| 2021 |

[31 July 2023] The Competition Commission has published the final Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) Report:

___

[6 July 2023] The date for completion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) has been extended from 30 June to 31 July 2023.

Notice of extension

___

[19 May 2023] The date for completion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) has been extended from 19 May 2023 to 30 June 2023.

Notice of extension

___

[19 April 2023] The date for completion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) has been extended from 18 April 2023 to 19 May 2023.

Notice of extension

___

[20 February 2023] The date for completion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) has been again extended from 18 February 2023 to 18 April 2023.

Notice of extension

___

[8 November 2022] The date for completion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) has been extended from 18 November 2022 to 18 February 2023.

OIPMI – Gazetted extension period

___

[8 August 2022] The Commission has published its provisional Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI) report for comment. Written submissions should be emailed to oipmi@compcom.co.za by 17h00 on 24 August 2022.

The Commision has published an updated timetable to allow for the inclusion of comments on the provisional report.

Adjusted Administrative Timetable

___

[12 February 2022] The Commission has published an updated and more detailed scheduled of its planned steps towards the conclusion of the Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry (OIPMI).

Adjusted Administrative Timetable 2022

___

[7 December 2021] The Commission has published a second version of its report on Competition in the Digital Economy.

Competition in the Digital Economy Version 2

The paper sets out the ways in which South Africa’s competition laws can be implemented to achieve equitable outcomes in the digital economy and the Commission’s intentions in this regard, as well as noting features of the regulatory environment required in order to extract maximum benefit from the digital economy.

___

[29 September 2021] Public hearings on the Further Statement of Issues will be conducted online from 2-19 November 2021.

OIPMI Call for participation in public hearings

___

[29 August 2021] The Commission has published a Further Statement of Issues, developed on the back of input received in response to its first Statement of Issues.

OIPMI Further Statement of Issues (August 2021)

Written submissions to this Further Statement of Issues should be emailed to oipmi@compcom.co.za by 17h00 on 23 September 2021.

For business users of online intermediation platforms, there is also an online questionnaire on the Inquiry’s webpage on the Commission’s website, soliciting the views and experiences of business users of online intermediation platforms operating in South Africa.

“This further statement of issues (FSOI) uses the initial observations and insights from the first phase of information gathering to provide some additional focused issue statements for input from stakeholders. The FSOI is accompanied by further RFIs and stakeholder engagements to get an even deeper understanding of these further issues in addition to expanding on the original SOI issues. The Inquiry process is iterative and the FSOI includes only some preliminary insights and observations. The FSOI in no way limits the set of issues that the Inquiry is considering, nor does it replace the initial SOI. Further engagements with business users and stakeholders will likely bring other potential issues to the fore.

In releasing this FSOI, the Inquiry invites market participants and other interested parties (collectively “stakeholders”) to provide views and information on the additional issues identified. The FSOI is structured around the broad platform categories identified in the original SOI, and stakeholders are encouraged to provide views on those platform categories with which they familiar. Stakeholders do not have to address every question in this FSOI. Wherever possible, please provide reasons for your views and any evidence available to support your views. Reasons and evidence provide a stronger basis for the Inquiry to take account of the views expressed.”

 

___

[20 May 2021] The Competition Commission formally launched its market inquiry into online intermediary platforms (Online Market Inquiry/OIPMI) on 19 May 2021, publishing a final Statement of Issues and a timetable for the conducting of the Inquiry.

OIPMI Statement of Issues May 2021

OIPMI Administrative Timetable

Written submissions to this Statement of Issues should be emailed to oipmi@compcom.co.za by 17h00 on 18 June 2021.

The Commission has also requested business users to complete an online survey – available from http://www.compcom.co.za/online-intermediation-platforms-market-inquiry/ – also by 18 June 2021.

___

[9 May 2021] The Commission has published a draft proposal to amend the threshold for notification of small mergers.

Draft Amendment to Small Merger Notification Threshold (7 May 2021)

Interested parties are invited to submit comments within a period of 30 days from publication of this notice, to the Mergers & Acquisitions Division of the Competition Commission of South Africa for the attention of Ms. Phillipine Mpane, per email: phillipinem@compcom.co.za.

___

[11 April 2021] The Commission has published final Terms of Reference for the Inquiry as well as guidelines for participation:

OIPMI Terms of Reference 9 April 2021

Guidelines for Participation in the OIPMI

___

[1 March 2021] The Competition Commission launched a market inquiry into  online intermediation platform services with the publication of draft terms of reference for public comment.

Draft Terms of Reference: Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry

The deadline for comments on the terms of reference/scope of the Inquiry is 16h00 on 12 March 2021.

The Online Intermediary Platform Market Inquiry or OIPMI will be initiated in terms of section 43B(1)(a) of the Competition Act given that the Commission “has reason to believe that there exist market features which impede, distort or restrict competition amongst the platforms themselves, and which undermine the purposes of the Act”.

Online intermediation services include eCommerce marketplaces, software app stores and intermediated services such as accommodation, travel, transport and food delivery.

The Commission previously published a Report on Competition in the Digital Economy.

___