News

Passing on of cartel overcharges: why is it so difficult to formulate robust predictions?

In a collaboration with Professors Pierre Fleckinger and Constance Monnier, both affiliated with OCA, our competition law disputes partner in France, Tobias Binz and Christian Jaag authored an article on the sensitivity underlying theoretical predictions of the pass-on rate. The article has been published in Concurrences N°4-2019.

The article can be accessed online through the Concurrences website.

Teammate on a conference

Speech at the Euro Finance Week

Christian Jaag gave the opening keynote at the CV summit Frankfurt which is part of this year’s Euro Finance Week.

Christian Jaag shared his thoughts on “Be your own bank? The role of financial institutions in a decentralized economy”.

To the presentation

Airport, Aircraft

Irish regulator follows Swiss Economics advice on capital costs allowance

The Irish Commission for Aviation Regulation has published its Final Determination on the maximum level of passenger levies that Dublin Airport may charge over the 2020-24 regulatory period.

The new price cap regime ensures that passengers travelling through Dublin Airport will experience high-quality services at a reasonable cost. Swiss Economics advised the Commission on the appropriate allowance for capital costs. In our work, we considered recent developments in financial markets, Dublin Airport’s ambitious investment plans, differences in risk profiles across airports, and many other factors that play a role in determining the regulatory WACC. The Commission has published our report alongside its Final Determination on its website.

To the Swiss Economics report
To the Final Determination of the Commission for Aviation Regulation

Team member at a conference

Effects of climate change on Swiss infrastructures

At the "Infrastrukturtagung 2019" Christian Jaag presented a literature overview on the effects of climate change on Swiss infrastructures.

Abstract of the report:
"Wie wird sich der Klimawandel auf die Schweizer Infrastruktursektoren auswirken? Im Rahmen eines Literaturüberblicks werden Studien aus dem In- und Ausland ab dem Jahr 2007 ausgewertet. Die zusätzlichen Schäden entstehen durch den schleichenden Klimawandel und Extremereignisse. Neben dem Transport- und dem Energiesektor sind auch die Wasserversorgung, Industrieinfrastrukturen, soziale Infrastrukturen und der Tourismus betroffen. Obwohl der Klimawandel insgesamt mehr Schaden als Nutzen bringt, hat er auch positive Auswirkungen. Zum Beispiel kommt es zu weniger kältebedingten Schäden an Strassen und Schienen und die Ausgaben für Heizenergie sinken. Mit steigenden Temperaturen nimmt auch die relative Attraktivität der Schweiz als Sommer-Tourismusdestination zu. Sämtliche verfügbaren Quantifizierungen der Auswirkungen des Klimawandels sind allerdings noch mit grossen Unsicherheiten behaftet."

To the report
More about the "Infrastrukturtagung 2019"

Shaking hands

New collaboration with the Centre for Evidence Based Blockchain (CEBB)

Christian Jaag becomes an Advisor to the Centre for Evidence Based Blockchain (CEBB) and Swiss Economics' Centre for Cryptoeconomics joins the CEEB as an institutional member.

CEBB is a neutral, independent and decentralised consortium of leading Blockchain research institutions.

Led by some of the world's most eminent academics, CEBB will devise scientific benchmarks and frameworks to support governments, businesses and policymakers in making evidence-based decisions. As a collective voice on the advancement of Evidence-Based blockchain, the academic "Think Tank" of thought leaders and researchers endeavours to establish internationally agreed standards on education, research and policy-making for blockchain technologies. CEBB will also support organisations in setting up regional and institutional EBB chapters, run by the CEBB Leads. CEBB will also assist with the advancement of high-quality research, call for papers and dissemination of scholarly content within the CEBB network. It will also facilitate joint initiatives, workshops, journal clubs, and other academic activities with CEBB members.

More about CEBB

Team member at a conference

Input at the UPU World CEO Forum

Christian Jaag spoke at the UPU World CEO Forum about Blockchain in the postal sector.

As digitalization takes hold and affects whole swathes of national economies, businesses need to adapt and innovate more rapidly than ever. In this context, blockchain and cryptographic technologies can be part of the answer. Yet, there are several possible elements to innovation in this area. An increasingly popular idea is to have start-ups develop the innovations that postal operators will later apply to their business processes. Christian Jaag had an Interesting discussion with Moses Ma, Derek Osborn and the world's postal CEOs about how they have considered and/or applied blockchain innovations in the international postal sector, including through partnerships with start-ups.

Sunrise and UPC Logo

COMCO approves transaction Sunrise | Liberty Global

Following an in-depth merger examination, the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) cleared the transaction Sunrise | Liberty Global on 23 September 2019 without any remedies. Swiss Economics closely accompanied the examination from the outset with economic expertise.

According to COMCO, the transaction will not lead to the creation or strengthening of a dominant position in any of the markets analysed. Rather, COMCO expects the takeover to stimulate competition. Further details can be found in the COMCO press release.

Swiss Economics collaborated during the whole merger examination closely with Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Ltd. (MLL), who advised and represented Sunrise in this merger control proceeding from the outset. Swiss Economics was – inter alia – responsible for data handling, contributed to the economic analysis in all phases of the merger control proceeding and drafted several reports. Our team included Samuel Rutz, Michael Funk, Matthias Hafner and Tobias Binz. On the part of MLL, the team was led by Mario Strebel and included Fabian Koch, André Berne and Göktug Gürbüz. The close collaboration between Swiss Economics and MLL ensured optimal case management both from a legal and economic perspective.

Redistribution effect of the OASI

The redistribution from the rich to the poor is very important, as a new study by the University of Lucerne, in which Melanie Häner was involved, shows. A summary of the study was published in today's Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

In addition to a redistributive effect between generations, the OASI also has a redistributive effect from rich to poor. OASI contributions above a certain income have the character of a "high-wage tax" and the minimum pension acts as a basic income for pensioners. The NZZ article by Christoph Schaltegger, Christian Frey and Melanie Häner quantifies the extent of this redistribution.

To the article

Power transmission lines

Market design and guarantees of origin

Publication of a proposal for an amended Swiss electricity market design. Guarantees of origin play a crucial role.

Teammate in the tv

Samuel Rutz speaks about health tourism on national TV

Samuel Rutz speaks about health tourism in "Schweiz Aktuell", a daily news broadcast of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR).

 

The video clip can be accessed through the SRG's website.

Swiss Economics team members have been recognized by Who’s Who Legal 2019

Who’s Who Legal 2019 featured Samuel Rutz, Michael Funk and Christian Jaag for their outstanding work in competition economics.

 

Samuel Rutz is mentioned in the following categories:

  • - Competition - Economists
  • - Experts - Economics - Competition Economists

WWL says: Samuel Rutz is a well-recognised figure in the Swiss market who is commended for his profound knowledge of competition regulation and policy.

To Samuel's profile on WWL

 

Michael Funk is mentioned in the following categories:

  • - Competition Future Leaders - Economists
  • - Experts - Economics - Competition Economists - Future Leaders

WWL says: Michael Funk is recognised by peers as an "experienced competition economist" who is able to draw on his "great background" at the Swiss investigation authority.

To Michael's profile on WWL

 

Christian Jaag is mentioned in the following categories:

  • - Competition - Economists
  • - Experts - Economics - Competition Economists
  • - Switzerland - Competition Economists

WWL says: At Swiss Economics, Christian Jaag is lauded as “one of the very best economists active today” who is “able to convey and explain highly complex matters to a broad range of audiences”. He possesses “in-depth knowledge of the area” and is known for his “great ability to challenge traditional concepts”.

To Christian's profile on WWL

 

Team hiking

Swiss Economics at the top of Switzerland

We concluded the celebrations for our 10th anniversary with a trip to the Monte Rosa Hut.

We concluded the celebrations for our 10-year-anniversary with a trip to the Monte Rosa Hut in the Swiss Alps close to Zermatt. Guided by Peter Schoch we enjoyed the beautiful nature between Matterhorn and Monte Rosa.

 

  Edelweiss

Start towards Monte Rosa

 

 

"Edelweiss" on the wayside
Einstieg auf den Gletscher   Während dem Abendessen in der Monterosahütte

Entrance of the Gorner Glacier

 

 

Monte Rosa Hut during dinner
Auf dem Panoramaweg zurück nach Zermatt   Spalten im oberen Teil des Cornergletschers
On the panoramic tour back to Zermatt

 

 

Crevasse in the upper part of the Gorner Glacier

 

Best Economic Research & Consulting Services 2019 - Europe

Swiss Economics' center for cryptoeconomics is awarded with the Fintech Award "Best Economic Research & Consulting Services 2019 - Europe" hosted by Wealth & Finance International.

Collaboration with the investment ecosystem CV VC

Swiss Economics is happy to announce the new collaboration with CV VC, a Swiss venture capital company for start-ups using Blockchain technology.

Swiss Economics' collaborates with CV VC, the largest investment ecosystem for start-ups using Blockchain technology in Zug, Switzerland. Swiss Economic's platform for blockchain and cryptocurrencies (cryptecon) mentors the participants of the CV Labs Incubation Program. The first edition of the program is now ongoing. Out of 500 applications from 35 countries, 12 startups were selected to participate in the program.

Christian Jaag and Matthias Hafner met the start-ups and presented their expertise and experience in platform and monetary economics for token-based projects. They presented the most important characteristics, considerations and decisions to be made when designing token-based ecosystems.

To the presentation

Clock at the train station

Institutional design of the Swiss rail market

Urs Trinkner presented his views on how to improve the institutional design of the Swiss rail market at the Lucerne symposium "20 years of railways reform".

To the presentation

To the program

Team member standing in the rain with a conference umbrella

Funding the USO and net cost balancing

Michael Funk gave two speeches at the 27th Conference for Postal and Delivery Economics in rainy Dublin.

Michael Funk presented his interpretation of the seminal Post Denmark II decision as well as a paper by his colleagues Andreas Haller, Christian Jaag, and Urs Trinkner on the funding of the USO and net cost balancing. As always, this yearly conference of academics and practitioners provided a tremendous opportunity for learning and connecting.

Privatization of water?

Publication of Samuel Rutz and Urs Trinkner on the economics of water and whether Swiss water utilities should be privatised or not.

Wasser ist aus ökonomischer Sicht kein öffentliches Gut. Gleichwohl kann die leitungsgebundene Wasserversorgung nicht unbesehen den Marktkräften überlassen werden, da insbesondere beim Verteilnetz ein «monopolistischer Engpass» besteht. Die Ausgangslage präsentiert sich ähnlich wie bei Strom-, Gas- und Schienennetzen: Entweder erbringt die öffentliche Hand die gewünschte Versorgung selbst, oder sie übergibt diese an öffentliche oder private Leistungserbringer. Im zweiten Fall gewährleistet er die Qualität der Wasserversorgung durch Regulierung. Aus ökonomischer Sicht sind beide Wege gangbar. Für Schweizer Gemeinden, die über eine gute direktdemokratische Kontrolle verfügen, kann die öffentliche Eigenerbringung vorteilhaft sein.

Autoren: Samuel Rutz, Urs Trinkner

Zum Artikel (Deutsch)
Zum Artikel (Französisch)

Introducing Competition in the Passenger Railway Sector

A presentation by Christian Jaag.

Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Introducing Competition in the Passenger Railway Sector - Open Access and Competitive PSO Tendering» at a seminar of the Florence School of Regulation.

Study on unbundling Swiss gas network operators

An analysis by Swiss Economics.

Swiss Economics has analyzed the unbundling need of Swiss gas network operators in a study that has been published by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy today.

Study on the possibilities of Blockchain technology for the U.S. Postal Service

A report for the Office of Inspector General of the United States Postal Service.

Swiss Economics has supported the Office of Inspector General of the United States Postal Service in a study that explores the possibilities of Blockchain technology for the USPS and other postal operators.

To the study

Presentation on the interdependencies between various types of mail items

Presented at the 24th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics.

At the 24th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «The interdependencies between various types of mail items». The presented study finds that there are strong interdependencies between various types of mail. There is an opportunity for postal operators to actively manage their mailstream in order to maintain or increase the attractiveness of their communication channel.

Presentation on "The mailstream as a platform"

A presentation by Christian Jaag.

Christian Jaag presented the paper «The mailstream as a platform» at the 9th bi-annual Postal Economics Conference on E-commerce, Digital Economy and Delivery Services.

Presentation on "The more economic approach to predatory pricing"

Presented at the Mannheim Competition Policy Forum.

Christian Jaag presented a paper on «The more economic approach to predatory pricing» at the Mannheim Competition Policy Forum.

Presentation on platforms and anti-competitive clauses

A presentation by Christian Jaag.

Christian Jaag gave a presentation on «Platforms and anti-competitive clauses» at the ENTraNCE for Executives Workshop on Antitrust Enforcement in Traditional v Online Platforms.

Two new Counsels

We welcome our two new Counsels Samuel Rutz und Olivier Buchs!

We extend a warm welcome to our two new Counsels Samuel Rutz and Olivier Buchs!
The focus of Samuel Rutz will be on competition economics; Olivier Buchs will be active in our telecommunications team.

Study on the impact of the EU electricity market opening and implications for Switzerland

A study for the Swiss electricity distribution system operators (DSV).

Swiss Economics has analyzed on behalf of the association of Swiss electricity distribution system operators (DSV) the effects of the EU electricity market opening and its implications for Switzerland. We opt for a sequential approach of first deciding the cornerstones of the Swiss energy strategy before opening the market further.

New office in Zurich

More room in the main office in Zurich.

We have expanded our office in Zurich to Weinbergstrasse 102, situated at the tram station Ottikerstrasse just a few stations from Zurich's main station.

The new address:
Swiss Economics
Weinbergstrasse 102
CH-8006 Zurich