The European Commission decided, on Thursday 30 June, to make commitments offered by Insurance Ireland, an association of Irish insurers, legally binding under EU antitrust rules.
Insurance Ireland must provide fair and non-discriminatory access to its Insurance Link information exchange system, which contains important data for companies offering motor vehicle insurance services in Ireland.
According to Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for Competition Policy, these commitments “will restore a level playing field in the Irish motor insurance market and ease the entry of new players”.
A Statement of Objections was issued in June 2021 (see EUROPE 12744/4). To address the Commission’s concerns, Insurance Ireland has offered certain commitments. The Commission had market tested these commitments (see EUROPE 12899/28).
In light of the outcome of this market test, Insurance Ireland made several amendments to the initially proposed commitments. These amendments further specify the profile and role of the operationally independent Application Officer that will handle access requests, and introduce further clarifications as regards the implementation and the monitoring of the commitments. The Commission found that Insurance Ireland’s final commitments will ensure market participants’ access to the Insurance Link platform, and decided to make them legally binding on Insurance Ireland. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)