反垄断法下的平台互联互通:滥用市场支配地位的分析框架

Interoperability of Platforms under Antitrust Law of Platforms under Antitrust Law:An Analytical Framework for Abuse of Market Dominance

平台互联互通案件的反垄断法分析主要在滥用市场支配地位制度的框架下进行。相关市场的界定应以涉案行为发生的市场为起点,而非平台企业的主营业务。“流量通道”市场构成了平台互联互通案件的主相关市场;平台主营业务所在市场和竞争损害发生的下游市场则可以辅助判断行为人的市场力量和涉案行为的竞争损害。大多情况下被限制方和平台不存在交易关系,平台不互通行为难以认定为反垄断法上的拒绝交易或差别待遇,以平台双重身份为基础的“自我优待”理论也不具有足够的解释力。从竞争损害看,平台不互通行为既可能对被限制方造成封锁效果,也可能直接损害用户的选择自由。平台拒绝或限制互联互通可能基于保护用户利益、应对竞争对手不当行为、解决“搭便车”问题等正当目的,但只有相关行为与这些目的相适应,即适当、必要且仅造成最小损害时,反垄断法才能接受这种抗辩。

The antitrust analysis of platform interoperability cases is primarily conducted within the framework of the abuse of market dominance.The definition of relevant markets should be based on the market in which the related behaviors occur,rather than the main business of platforms.Therefore,the"network traffic channel"market constitutes the main relevant market of such cases.However,the market of the platform's main business and the downstream market where the competitive damage occurs also need to be defined to assist in judging the market power of the ac-tor and the competitive damage of the related behaviors.In most cases,there is no transaction relationship between the platform and the blocked enterprises,so the refusal of interoperability is difficult to be identified as refusal of trans-action,differential treatment or a kind of self-preferencing in the anti-monopoly law.The refusal of interoperability may not only foreclose the blocked enterprises in an anti-competitive way,but also directly damage the freedom of choice of users.The platform's refusal of interoperability may be based on legitimate purposes such as protecting user interests,responding to inappropriate behavior from competitors,and resolving the"free rider"issues.However,the an-titrust law will accept this defense only when relevant actions are appropriate,necessary and only cause minimal dam-ages.