1 27 May 2009, Kiew Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde Federal Competition Authority Director General Dr. Theodor Thanner B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

2 Overview Competition Law Enforcement in Austria Recent Activities of the FCA International Activities: MCF Competition Policy in Times of Financial Crisis B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

3 Competition Law Enforcement in Austria Founded in July 2002 > one of the youngest and smallest national competition authorities within the European Union Judicial System FCA: investigatory powers, initiates proceedings before the Cartel Court Cartel Court: adopts decision upon the FCA’s application Reform: Cartel Act 2005  Alignment to EC Competition Law  Introduction of Leniency Programme B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

4 Activities of the FCA – Some Figures 28 members of staff (19 case handlers; 75% lawyers, 25% economists and others) Activities (2008) –1 sector inquiry –9 leniency applications –fines totalling EUR 77,4 Mio. –275 merger notifications –15 new cases on abuse of dominant position B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

5 Recent Activities Leniency Cases Elevators and Escalators Cartel – EUR 75.4 mio Industrial Chemicals Wholesalers – EUR 1.9 mio Printing Chemicals Wholesalers – not yet decided Sector Inquiry Liquid fuel market in Austria International Activities Marchfeld Competition Forum ECA Director General’s Meeting 2010 in Vienna B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

6 Sector Inquiry: Retail Prices for Liquid Fuel (1)  Public concern raised: FCA started investigation into specific features of the Austrian retail markets for petrol and diesel.  Oil companies claimed that changes of domestic retail prices have to be linked closely to the changes of Platts notations. – Do Austrian retail prices follow Platts notations more slowly downwards than upwards? – Report published in mid-July. ( B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

7 Sector Inquiry: Retail Prices for Liquid Fuel (2)  Main Results The pass-through takes two weeks. Temporal asymmetry: Increases in Platts notations are passed through faster than decreases. No asymmetry in volumes. No full pass through.  Further Action: FCA sent Platts an informal request for information B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

8 Marchfeld Competition Forum - Cooperation Initiative of FCA and Czech Office for the Protection of Competition Founded in July 2008 Members: AT, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania, Switzerland and DG Comp Purpose: Strengthening of regional cooperation between NCAs from EU Member States as well as non-members. Feb 2009: Meeting on “Competition Policy in Times of Financial Crisis” B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

9 Global Financial Crisis – Challenges Risk of competition policy given lower priority by government alongside industry policy goals (pressure to save “failing firms” to preserve jobs and location of industry) Flexibility Fast Decision-Making B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

10 Global Financial Crisis – Solutions Improving the exchange of information through international cooperation Importance of the European and International aspect  bilateral cooperation  competition advocacy Business Community B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE

11 Thank you for your attention! B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE