Eurobarometer surveys: Competition policy has strong support among EU citizens and SMEs

* Tuesday, 25 October, the European Commission published the 2022 Eurobarometer surveys on EU competition policy. 

Surveys show that there is strong support among citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’) for both competition policy and enforcement.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, responsible for competition policy, said: The results of the survey are clear: competition improves the daily lives of citizens and SMEs by offering better prices, ensuring a wider choice and stimulating opportunities for innovation. This support is felt consistently across the EU and reminds us that fair competition is more important than ever.”

Main findings 

According to Eurobarometer surveys published yesterday, October 25, Romanians support the main objectives of competition policy, recognising its important contribution to the European economy. In particular, respondents confirmed that in their view competition policy:

• encourages innovation (81 % of Romanian citizens and 94 % of SMEs);

• allows for more affordable prices (77 % of Romanian citizens and 85 % of SMEs) and offers a wider choice (86 % of Romanian citizens and 95 % of SMEs);

• it helps EU companies become more competitive in global markets (75 % of Romanian citizens and 73 % of SMEs).

The majority of Romanian citizens and SMEs in Romania who participated in the survey strongly support various measures to further improve competition.

Competition has a key role to play in preventing actors in all market sectors from abusing their market power (87 % of citizens and 83 % of SMEs) and in fighting cartels (81 % of citizens and 77 % of SMEs). 75 % of citizens and 81 % of SMEs consider it important to prevent mergers and acquisitions that reduce competition.

Finally, Romanians consider it important to withdraw the advantages of competitors subsidised by non-EU governments (68 % of citizens and 76 % of SMEs) and EU governments (69 % of citizens and 75 % of SMEs).

As far as European respondents are concerned, most recognise that competition policy and its enforcement are a key tool to face future challenges. For example, 66 % of SMEs agree that regulations, such as the Digital Markets Act, can be an effective solution in markets with systemic problems. As regards the achievement of the Commission’s policy priorities, most citizens consider that competition encourages the digital transformation of the economy and society (73 %) as well as the provision of greener goods and services in the EU Single Market (54 %).

As far as citizens are concerned, more than 50 % (54 %) have experienced problems caused by lack of competition, such as higher prices, a narrower choice or lower quality. When asked which areas in which competition enforcement in their view should play an even greater role, citizens expressed concerns about the lack of competition in the energy sector (27 %), followed by the food retail sector (20 %). In the latest Eurobarometer survey published in 2019, telecommunications and internet access were at the forefront of citizens’ concerns (26 %), while currently only 18 % of respondents identified this as an area where competition should be improved.

When asked about their competition difficulties, SMEs mentioned high prices (57 %) as well as the ability of suppliers and buyers with a significant share to impose unfair conditions (with 57 % and 42 % of respondents respectively). With regard to specific sectors, SMEs expressed the view that stronger competition in the supply of raw materials (12 % of SMEs) as well as energy supply (8 % of SMEs) and the use of digital platforms to reach customers (8 % of SMEs) would be essential.

European citizens and SMEs report on competition enforcement mainly through newspapers (including online) (52 % of citizens and 51 % of SMEs) and television (48 % of citizens and 41 % of SMEs). However, social media have proven to be an increasingly relevant source of information for citizens about competition (from 24 % in 2019 to 39 % in 2022) as well as for SMEs (37 % in 2022).

Context

The Eurobarometer surveys on competition policy and enforcement, the first focusing on citizens and the second on SMEs, were commissioned by the European Commission from an external contractor, which interviewed by telephone a representative sample of SMEs and citizens (aged 15 or over) from each of the 27 EU Member States. As regards the SME survey, 12 809 interviews were conducted between 30 May and 15 June 2022. As regards the citizens’ survey, 25 845 interviews were conducted between 29 June 2022 and 17 July 2022.

These were carried out in the form of Flash Eurobarometer surveys, which are ad hoc thematic surveys carried out in a short period of time and covering a wide range of topics relevant to the activities of the European institutions.

Respondents were asked: (i) their views on the objectives of EU competition policy, (ii) whether they are familiar with EU competition policy, as well as their sources of information on the subject, (iii) the sectors or business activities they perceive as lacking sufficient competition, and (iv) areas where competition policy enforcement could be improved, and what new competition policies should be put in place.

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