ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has initiated a study titled “Competition Assessment of Digital Markets and Digital Services in Pakistan” aimed at comprehending the impact of digital markets and services on competition, economic growth, and employment opportunities.
The study’s aim is to provide policy recommendations to assist the government in achieving global regulatory harmonization.
Upon the conclusion of this research endeavor, CCP intends to propose a draft bill concerning digital markets. Various countries including Russia, the UK, the USA, and India have already taken similar steps to regulate their markets.
Pakistan’s transition towards digital markets underscores the necessity for proactive policies to encourage competition. This entails the establishment and enforcement of transparent regulations to deter anti-competitive practices by prominent digital platforms and service providers.
The advent of digitalization has not only created new markets but has also revolutionized existing ones, altering the competitive landscape. The study will examine the opportunities and challenges posed by the digital economy for competition, aiming to recommend pro-competition policies that consider the distinct dynamics of these markets.
The rise of dominant platforms, the significance of data (both personal and organizational), and the utilization of algorithms have raised substantial competition concerns. Moreover, the digital economy has introduced innovative practices that may not neatly fit into existing categories of abuse, necessitating a discussion on appropriate legal remedies.
Initiatives to improve consumer data portability, embrace open standards, and facilitate data sharing among competitors will benefit consumers and promote competition within Pakistan’s digital ecosystem.
