GAFAM tax: the hidden truth

The GAFAM, an acronym for US tech giants Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft, are constantly – and wrongly – accused of not paying …

The Digital Markets Act: Precaution over Innovation

On 15 December 2020, the EU Commission released a proposal for a Regulation on Contestable and Fair Markets in the Digital Sector – referred …

The EP “Platform-to-business relations” amendments will not make digital markets fairer

On the 26th April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for regulating the relationships between online platforms and their business consumers. The initiative …

Paranoid Android. Everything the Commission got wrong in its war on Google

The Commission’s decision to fine Google for unfair practice was based on a misunderstanding of the Android ecosystem and a mistaken definition of the …

Why the EU’s digital turnover tax is a bad idea

The European Commission has proposed a tax on revenues raised from certain digital activities. However, this is essentially a political gesture with only weak …

The trouble with the EU’s digital tax

It’s time to establish a modern, fair and efficient taxation standard for the digital economy – or at least, that’s how the EU have …

Vestager vs Google

The European Commission decision in the Google Android case illustrates the difference in approach to antitrust issues between the US and EU.  It also …

No platform? On the economics of P2B exchange

The picture that emerges from the EC surveys of consumers and business regarding platforms is not of a market in which users are routinely …

Uber: a tech pioneer or an old taxi company?

On 4 July, European Court of Justice’s Advocate General Szpunar released an opinion stating that UberPop should be considered illegal, adding to the string …

The EU must legislate for the future, not regulate the past: The Google fine

After a 7 year investigation, the European Commission’s Margrethe Vestager announced on 27th June a €2.4 billion fine against search engine giant Google. Google …

Platform for debate

Platform businesses bring together distinct but interdependent sets of users in such a way as to improve the welfare of each side of the …

Antitrust and the challenge of regulation for online platforms

Platform businesses bring together distinct but interdependent sets of users in such a way as to improve the welfare of each side of the …

The EU should support tech giants, not attack them

The position of the European Union (Brussels) and some economic commentators on technology multinationals should not surprise us. However, it is totally wrong. It …

Android and the challenge of platform management

Google Android is usually described as a mobile operating system – the software that links mobile hardware with applications and thus enables users to …

Google’s ‘monopoly’. It’s the market, baby!

The long-standing saga of the European Union’s battle against Google recently saw the addition of a new chapter. A few days ago an open …

Google Shopping: the arguments revisited

The arguments on which the various competition cases against Google are being fought involve core features of economic interaction in multi-sided digital markets. As …

Is Android harming competition in mobile software?

21 April 2016
In sum, the Commission’s Statement of Objections concerning Android is not justified in light of the existing arrangements between Google and …

The Commission’s Android probe draws the wrong lessons from the past

Diego Zuluaga // 18.04.2016
It is expected that the EU’s competition authorities will this week issue Google with a formal charge sheet, known as …

EU Antitrust vs. Google

Istituto Bruno Leoni, 20 January 2016
The extent of market power enjoyed by Google is a debatable question. The antitrust literature emphasises the importance …

Online platforms and the bad economics of politicians

EurActiv reports that the Italian Parliament is scheduled to vote on legislation which would regulate online platforms. The measure has been proposed by a …

Some cautionary notes on platform regulation

Diego Zuluaga // 03.11.2015
In a post last week, I welcomed Competition and Markets Authority chief Alex Chisholm’s plea for regulatory prudence on online …

A breath of fresh air in digital competition policy

Diego Zuluaga // 27.10.2015
Let’s say it loud and clear: There is hope for EU competition policy! After months of negative headlines and high-profile …