The European Commission opened an investigation on Thursday 16 July to anticipate the emergence of possible anti-competitive practices in the sector of consumer goods and services related to the Internet of Things in the European Union and, by extension, to ensure fair competition in this new market.
"This sector inquiry will help us better understand the nature and likely effects of the possible competition problems in this sector", explained the Commission's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy.
To this end, the Commission will send questionnaires to around 400 companies based in Europe, Asia and America, in order to gather information to better understand the nature, prevalence and effects of these potential competition concerns. It will then assess them in the light of EU competition rules.
In particular, the institution's scope includes certain business practices that could restrict access to and interoperability of data, as well as certain forms of self-preferencing and practices related to the use of proprietary standards.
Wishing to avoid the emergence of monopolies, Ms Vestager pointed out that there is indeed a risk that companies could use data collected by voice assistance technologies and other intelligent devices to evade competition and become 'gatekeepers' of the Internet of Things, "with the power to make or break other companies".
Specifically, the investigation will cover products such as portable devices (e.g. smart watches or fitness bracelets) and connected consumer devices such as refrigerators, washing machines, smart TVs, smart speakers and lighting systems.
It will also cover services available through intelligent devices, such as music and video streaming services, and the voice assistants used to access them.
A preliminary report on the responses will be published for consultation in the spring of 2021. It will be followed by a final report in the summer of 2022. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)