Disruptive platforms and sector regulation

Conference co-organized by the Club of Regulators and the OECD Network of Economic Regulators

Surfing on the opening-up of competition in network industries, on the public initiatives in favor of data sharing, and on the development of digital capabilities, innovative platforms are increasingly attempting to disrupt traditional utilities industries. Mobility as a service (MaaS) providers, energy aggregators, or virtual telecommunication operators, to name a few, provide services impacting the use and the profitability of infrastructures as well as the revenue models of incumbent operators. They have consequences on the incentives to invest and on the quality of services, and they challenge the business models of established operators. In addition, these platforms favor the entry of new providers which services are “plugged-in” portfolio of traditional services — think of micro-mobility — resulting in increased differentiation and price discrimination as well as new risks associated to these new services and their articulation with traditional ones.

The overall costs and benefits of these evolutions as well as the externalities across components of the value chains results into challenges for sectoral regulators. Should the scope of their authority be extended to these new entrants? Should the balance between independent regulation and (local or national) governmental authority be reconsidered? Should regulatory frameworks and regulatory tools be adapted to accommodate the new business models carried out by the new players? Should asymmetric regulatory principles be implemented to allow entry and innovation, and how do the alliances among incumbent aimed at replicating the services provided by the new entrants be considered? Are sandboxes approaches relevant? The conference allowed discussing and comparing national and sectoral experiences on these matters.

Programme

9am - 9.15am : Introduction
Eric Brousseau, Scientific director of the Club of Regulators

9.15am - 10.30am : 1st Round Table: “Transportation and Mobilty”

• Laura Lassila, Senior Specialist, Data Business Unit, Finland Ministry of Transport and Communications

• Fabien Couly, Director, Research, Digital Mobility Services, Transport Regulatory Authority (ART France)

• Luisa Perrotti, Head of European Affairs and International Relations, Transport Regulatory Authority (ART Italy)

10.30am - 11am: Coffee break

11am - 12.30pm : 2nd Round Table “Digital service providers: competition in regulated industries”

• Tara Morice, Acting General Manager, Mobiles, Transmission and Consumer Branch, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC)

• Julien Uri, Fintech-Innovation Unit, Prudential Control and Resolution Authority (ACPR France)

• Manuel Cabugueira, Member of the Board, Administrator, ANACOM Portugal

12.30pm - 12.45pm : Concluding comments
Martha Baxter, Senior Policy Analyst, OECD

• Read the written summary of the conference
• Watch the replay