Platforms or Plantations? Post-Conference Panel: Martijn Snoep, Fiona Scott Morton, Philip Marsden

Martijn Snoep, the Chairman of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM)
Fiona M. Scott Morton, Theodore Nierenberg Professor of Economics, The Yale School of Management
Philip Marsden, Professor of Law and Economics at the College of Europe, Bruges, General Editor of the European Competition Journal
In June 2024 the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets together with other national competition authorities hosted a very representative and very well-attended conference "Empowering Business Models" the purpose of which was to generate feedback about the first compliance reports and the first experience of the DMA from business users - the undertakings to which benefits the designated gatekeepers are expected to adjust their business models and practices. The conference has demonstrated how highly regarded the Digital Markets Act is, how high the expectations of business users and other stakeholders are, and how much is at stake.
Also, famously, the Conference proceeding has generated a new slogan "Platforms, not Plantations".
To discuss the main outputs of the event and the future plans of engaging business users into the discussions about improving compliance mechanisms we have invited two co-organisers - Martijn Snoep and Fiona Scott Morton as well as one of the members of the Furman Report and one of the protagonist of the participatory approach to the DMA/DMCCA Philip Marsden.
The conversation covered inter alia the following points:
- DMA business users as the main way of bridging information gap
- If you have no one for who you are fighting (business users) - there is no point in fighting
- Effective compliance vs. box-ticking compliance
- Comparative elements with open banking
- Participative approach and three-party hearing
- Having both parties in the room is more efficient than having litigation
- Will there be a follow-up conference?
- Merger control as a prototype of pro-competition ex-ante regulation
- Two complaints about participative approach: 1) This is just a chat; you have to “do” something vs. 2) What about the rule of law and due process; everything will end up in court anyway
- We need more technicians in the room
- Participative dialogue is getting more common in antitrust - (unintended?) consequence of the DMA
- NFC chip case as an excellent example of collaboration between NCAs and DG COMP (details)
- Does the enforcement of the DMA require new skills of case handlers?
- Learning from finserv and telecom lawyers
- DMA strong remedies as a back-up tool
- Judges don’t like high fines - but do they like firms saying “I refuse to obey the law”?
- Is there a risk of doing it too proactively on private enforcement side
- Reflections about the Conference; key outputs, surprises, trends
- Reluctance of business users to speak up. The fear of retaliation.
- The role of trade associations
- The DMA as a tool benefiting gatekeepers in entering each other’s “core” core platform services: ok or not ok?
- Using gatekeepers’ leveraging of the DMA as leverage
- Should Europe do it? Should it do it differently? Can it do it in the same way?
- Competition authorities and choosing the winners/losers
- Policymaking: where is the limitation?
- Inevitability of “some” prioritisation and “some” choices
- First evaluation of the DMA
NB. Within the framework of research project Shaping Competition in Digital Markets “SCiDA” Jasper van den Boom and Sarah Hinck have organised a series of interviews with business users participating in the workshop and a series of blogposts. We welcome to check out our website scidaproject.com/ for more information.
In previous 71st episode (published last Tuesday) we discussed Digital Markets & Public Procurement: Gatekeeping & Experimentation with Prof. Albert Sanchez-Graells (School of Law | University of Bristol, UK - • Prof. Albert Sanchez-G... )
Our next 73rd episode will be released next Tuesday.
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The Digital Markets Research Hub is an independent academic initiative aiming at scrutinising the functioning of competition/regulation in digital markets. We host one-to-one interviews with leading policymakers, regulators and practitioners. We also organise online mini-workshops inviting high-profile experts and academics in various fields of digital competition law & policy to discuss the most vibrant issues of the ongoing regulatory reforms in digital markets. While having our clear normative stand on the matters discussed within the hub, we value different views and invite relevant stakeholders and thinkers representing the whole spectrum of reasonable positions on how to regulate competition in digital markets. All our materials are available at UA-cam channel, which you are very welcome to subscribe to. The panel is organised & conducted by Prof. Oles Andriychuk, School of Law, University of Exeter, UK

[@digital.markets]

All previous episodes (in chronological order):
Platforms or Plantations? Post-Conference Panel: M Snoep, F Scott Morton, P Marsden ua-cam.com/video/qtDJNRH9P58/v-deo.html
A Sanchez-Graells: Digital Markets & Public Procurement - Gatekeeping & Experimentation ua-cam.com/video/u1FZQUwdtKs/v-deo.html
O Schwartz, the Head of the OECD Competition Division: Goals, Priorities and the Main Topics: ua-cam.com/video/qKXpC4kH-iA/v-deo.html
European Elections & the Digital Markets Act: J Espinoza (FT) L Crofts (MLex) S. Stolton (Bloomberg) ua-cam.com/video/VooN2abQpDA/v-deo.html
D Gérard, Prosecutor General of the Belgian Competition Authority: On Competition Policy ua-cam.com/video/M6U7VIbphFA/v-deo.html
DMCCA: Life After Royal Assent | New CMA Guidance: S Long M von Thun L Dimitrova Stoimenova ua-cam.com/video/6w3eRhJsnbc/v-deo.html
F Chirico: The Digital Markets Act: From Strategy & Vision to First Non-Compliance Cases ua-cam.com/video/tZifM79e9iI/v-deo.html
F Castillo de la Torre: Evidence & Judicial Review in EU Competition Law | DMA Legal Aspects ua-cam.com/video/91iduH6amAw/v-deo.html
J-U-Franck: The DMA & Ant-Circumvention Provisions | § 19a of the German Competition Act ua-cam.com/video/jhQmTMzE_h8/v-deo.html
Digital Markets in East & Southeast Asia: S Marco Colino, J Galloway, I Szpotakowski ua-cam.com/video/PKQzElDoxKo/v-deo.html
Pablo Ibáñez Colomo: The Law & Policy of the Digital Markets Act | EU Judicial Review | New Book ua-cam.com/video/Gj2XlGbMj-A/v-deo.html
Discussing India's Draft Digital Competition Bill: Prof. Vikas Kathuria, Manjushree RM, Gokul Plaha ua-cam.com/video/7olK85Kqpmw/v-deo.html
Herbert Hovenkamp: History & Presence of USA Antitrust Law | Goals & Schools of Competition & more ua-cam.com/video/ZB1LLc2CuGU/v-deo.html
EU Data Act through the Prism of the DMA - Inge Graef, Björn Lundqvist, Martina Eckardt ua-cam.com/video/JY6NhE0vtuM/v-deo.html
Drawing the Boundaries: the DMA and National Law - Marco Botta, Alba Ribera Martínez, George Gryllos ua-cam.com/video/J3OKRiTpOX0/v-deo.html
Luigi Zingales - The Chicago School | Evolution of Digital Markets: US, EU & India | AI & Antitrust ua-cam.com/video/4DNs_IyF0Eg/v-deo.html
Jean-François Bellis: History & Future of EU Competition Law through the Prism of Landmark Cases ua-cam.com/video/IwhH2481HG4/v-deo.html
Prof. René Repasi, Member of the European Parliament: Digital Markets Act, European Digital Agenda ua-cam.com/video/zOnD7ycFIeM/v-deo.html
Damien Geradin: Digital Markets Act, Compliance Reports & Gatekeepers Strategies, Goals of the DMA ua-cam.com/video/peqXAtjDsbU/v-deo.html
Sport & EU Competition Law: Discussing Latest Cases. Ben Van Rompuy, Helene Andersson, Stijn Huijts ua-cam.com/video/HtyVIsK5xDM/v-deo.html
Hanns Ullrich: History & Juristic Roots of EU Competition Law: Reflections from 70 Years Experience ua-cam.com/video/8wzza0m8rJM/v-deo.html
Cristina Caffarra: “Antitrust, Regulation & the Next World Order” Event; Is Competition a Side Dish? ua-cam.com/video/lvzpvc9cZqw/v-deo.html
EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation & Antitrust: Eddy de Smijter DG COMP Lena Hornkohl Marek Martyniszyn ua-cam.com/video/Ui7LZ_QMY8w/v-deo.html
Andreas Mundt, President of German Federal Cartel Office: Reforms in German Digital Competition Law ua-cam.com/video/K3TCMJEitT0/v-deo.html
Denis Sparas (EU Commission, DMA Dir.): Digital Markets Act - First Wave of Cases, First Assessment ua-cam.com/video/qtPuwAXLJJc/v-deo.html
CJEU & Competition Law: Mechanics of the Process - Vivien Terrien, Mariya Serafimova, George Gryllos ua-cam.com/video/bLEiBgzbfRM/v-deo.html
Henri Piffaut, Vice-President of the French Competition Authority: On the Latest in Digital Markets ua-cam.com/video/Rg7NWXhFZS8/v-deo.html
Assimakis Komninos: EU Competition Law Key Developments in 2023, Digital Markets Act & Broader Trends ua-cam.com/video/tJZ03FyZh48/v-deo.html
VideoGaming & Competition: Epic v Google; MS/Activision Eli Pales, Ayse Gizem Yasar, Fabian Ziermann ua-cam.com/video/Oz40keDBiZA/v-deo.html
Lord Clement-Jones: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill in the House of Lords; AI Rules ua-cam.com/video/v8Bwp0oCo7U/v-deo.html
Prof. Rod Sims, Chair of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (2011/22) ua-cam.com/video/zpAtqjAKSvU/v-deo.html
Judicial Review v Full Merits Scrutiny in the DMCCb: Peter Freeman, Catherine Batchelor & Tom Fish ua-cam.com/video/pgF_u3BcEJ0/v-deo.html
Cory Doctorow: Digital Markets Act; Interoperability; Entrenchment; Copyright; "What-About-Ism" ua-cam.com/video/Xm23pO5_WKM/v-deo.html
Olivier Guersent, Director-General of DG COMP: New Vision - the DMA, Goals of Antitrust, Compliance ua-cam.com/video/-ihcFgiFhok/v-deo.html
Digital Markets & Broader Issues of Internet Governance: Lilian Edwards, Ian Brown, Chris Marsden ua-cam.com/video/bMBXbI1-imw/v-deo.html
Anu Bradford, European Markets & Digital Empires - Thinking Globally, Acting Prudently ua-cam.com/video/ZxEt2pfb7eQ/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
Unpacking UK Digital Markets, Competition & Consumers Bill: Robert Palmer, Ian Forrester, Sarah Long ua-cam.com/video/8MNsQ0rKRk4/v-deo.html
Meta CJEU Judgment - When Competition Meets Privacy: Renato Nazzini, Thomas Höppner, Alessia D'Amico ua-cam.com/video/SxQRM79glHc/v-deo.html
Richard Whish: Goals of Competition Law, Digital Markets Act, The Role of Technical Expertise & more ua-cam.com/video/12Zja1dRjBc/v-deo.html
Philip Marsden: Comparing EU Digital Markets Act v UK Digital Markets, Competition & Consumers Bill ua-cam.com/video/BNooF4xBnaQ/v-deo.html
Ordoliberalism & Competition Law: Past, Present & Future - Matthew Cole, Karen Horn, Anselm Küsters ua-cam.com/video/V9Zhgnl9XoM/v-deo.html
Giuliano Amato: Antitrust and the Bounds of Power; European Competition Law - Past, Present & Future ua-cam.com/video/KP7T6JhbDTs/v-deo.html
Art 102 TFEU & Exclusionary Conduct - The Reform: Anne Witt, Gönenç Gürkaynak, Massimiliano Kadar ua-cam.com/video/Fx4LKwakjOA/v-deo.html
Eleanor Fox: Goals of Antitrust Consumer Welfare v Fairness & Competitive Process; Types of Populism ua-cam.com/video/9ZHCmg0EXqg/v-deo.html
Brazilian Competition Law: Vinicius Klein, Juliana Oliveira Domingues, Caio Mario S. Pereira Neto ua-cam.com/video/9Z3FJl5qlBE/v-deo.html
Amelia Fletcher: Furman Report 5 Years On; Key Features of Emerging Digital Competition Policy; DMCC ua-cam.com/video/H74HMJHwlaw/v-deo.html
Google AdTech: EU Commission SO. Konstantina Bania (Brunel), Michael Veale (UCL), Mikaël Hervé (CRA) ua-cam.com/video/bQmck6gNIBc/v-deo.html
Competition Policy in the Media: Lewis Crofts (MLex) Javier Espinoza (FT) Samuel Stolton (Bloomberg) ua-cam.com/video/98AvaTIPvYY/v-deo.html
Unboxing UK Digital Markets, Competition & Consumers Bill Liza Lovdahl-Gormsen, Tom Smith, Dirk Auer ua-cam.com/video/mmK-tlVH4sM/v-deo.html
Martijn Snoep: A New Vision of Antitrust Enforcement, Regulatory Dialogue, Compliance, Fines, DMA ua-cam.com/video/WSIchX_Lm24/v-deo.html
Competition Law & Digital Regulation in India: Shilpi Bhattacharya, Raveena Sethia, Anshuman Sakle ua-cam.com/video/zPMauTGwDOw/v-deo.html
Ioannis Lianos: Regulating Competition in Digital Markets; Polycentric & Inter-Ecosystem Competition ua-cam.com/video/DMmhOVuXXxI/v-deo.html
Digital Markets Act & Data-Related Obligations: Natalia Moreno, Jan Krämer, Chris Riley ua-cam.com/video/GSH-wU_e05k/v-deo.html
UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers bill: Matilda Curtis (BEIS) co-drafter of the bill ua-cam.com/video/Q1AlEigkCVE/v-deo.html
Giorgio Monti, Or Brook, Magali Eben: The History of the Future: the DMA & National Competition Laws ua-cam.com/video/e8N2k70eHqs/v-deo.html
Oliver Bethell, Google Head of Competition EMEA: Is the DMA a Challenge or an Opportunity? Interview ua-cam.com/video/jDX8trEvCuc/v-deo.html
The 11th Amendment to the German Competition Act GWB Makis Komninos, Rupprecht Podszun, Sophie Gappa ua-cam.com/video/i_Xt0tR7G68/v-deo.html
Video Game Industry and Digital Competition Law: Friso Bostoen, Amy Thomas, Alba Ribera Martínez ua-cam.com/video/9ziBekKoGqs/v-deo.html
Conversation with Johnny Ryan: AdTech, GDPR, 3rd Party Cookies, Real-Time Bidding, Privacy Sandbox, Programmatic ads ua-cam.com/video/3C4H0F7GXqc/v-deo.html
App Store Gatekeepers & the EU Digital Markets Act: Viktoria Robertson, Benedict Evans, Tim Cowen ua-cam.com/video/G0LkYjqbBO4/v-deo.html
The DMA & Interoperability in Messaging Services: Agustin Reyna, Eliana Garcés, Simonetta Vezzoso ua-cam.com/video/2YVC15W8iSc/v-deo.html
MEP Andreas Schwab: Conversation on the Digital Markets Act and EU Digital Competition Policy DMA ua-cam.com/video/UAlkdvgvFlo/v-deo.html
Workshop: Digital Services Act & Digital Markets Act: Comparing the Incomparable? Martin Husovec, Ilaria Buri, Mark Leiser ua-cam.com/video/UKsX8nX0HNk/v-deo.html
Alexandre de Streel on the Digital Markets Act | Compliance | EU Law | Regulation | Antitrust DMA ua-cam.com/video/tGYiazVV1Eg/v-deo.html
Workshop: Niamh Dunne, Miguel Sousa Ferro, Justin Lindeboom: DB Station case: between Competition & Regulation ua-cam.com/video/UCv_MJf4_jo/v-deo.html
Conversation with Tommaso Valletti: the Digital Markets Act, Economics of Antitrust, Experts as Agents ua-cam.com/video/iKIzVCfhElQ/v-deo.html
Workshop 'DMA & Self-Preferencing': Vanessa Turner (BEUC), Denis Sparas (DMA TaskForce), Gonçalo Machado Borges ua-cam.com/video/nUwjSvqly2I/v-deo.html
Workshop 'The Procedural Aspects of the DMA': Marco Botta, Fabiana Di Porto, Henry Mostyn ua-cam.com/video/_GLbXEYMVts/v-deo.html
Conversation with Cristina Caffarra On the effectiveness and enforceability of the Digital Markets Act ua-cam.com/video/j1vmOETUMxw/v-deo.html
Conversation with Prof. Rupprecht Podszun: Digital Markets Act, New German Competition Law, privacy & antitrust ua-cam.com/video/U-wZwVXMPow/v-deo.html
Digital Markets Act: Quo Vadis? A Thematic workshop with the Ana Malheiro DMA Task Force, Dr Assimakis Komninos & Prof. Damien Geradin ua-cam.com/video/MWNEApCPca4/v-deo.html
Conversation with a former Vice-President of DuckDuckGo Megan Gray on the state of competition in online search engine markets ua-cam.com/video/uoPkxG5OLLs/v-deo.html