How should market definition be applied in competition decisions? In light of the European Commission’s ongoing review of its Market Definition Notice and similar developments in the US and UK, Joe Perkins sets out how the process is meant to work, how it actually works, and the lessons we can learn from understanding the gap between the two.

In the recent dispute between Spotify and Apple, Random Control Tests provided competition authorities with compelling evidence of alleged misconduct. John Davies, Peter Bönisch, and Rashid Muhamedrahimov explain the advantages of this approach and the circumstances in which it can suitably be applied in competition cases.

There is an apparent tension between how much individuals say they value privacy and how freely they provide their personal data to online services and platforms. This so-called privacy paradox has bothered policy makers for years, often justifying inaction. Patricia Lorenzo and Alejandro Requejo describe why it exists, how it can be solved, and how much consumers really value their data.

Competition authorities have been hostile towards price parity agreements. However, not all agreements are alike. Wholesale price parity agreements, like those observed in the airline ticket industry, can intensify competition to the benefit of consumers. Salvatore Piccolo and Kadambari Prasad set out the different types of parity agreement and explain the factors that determine their impact on consumers.

Despite offering large potential benefits, deploying viable 5G networks will be challenging. Paul Reynolds considers the competitive implications for network operators and how policy might be refined to ensure that consumers realize the potential benefits. He explains the risks of adopting merger control and spectrum policies that may fail to deliver given: (a) the massive investments needed to make 5G a reality; and (b) the significant uncertainty about consumers’ willingness to pay for the incremental services that 5G will eventually deliver.