NERA Economic Consulting to Examine Auto-Fuel Market in Hong Kong
17 August 2005
NERA Economic Consulting has been commissioned by the government of Hong Kong to assess the competitive environment in the auto-fuel market in Hong Kong to determine the potential for anticompetitive conduct. NERA will operate as part of a consulting team consisting of Gilbert + Tobin, a Sydney-based law firm with strong credentials in competition matters, and Arculli & Associates, Gilbert + Tobin's Hong Kong affiliate.
The competition investigation is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, and was commissioned in response to concerns about price outcomes in the retail gasoline market. The team will examine the structure and pricing conduct of the auto-fuel market, paying particular attention to the impact of recent new entrants. The study involves an extensive benchmarking exercise, comparing prices and the cost structure of auto-fuel markets in the United States, the European Union, Australia, and across Asia.
The consulting team will also analyze the policies adopted by these economies to tackle anticompetitive behavior in their respective auto-fuel markets, and recommend measures that will ensure effective competition in Hong Kong. This study is expected to be completed by the close of 2005.
NERA, Gilbert + Tobin, and Arculli were selected to undertake the investigation because of the firms' extensive international experience in competition issues and the application of antitrust law across a diverse range of markets, including oil, energy, and telecommunications.
Please direct inquiries about the study to:
Greg Houston
Director
+61 2 8864 6501
Ann Whitfield
Associate Director
+61 2 8864 6503
