konkurentsihäired

Konkurentsihäired refers to disruptions or distortions in market competition. These occur when the normal functioning of supply and demand is interfered with, leading to a less than optimal allocation of resources and potentially harming consumers or other businesses. Such disruptions can arise from various sources, including anticompetitive practices by dominant firms, government interventions that create unfair advantages, or structural issues within a market.

Common forms of konkurentsihäired include cartels, where competing firms collude to fix prices or limit output, and abuses of dominant market position, where a company with significant market power exploits its position to stifle competition. This can involve predatory pricing, exclusive dealing arrangements, or refusal to supply. State aid, when granted in a way that distorts competition, can also be a significant konkurentsihäire, as it may artificially bolster less efficient companies at the expense of more competitive ones.

Regulatory bodies, such as competition authorities, are tasked with identifying and addressing konkurentsihäired. Their goal is to ensure that markets operate fairly and efficiently, promoting innovation and providing consumers with a wider choice of goods and services at competitive prices. Interventions can range from imposing fines and sanctions on offending companies to requiring structural remedies, such as divestiture of assets, to restore a balanced competitive landscape. The underlying principle is to maintain a level playing field for all market participants.