There is a lot of discussion about digitalization and the impact it has on inequality, on workers income and on markets. In Germany there is a legislative process under way to make competition law fit for the digital age. The German Initiative “Curbing Corporate Power ” therefore published its discussion paper “The Power of Corporations In The Digital World”. It wishes to make a contribution to the public debate over the necessity of a Regulation 4.0.
Our key concern is to consider the significance of data and algorithms, the establishment of monopolies, and policy assumptions in competition law. In our discussion paper we propose concrete policy proposals in the field of competition law and beyond.
Our touchstone is whether digitalization supports the social and ecological transformation of the economic system or – what we hope to avoid – hampers it.
The focus of the discussion paper is on digital corporations, but it contains a lot of generic analysis and policy proposals which can be applied to other sectors such as seeds and agrochemicals as well. We refer also to the merger of Bayer-Monsanto and the engl_diskussionspapier-konzernmacht-in-der-digitalen-weltneed to prevent such Big Data-related mergers, but also the acquisitions of start-ups.
Here you can download the discussion paper.