
prices of the 5 cheapest stations
distance (air line)
10 nearest gas stations
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Promotion of Competition (4)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 6 / 11
• In Austria, fuel prices are below the European average:
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Prospects for Independent Players (1)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 7 / 11
• In Austria, fuel prices are below the European average:
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Prospects for Independent Players (2)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 8 / 11
• The number of gas stations is decreasing:
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Prospects for Independent Players (3)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 9 / 11
• Nevertheless, there are prospects for independent players:
An example from Austria:
- As of 2009 a market entrant opens up gas station machines on parking areas of a discount store, no service but low prices
- Incumbents nearby undercut prices to push the newcomer out of the market
- With requests for information the Competition Authority controlled for a consistent proceeding with antitrust law
- By now the newcomer is active in the market and responsible for a lower fuel price level in the provinces in question
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Prospects for Independent Players (4)
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 10 / 11
• Periodical monitoring (via newsletter) and case-related monitoring(via investigations) mainly by means of:
- Daily fuel prices from ~ 1.800 (~ 66%) gas stations provided by thedrivers association
- Price data of all 2.700 gas stations located in Austria as a result of the electronic calculator (time series from August 2011 onwards)
New possibilities for analysis due to these data!
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY
Monitoring Independent Market Participants.
Austrian Federal Competition Authority p. 11 / 11
Thank you for your attention!
Birgit Schwabl-DrobirAustrian Federal Competition AuthorityPraterstraße 311020 ViennaAustria
[email protected] +43 1 24508 315
FEDERAL COMPETITION AUTHORITY