Interoperability in the Digital Economy

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Abstract: Interoperability has become a buzzword in European policy debates on the future of the digital economy. In its Digital Agenda, the EU Commission has identified a lack of interoperability as one of the significant obstacles for the thriving of the digital economy. The EU Commission and a number of other actors have advocated far-reaching policies for ensuring the interoperability of digital goods, services, platforms and communication networks. In this paper, we present a systematic framework for discussing interoperability problems from an economic and legal perspective and apply it to several interoperability issues, as, e.g., standardization, interoperability regulation in the field of electronic communication, duties of dominant firms (including platforms) to ensure horizontal and vertical interoperability and IP law exceptions in favour of interoperability. The complex trade-offs between benefits and costs of a higher degree of interoperability suggest the need for a careful and separate analysis of each specific interoperability issue, caution regarding a (top down) imposition of mandatory standards and interoperability obligations, and a greater focus on unilateral solutions of interoperability problems, like adapters or converters. EU competition law may be better advised to develop, within the framework of Art. 102 TFEU, a workable test to address hurdles for unilateral interoperability solutions created by dominant firms, than to continue focusing on the essential facilities doctrine to mandate interoperability. Terms of use: Documents in

Introduction

“…Kerber and Schweitzer summarize that "interoperability has become a buzzword in European policy debates on the future of the digital economy" where "one of the difficulties of the interoperability discussion is the absence of a clear definition of interoperability" [24]. This is certainly not coincidental.…”

The Economics of the German Investigation of Facebook’s Data Collection

“…Access to data is a general concern in databased markets (Kerber 2016(Kerber , 2018Kerber & Schweitzer 2017). A dominant service provider may utilize strategic barriers to access to data to deter horizontal competitors or to favor its own subsidiaries in up-and downstream markets (exclusionary abuse).…”

Regulating Telematics Insurance

“…• What purpose and the legal ground for each data is used. Example: consumers may want to know whether their insurer uses certain data for purposes unrelated to the risk they seek to insure including the use of personal data for unfair price (continued) monitor-2017.pdf; On the challenges for interoperability see for example Kerber and Schweitzer (2017). 111 A concern raised by Insurance Europe about contradicting regulations where not much attention has been paid when developing new regulations to existing requirements resulting in a mismatch of requirements and disproportionate burdens for insurers to comply.…”