21. und 22. Mai X. Internationale ... - Bundeskartellamt

Ann-Christin Nykvist
Director General, Swedish Competition Authority, Stockholm
Protecting competition is of crucial importance for the development of new
products and for economic growth in the interests of the consumer. It is equally
important to make use of new opportunities to strengthen competition. In
Sweden, and probably in other countries as well, we are faced with a situation in
which trade over the Internet still falls far behind its potential despite the fact that
in global comparison Sweden is one of the countries in which the Internet is most
widely used.
My speech is divided into two parts: I will start by discussing a few aspects of
how the Internet can act as a competition booster. I will then continue by
addressing competition problem areas.
Trade over the Internet involves business with end consumers and the businessto-business
segment. In Sweden we have experienced that the number of crossborder
transactions remains relatively low both in the business-to-consumer
segment and the business-to-business segment, particularly with countries
outside the EU. A number of factors play a role in this, e.g. language or cultural
differences. Some of these factors will lose in importance over time as the
Internet continues to grow and its users become more and more aware of its
potential.
One factor, however, which will not become less important is the set of rules
regulating trade between states. If trade via the Internet is to develop and
expand, the rules relating to the technology applied must be neutral. There are a
number of unresolved issues within the WTO concerning trade via the Internet.
Different sets of rules apply depending on whether products traded over the
Internet are defined as goods or services. A further obstacle is the fact that
written documents are required. Privately imported goods may be subject to other
customs tariffs than goods imported by trading companies.
The issue of consumer protection also plays a considerable role. What happens if
the delivered goods are faulty? Is payment over the Internet safe? The
improvement of consumer protection does not fall within the competence of a
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