Investing in distribution: ED3 and beyond
In the first quarter of this year the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)1 published its vision for the UK’s electricity distribution network. Below, we review this in the context of Ofgem’s consultation on RIIO-ED32 and its published responses. One of the policy priorities is to ensure… Read More
Boosting growth, competitiveness and productivity in the EU and UK
Low economic growth is a current challenge for most major European economies, especially given the new fiscal burden of increased defence spending. Funding social challenges—such as climate change, the digital transition and European security—requires either some parts of society to be worse off, or that economies generate new sources of… Read More
Ctrl+Alt+Unemployed? The economics of AI at work
As AI continues to reshape industries and redefine the nature of work, its impact on labour markets is a topic of growing debate and concern. With AI’s rapid advancements, we are entering an era of both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Should we fear widespread job displacement, or welcome AI’s ability… Read More
Should the UK’s digital regulator play in the sandbox?
Governments of developed countries around the world are looking for ways to stimulate economic growth. Common approaches are to look to either reduce regulatory blockers to innovation or intervene in markets to make them more competitive. Digital markets have been one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy,… Read More
Cost–benefit analyses for public policy
Cost–benefit analyses (CBA) are commonly applied to public infrastructure projects where there is a degree of certainty about the physical output of the project and the consequent societal benefits. CBA can also be applied to proposed policy and regulatory changes, but there is less clarity about the outcomes and the… Read More
This week in economics
Delving into recent news through the lens of economics, this first episode of This week in economics tackles what’s caused the recent exodus from X and what the impacts for the social media market could be, and explores the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs for the global… Read More
Podcasts
Is dynamic pricing an ambush or advantage for consumers?
The debate as to whether or when dynamic pricing is fair and reasonable continues, and there are even calls for it be banned. Dynamic pricing has been in the news recently, with backlash from fans trying to secure a ticket to see Oasis in concert. You will have experienced dynamic… Read More
Economics of the Data Act: part 1
As electronic sensors, processing power and storage have become cheaper, a growing number of connected IoT (internet of things) devices are collecting and processing data in our homes and businesses. The purpose of the EU’s Data Act is to define the rights to access and use data generated by… Read More
Digital securities and English law: the gold standard?
The UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (‘UKJT’), part of LawtechUK, has produced a Legal Statement on how English law supports the use of distributed ledger technology in equity and bond markets (also known as ‘digital securities’).1 To inform and support UKJT’s work, LawtechUK commissioned Oxera to provide economic analysis of the… Read More
Most-favoured-nation clauses: how to assess their competitive effects?
Most-favoured-nation clauses (MFNs) remain a hot topic in competition policy. The direction of travel has generally been one-way, with the UK and European vertical block exemption regimes designating wide MFNs as hardcore or excluded restrictions, and both wide and narrow MFNs being prohibited for designated gatekeepers under the EU’s… Read More