Kartellityyppejä

Kartellityyppejä refers to different classifications or forms of cartels. Cartels are agreements between competing firms to restrict competition, typically by fixing prices, limiting output, or dividing markets. Understanding the types of cartels helps in identifying and combating anti-competitive behavior.

One common classification is based on the nature of the agreement. Price-fixing cartels are perhaps the most notorious, where member firms collude to set minimum or maximum prices for their products or services. Output-limiting cartels aim to reduce the overall supply of a good or service, thereby driving up prices. Market-sharing cartels divide customers, territories, or types of products among the cartel members, preventing direct competition among them.

Another way to categorize cartels is by their scope. Global cartels operate across international borders, influencing markets worldwide. National cartels are confined to a single country. Regional cartels operate within a specific geographical region.

Cartels can also be distinguished by their duration. Some cartels are temporary, formed to address a specific market condition or to influence a particular bidding process. Others are more permanent, aiming for long-term control over a market.

Finally, cartels can be formal and explicit, with written agreements and established rules, or informal and tacit, where firms signal their intentions and coordinate their actions without overt communication. Identifying these different kartellityyppejä is crucial for antitrust authorities when investigating and prosecuting anti-competitive practices.