Parliament panel seeks ex-ante evaluation to prevent monopoly in digital markets

The panel said DMDU holds significant importance going forth in the future as digital markets display characteristics distinct from traditional markets.

A Parliamentary panel on Thursday said ex-ante evaluation is of the essence to ensure that digital markets do not end up being monopolised.

The government has already set up a committee on digital competition law to examine the need for a separate law on competition in digital markets. In a report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance said that in the context of digital markets, it "feels that ex-ante evaluation is of the essence to ensure markets don’t end up monopolised”.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has established the Digital Market and Data Unit (DMDU) to facilitate cross-divisional exchange and act as a nodal point for stakeholder engagement on digital market matters.

The panel said DMDU holds significant importance going forth in the future as digital markets display characteristics distinct from traditional markets. "It is of utmost importance that they (digital markets) are properly governed so as to curb the sharp 'tipping’ of markets leading to emergence of one or two leading players in a short span of time,” it noted.