Market Studies and other Market Analysis Tools for Competition Authorities

Competition authorities have long used market studies and other market analysis tools to examine a sector and understand how effectively competition is working independently of wrongdoing by specific firms.

They can provide a deeper understanding of how to improve competition within markets, for example to make broader recommendations for policy or legislative changes. A particular form of market analysis tool, often referred to as market investigations, provides remedial powers to improve competition authorities following identification of competition issues and has received increased interest recently.

In December 2025, the OECD explored the value and role of market studies and other market analysis tools. Participants benefited from break-out sessions to discuss in more detail different elements of market studies and other market analysis tools.

This page contains all session information and materials.

• Market studies are widely recognised as essential tools for competition authorities to promote competition, even when there are no breaches of competition law.
• Practices and frameworks for market studies show significant convergence across jurisdictions despite varied applications.
• Participants emphasised the importance of carefully selecting market studies to ensure relevance and impact.
• Effective advocacy is critical to maximise the influence of market study findings on policy and markets.
• Ex-post assessments are valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of market studies and identifying lessons for future work.
• Market investigation tools, which grant remedial powers to authorities, may offer benefits but likely require strong procedural safeguards to address challenges.
• Joint market studies can enhance expertise, reduce duplication, and strengthen advocacy impact, but they also increase administrative costs and complexity.
• Partial co-ordination between authorities can deliver benefits even without fully joint studies.