11th Sector Report Telecommunications (2019): Governmental Restraint in Network Deployment

Sector Report pursuant to Sec. 121(2) of the German Telecommunications Act, Bonn, 3 December 2019

  • The priority of private investment in broadband deployment should be maintained. State aid should be moderate and targeted where deployment by market players does not take place.
  • The planned fixed-network subsidies in "grey areas" need to be adapted in order to prevent large-scale crowding out of private investments in the fixed network. Gigabit vouchers should be used to strengthen demand.
  • To improve mobile communications coverage, the deployment in previously unserved areas should be put out to tender in a competitive procedure.

Policy Brief of the Monopolies Commission on the government draft of the Fair Health Insurance Competition Act

Policy Brief | Issue 3 | 21 November 2019

Today the Monopolies Commission presents its third policy brief. It deals with the government draft of the Fair Health Insurance Competition Act and its effects on the development of competition in statutory health insurance.

  • The draft of the Fair Health Insurance Competition Act is to be welcomed and strengthens the competitive conditions in statutory health insurance in several aspects.
  • However, competition for the best health care can only really unfold if the next step is an improved legal framework for individual services offered by the health insurance funds.
  • Insurers who invest in the health of their policyholders are currently not paid equivalent compensation for this. The existing draft law should also include an evaluation mandate to take the incidence rate into account in risk structure compensation.

Download Policy Brief (in German language only)

7th Sector Report Energy (2019): Competition with new energy

Sector Report on Energy Markets pursuant to Sec. 62 of the Law on the Energy Industry, Bonn, 18 September 2019

  • The spread of electric mobility is hampered by monopolies: Municipalities should promote competition between different operators in the development of charging stations.
  • Insufficient competition in tenders for wind energy: more open space and permits needed.
  • Wholesale electricity trading with problems during price peaks: control of abusive pricing should be adapted.