Last year, a total of 175 monopoly cases were investigated and punished, and the amount of fines and confiscations amounted to 23.592 billion yuan
On June 8, the State Administration for Market Regulation released the "Annual Report on China's Anti-monopoly Law Enforcement (2021)". The report pointed out that 175 monopoly cases of various types were investigated and dealt with throughout the year, a year-on-year increase of 61.5%, and the amount of fines and confiscations was 23.592 billion yuan.
Among them, there were 11 monopoly agreement cases, with a fine of 1.673 billion yuan; 11 cases of abuse of market dominance, with a fine of 21.847 billion yuan; 107 cases of public punishment for illegal implementation of concentration of operators, with a fine of 72.35 million yuan; abuse of administrative power to exclude and restrict 46 competition cases.
727 cases of concentration of business operators were concluded, a year-on-year increase of 53%, of which 1 was prohibited and 4 were approved with additional restrictive conditions, which effectively protected fair competition in the market, promoted high-quality development, improved people's livelihood and well-being, and achieved economic, political, and legal effects. and social effect organic unity.
From the perspective of illegal fields, in 2021, the people's livelihood field will account for 60% of the completed cases, and the others will account for 40%.
In terms of the types of illegal acts, 43% of the cases to be concluded in 2021 will involve restricted transactions; 42% will involve the formulation of regulations to exclude and restrict competition; Accounted for 13%; cases involving obstruction of commodity circulation accounted for 2%. Through law enforcement, local protection was effectively broken and the market business environment was optimized.
From the perspective of the subjects involved, the cases to be concluded in 2021 will basically cover the provincial, municipal and county people's governments and their subordinate departments. Among them, the cases involving provincial governments and subordinate departments account for 2%, and the cases involving municipal governments and subordinate departments account for 2%. Cases accounted for 57%, and cases involving county-level governments and their subordinate departments accounted for 41%.
The State Administration for Market Regulation resolutely investigates and punishes the "choose one" behavior that has been strongly reflected in the society.
Focusing on key areas such as e-commerce and takeaways, it has carried out major law enforcement activities in an orderly and stable manner, investigated and dealt with Alibaba Group and Meituan's "choose one" monopoly case, fined 18.228 billion yuan and 3.442 billion yuan respectively, and issued an "Administrative Guidance". The enterprises involved in the case are required to make comprehensive rectifications, establish rules, and act as an example, so as to urge platform enterprises to consciously standardize their business behaviors.
At present, the "choose one" behavior in the platform economy has basically stopped.
The report pointed out that market supervision departments are striving to build a foundation for the rule of law for fair competition that meets the requirements of high-quality development.
Accelerate the revision of the Anti-Monopoly Law, improve supporting legislation, and form a relatively systematic and complete legal and rule system with the Anti-Monopoly Law as the core and composed of multiple regulations and guidelines, so as to provide clear and clear guidelines for market players to compete fairly.
Promote the formulation of the "Opinions on Strengthening Anti-monopoly and Deepening the Implementation of Fair Competition Policies", and improve the fair competition policy framework and implementation mechanism compatible with the high-level socialist market economic system.
The State Administration for Market Regulation added the "State Anti-Monopoly Bureau" brand to enrich its regulatory strength, give better play to its institutional advantages, and continuously improve its governance efficiency.
Market supervision departments strive to create a stable, fair, transparent and predictable market competition environment.
Promptly investigate and deal with the "choose one" monopoly behavior that is strongly reflected in the society, prohibit mergers and acquisitions by leading platform companies in the field of online game live broadcasting that damage competition, lift the widely criticized exclusive copyright in the field of online music, and promote positive interaction and coordinated development of large and medium-sized enterprises.
Deepen the implementation of the fair competition review system, promptly correct and abolish policy documents that affect fair competition, vigorously investigate and deal with cases of abuse of administrative power to exclude and restrict competition in government procurement, public resource transactions, transportation, housing construction and other fields, and continuously optimize the institutional environment for fair competition , resolutely safeguard the national unified market, and smooth the domestic circulation.
Text/Reporter Lin Lishuang