Competition Restraints in the Fuel Market – Opinion to the Transport Equalisation Fund

The opinion directs the Oil Products Transport Equalisation Fund not to disclose information to competitors in the fuel market which is liable to harm competition.

In the opinion of the Competition Authority, the information sharing by the Fuel Equalisation Fund has a detrimental effect on competition. The information exchange consists, in particular, of the fund collecting and passing on to competitors in the fuel market information about the total sales of all the oil companies, which the companies then use, among other things, to estimate their market share. This information is provided on a monthly basis. In the view of the Competition Authority, information exchange of this kind is unequivocally harmful to competition, given that the fuel market exhibits various signs of oligopoly.

This opinion is one of four opinions published in connection with a market study of the fuel market, in which recommendations are made to public authorities to promote improved competitive conditions in the fuel market.