EU ANTITRUST: HOT TOPICS & NEXT STEPS

Prague, Czechia

EU ANTITRUST: HOT TOPICS & NEXT STEPS 2022

2. Problem Formulation and Methodology The purpose of this essay is to discuss competition difficulties that develop in platform services. In order to understand the properties of this article, we use scientific knowledge methodologies. On the basis of this, as well as on the content and scope of the article, we will also focus on the use of the logic method. We presented several points of view on legal regulation and the interpretation of the concepts under consideration. Data was acquired from scientific journals through in-depth document analysis. 3. Sharing Economy There is currently no agreed-upon definition of the sharing economy. In theory, sharing economy firms are those whose business model is based on the mediation of transitory usage rights for the sequential use of commodities or services. A digital intermediary platform that connects supply and demand for certain commodities or services is frequently maintained by businesses. Aside from that, a wide range of distinct types of sharing economy services can be distinguished. Sharing economy services can originally be classified based on the users engaged. P2P services allow organizations (B2B, business-to-business) or private individuals to share or use goods and services (C2C, consumer-to-consumer). Differences in sharing economy services can also be apparent in terms of the offer’s remuneration and pricing structure. Depending on the business strategy, the items or services can be supplied for a fee or for free. Private individuals, for example, sell their rooms for a price on some platforms (such as Airbnb) and for free or a little allowance on others. Finally, there are also differences between sharing economy services with regard to the financing of the platform itself (Plavčan and Funta, 2020, pp. 156–167). The use of the platform can be charged or free for individual user groups, depending on the business model’s inclination. In most cases, one or more user groups pay a commission per transaction or a monthly flat fee for the usage of the intermediary platform, with pricing based on the elasticity of the user groups’ demand. If all user groups are free to use the platform, it is usually funded through advertising or donations. Business models based on the concept of “sharing”, or the common use of goods and services are considered to have high market potential. According to a study conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers, global earnings from sharing economy services in the categories of lodging, vehicle sharing, finance, music, and video streaming will increase from roughly 15 billion dollars in 2015 to around 335 billion dollars in 2025. (PwC, 2020). 3.1 Reasons for the emergence and growth of the sharing economy Several factors have led to the growth of sharing economy services, which has been seen mostly in the United States but also elsewhere. The significance of

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