Konkurentsitingimusi

Konkurentsitingimusi is a term used in economics and competition law to describe the conditions under which firms compete in a market. In Estonian usage, konkurentsitingimusi translates to competition conditions and refers to the mix of structural, behavioral, and regulatory factors that shape how firms interact and how prices, quality, and innovation are determined.

Key determinants include market structure (the number and size distribution of firms), barriers to entry and exit, product differentiation, switching costs, information availability, and regulatory policies. Additional factors such as access to essential facilities, network effects, and vertical integration influence contestability and the degree of competitive constraint. A market is more competitive when there are low barriers to entry, transparent pricing, and robust potential for new entrants to gain a foothold, even if current market shares are uneven.

Policy and enforcement aim to protect and improve konkurentsitingimusi by maintaining fair competition. This includes prohibiting anti-competitive agreements, abuses of a dominant position, and restrictive mergers, while promoting transparency, market access, and innovation. Economic analysis often combines market structure, conduct, and performance (the structure–conduct–performance framework) to assess the competitiveness of a market and the potential impact of regulatory interventions.