NEWS

The CCLE was delighted to take part in the ERSA Conference on Shaping Digital Competition Policy and Regulation in South Africa, held on 11–12 December 2025 in Irene, Pretoria. The workshop drew together academics, practitioners, and policymakers for two days of lively discussion on the challenges of regulating digital markets — spanning platform dominance, data governance, mobile money, and merger control. Keynote addresses were delivered by Professor Maarten Pieter Schinkel (University of Amsterdam), James Hodge of the Competition Commission South Africa, and Professor Nicolas Petit of the European University Institute. Professor Willem Boshoff, Katherine Stainton, and Thomas Janisch presented their paper on the removal of price-parity clauses in South African online intermediation platform markets, using the Booking.com settlement as a case study to examine the broader market implications of such regulatory interventions. Professor Boshoff and Katherine also responded to Professor Petit's keynote, drawing on the MIH/WeBuyCars merger to interrogate entry concerns in South African merger control. It was a rich two days of debate and exchange, and a welcome opportunity to engage with the growing community of scholars working on digital competition issues in the South African and African context. We look forward to seeing this work develop further.

The Centre for Competition Law and Economics (CCLE) and the Brussels Centre for Competition Policy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel were pleased to host the Workshop on Data-Related Remedies in Digital Platform Markets in Stellenbosch on Friday, 14 November. The workshop brought together leading scholars in law and economics, practitioners, and policymakers for discussions on competition in digital platform markets. We are particularly grateful to our keynote speaker, Professor Ioannis Lianos from University College London, for his insightful address on scaling laws and interoperability as foundational elements of the digital economy. The programme featured presentations addressing important questions around data-related remedies, enforcement approaches, and regulatory frameworks in digital markets. Comparative perspectives between different jurisdictions enriched the discussions and highlighted both shared challenges and diverse regulatory responses in digital platform regulation. Thank you to all our presenters who travelled from afar to share their research, and to all participants who contributed to the substantive discussions throughout the day. We now look forward to a special issue of the Journal of Competition Law and Economics, which will feature some of the papers presented at the workshop.

Next week, the Centre for Competition Law and Economics (CCLE) and the Brussels Centre for Competition Policy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel will host a workshop in Stellenbosch bringing together leading scholars in law and economics, practitioners, and policymakers to explore critical approaches to safeguarding competition in digital platform markets. Taking place on Friday, 14 November, we're excited to welcome keynote speaker Professor Ioannis Lianos from University College London, who will address "Scaling Laws and Interoperability as the Backbone of the Digital Economy," as well as our other presenters travelling from afar. The programme features presentations on: Platform dominance and tying practices Data governance and portability Antitrust enforcement in digital markets Comparative regulatory approaches between the EU and South Africa We look forward to the thought-provoking discussions and exchange of ideas ahead!

The Centre for Competition Law and Economics at Stellenbosch University and the Brussels Centre for Competition Policy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel are pleased to host a workshop on "Data-Related Remedies in Digital Platform Markets." About the Workshop This full-day event brings together leading scholars in law and economics, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss approaches to safeguarding competition in digital platform markets. The workshop will feature paper presentations and a keynote address by Professor Ioannis Lianos of University College London. Event Details Date: Friday, 14 November 2025 Time: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Venue: Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS), Stellenbosch, South Africa Conference Fee: $250 (PhD students exempt) Registration deadline: 1 November 2025 Interested in attending? Please complete the registration form: https://forms.gle/UkEBwqUQjLKa2kYX7 A conference dinner will be held on the evening of Friday, 14 November. Further details will be provided to registered participants. Contact For questions or further information, please contact: Professor Caroline Buts (caroline.buts@vub.be) Professor Willem Boshoff (wimpie2@sun.ac.za)  

The Centre for Competition Law and Economics is pleased to announce its collaboration with the Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA) on the Digital Platform Competition and Regulation Project. Following ERSA's Request for Proposals earlier this year, nine research proposals were selected to explore critical questions around digital platform competition and regulation. The CCLE is contributing to two of these nine research papers, with Thomas Janisch, Professor Willem Boshoff, and Katherine Stainton. Last week, researchers gathered at Stellenbosch University for a productive workshop where they presented their works-in-progress, marking an important milestone in preparation for the December conference and subsequent publications. The workshop provided an opportunity to share initial findings, test ideas and approaches, brainstorm policy insights, and work through challenges collaboratively. The project benefits from strong participation by The Competition Commission South Africa, helping to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policymaking. The CCLE looks forward to sharing the working papers and policy papers that will emerge from this important research initiative.

The CCLE was privileged to host Professor Justus Haucap from the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) at Heinrich Heine University, who delivered a presentation on "Merger Control, Innovation, and Industrial Policy: A European (and Personal) Perspective" at the Economic Society of South Africa Centenary Conference. Professor Haucap's insights on the evolving landscape of European competition policy provided valuable perspectives for South African practitioners and academics. We extend our sincere gratitude to Professor Haucap for sharing his expertise and contributing to this milestone conference. Our thanks also go to the organisers Economic Society of South Africa, Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA), Fouché Venter, Prof. Willem Boshoff, and fellow panelists Prof. Nicola Theron and Pamela Mondliwa for facilitating such engaging discussions.