数字经济背景下经营者集中审查制度的困境及完善

The dilemma and improvement of the review system of concentrations of undertakings in the context of digital economy

经营者集中对推动数字产业的发展具有至关重要的作用,但同时也带来了垄断的隐忧。在数字经济背景下,经营者集中并购模式、并购关注点及限制竞争效果的特殊性,以及数字市场竞争所具有的特征都为传统的经营者集中审查带来了冲击。尽管《反垄断法》已经对数字经济市场的经营者集中做出了一定的回应,但传统的经营者集中审查制度仍面临着申报标准滞后、相关市场界定困难、经营者市场力量认定困难、消费者福利考量缺乏、事后救济效果不佳的困境。可以通过完善相关申报标准、完善相关市场界定标准及市场力认定方式、完善消费者福利的考量、设立“创新减少”机制、优先采用行为性救济的方式来应对。随着数字经济产业的不断发展,该领域的经营者集中案例将会持续增加。不断地探索、完善经营者集中审查相关理论及配套分析工具是当下的重要任务。

Concentrations of undertakings are of vital importance to promoting the development of digital industry, but they also bring about the hidden worry of monopoly. In the context of the digital economy, the M&A model, the particularity of the concerns of M&A and the effect of the restriction on competition, as well as the characteristics of competition in the digital market, have all impacted the traditional review of merger. Although the AML has made certain response to concentrations of undertakings in the digital economy market, the traditional concentration review system still faces difficulties in defining the relevant market, the invalidness of competitive effect analysis tools, and poor post-event remedies.It can be responded by improving the relevant market definition standards and market power identification methods,improving the identification of "market entry", the "innovation damage" mechanism, and adopting conduct remedies. With the continuous development of the digital economy industry, the number of the cases of concentrations of undertakings in this field will continue to increase. Continuously exploring and improving the relevant theories and supporting analysis tools of concentrations of undertakings review is an important task at present.