Ten Years of Product Market Reform in OECD Countries: Insights from a Revised PMR Indicator

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Ten Years of Product Market Reform in OECD Countries: Insights from a Revised PMR Indicator

Author Info

Anita Wölfl
Isabelle Wanner
Tomasz Kozluk
Giuseppe Nicoletti

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Giuseppe Nicoletti

Abstract

This paper describes patterns and developments of regulation that potentially affect product market competition in OECD countries over the past decade. It uses the 2008 update and revision of the OECD indicators of product market regulation (PMR) that integrate to a larger extent than in the past information on sector-specific regulation and adapt a simpler and more transparent aggregation technique. The results show that OECD countries have extensively liberalised product markets over the past ten years and – as a consequence - convergence of regulation across OECD countries can be observed. However, reforms appear to have slowed in the most recent period (2003-2008) as compared with the earlier period (1998- 2003). Easing of product market regulation appears to have been driven to a considerable extent by reforms in sector-specific regulation, notably as regards the gas, electricity and telecommunications markets. Countries appear also to have followed consistent reform approaches. However, scope for further reform remains, especially as regards controls of governments over businesses, and as regards certain sectors such as professional services and retail trade.

Dix ans de réformes sur le marché des produits dans les pays de l’OCDE : Un aperçu sur la base d’un indicateur RMP révisé
Ce papier décrit les évolutions observées en matière de réglementation potentiellement entravant le jeu de la concurrence sur les marchés de produits des pays de l'OCDE au cours des dix dernières années. On utilise une version actualisée et révisée des indicateurs de réglementation des marchés de produits (RMP) qui intègre dans des proportions plus vastes que par le passé des informations sur les réglementations sectorielles et utilise une technique d'agrégation plus simple et transparente. D'après les résultats, les pays de l’OCDE ont considérablement libéralisé leurs marchés de produits depuis dix ans et – par conséquence – la convergence des réglementations peut être observée. Cependant, le rythme des réformes semble avoir ralenti ces dernières années (de 2003 à 2008) par rapport à la période précédente (de 1998 à 2003). Sur l’ensemble de la période, les réformes de la réglementation semblent avoir reposé considérablement sur la réforme des réglementations sectorielles, notamment dans les marchés du gaz, de l’électricité et des télécommunications. Les pays semblent avoir également introduit des réformes d'une façon cohérente. Cependant, il existe encore des marges de manœuvre considérables, notamment en termes du contrôle exercé par l'État, et dans quelques secteurs, tels que les services professionnels et le commerce de détail.

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Paper provided by OECD, Economics Department in its series OECD Economics Department Working Papers with number 695.

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Date of creation: 23 Apr 2009
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Handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:695-en

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
K2 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law
L5 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2009-05-02 (All new papers)
NEP-COM-2009-05-02 (Industrial Competition)
NEP-LAW-2009-05-02 (Law & Economics)
NEP-REG-2009-05-02 (Regulation)

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This page was last updated on 2009-11-23.

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