Re­gu­la­to­ry eco­no­mics and re­gu­la­to­ry im­pact ana­ly­sis

Are you responsible for regulatory tasks in administration or companies? We are experts in regulatory economics with many years’ experience and advise you regarding the introduction, implementation, adjustment and evaluation of regulatory frameworks. Both companies and consumers benefit from well-functioning regulations. The art lies in introducing regulations that meet the political targets with the least amount of rules and without any disincentives. Whether a public authority aims to develop an optimal regulatory framework or a company plans to implement regulatory requirements, we advise you in finding the best possible solution. We evaluate planned or existing regulations with regard to necessity, practicability and their impact.

In­sti­tu­tio­nal ro­le con­flicts (go­ver­nan­ce is­sues)

We support you with potential competition conflicts related to your service obligation. We advise you in your risk assessment and clarify your competitive risks from transactions with public or publicly dominated companies. Answering additional institutional questions or questions regarding the separation of roles between regulation, management and supervision is part of our advisory services.

Se­cu­ri­ty of sup­p­ly

Ensuring the security of supply is becoming an increasingly important political topic, especially with regard to health, nutrition, energy and mobility. We are experts in the quantitative method that can be used for performing social cost-benefit analyses. We determine how much different groups of the population are willing to pay for particular security of supply levels and what measures can realise them efficiently. In doing so, we examine the design, allocation and financing of these measures

Re­gu­la­to­ry eco­no­mics

We examine how different types of market regulations and market designs affect competition and regulated companies. Our analysis for the introduction or abolition of specific regulatory measures provides you with a well-founded basis for your decisions. We advise you regarding the best-practice implementation of price, incentive and cost regulations. We also advise you on appeals against conditions imposed by regulatory authorities.

Re­gu­la­to­ry im­pact ana­ly­sis

We use economically substantiated effect models to determine the impact of regulations on the relevant social groups and the interaction with the overall economy. With tailored tools, we evaluate how regulatory measures affect markets and consumer welfare. We check if alternative measures would meet the regulatory targets more effectively and efficiently and advise public authorities how to reduce the burden of regulations placed on SMEs.

Some of our projects

Primary electricity supply regulation

Electricity market, StromVG, ‘WAS’ model, Swiss Federal Office of Energy

Study for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy on the configuration of primary and backup supply in selected countries in light of liberalisation of the electricity market.

Swiss markets for technical data

Data economy, survey, competition economy, access regulation

Economic analysis of the way Swiss markets for technical data function, in consideration of the corporate landscape. By order of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

Regulation benchmarking

Regulation index, banking regulation, international comparison

Determining and structuring the financial market regulation of selected countries and comparing the effect on competition by means of benchmarking. On behalf of a Swiss think tank.

Regulation brake

Regulation brake, evaluation

Regulation brake in the Canton of Zurich Evaluation of the practicability of various regulation brake instruments.

Regulation impact assessment – energy

Scenario analysis, regulation design, Excel model

Creating an Excel model to assess the financial consequences of the regulatory framework on companies in the industry. On behalf of the Association of Austrian Electricity Companies, to serve as a basis for discussions with the regulatory authorities.

Regulatory impact analysis of a reference price system for generics

Regulation impact analysis, pharmaceuticals market, reference price system

Regulation impact analysis regarding the implementation of a reference price system in the Swiss market for patent-expired pharmaceuticals. Commissioned by the Federal Office of Public Health and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.

Regulation index – telecommunications

Price regulation, market entry regulation, country comparison

Creating a regulation density index for the telecommunications industry with a total of 41 indicators, for 32 countries, over 14 years. This index is used to investigate the impact of regulatory density on investment and innovation incentives of telecommunications companies.

Improvement of Swiss patent system

Patent system, international comparison, discussion with experts

Economic study of the Swiss patent system for the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. Developing reform proposals on the basis of international experience, structured expert interviews and an online survey.

Dr. Yves Schneider

Patrick Zenhäusern

Partners

Prof. Dr. Johannes M. Bauer, Michigan State University, USA - Dr. Wolfgang Briglauer, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria - Prof. Dr. Gert Brunekreeft, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany - Prof. Dr. Georg Götz, University of Giessen, Germany - Prof. Dr. Klaus Gugler, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria - Prof. Dr. Raul Katz, Columbia Business School, NY, USA - Prof. Dr. Mario Liebensteiner, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

Publications

Non-Im­ple­men­ta­ti­on of CBAM – Im­pli­ca­ti­ons for the Ce­ment In­dus­try and the En­vi­ron­ment

What impact will the renunciation of a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) have on the Swiss cement industry and thus on the achievement of Switzerland's net zero targets?A Swiss CBAM means that Swiss builders have to take CO₂ costs into account in all their cement purchasing options: they can either buy CO₂-free cement or the CO₂ content in the cement is internalised via the CBAM levy or through the purchase of emission certificates.Without a Swiss CBAM, or without other measures with a comparable effect, there is a risk that the cement industry or clinker production moving abroad. As long as builders are not willing to pay a significant premium for CO₂-free cement, CO₂-contaminated cement will continue to be used in Switzerland in future. This would jeopardise the achievement of the net-zero target.A Swiss CBAM does not protect the domestic cement industry. Builders can still import cement from Europe or third countries. However, since the same system of CO₂ emission rights exists in Europe and for imports from third countries, the CBAM surcharge at the border would create a level playing field for EU, non-EU and Swiss cement suppliers.

Par­ti­al re­vi­si­on of the Pa­tents Act (Re­gu­la­to­ry Im­pact Ana­ly­sis (RIA) II)

In the context of the consultation on the preliminary draft of the partial revision of the Federal Act on Patents for Inventions Act carried out in 2020/2021, the general idea of the introduction of a full examination is supported. However, the advantages of the existing system of partial examination should also be retained. Furthermore, it is suggested to dispense with an objection procedure and to allow a direct appeal to the Federal Patent Court (FPatC). We have carried out a further regulatory impact analysis on the correspondingly revised draft. An important result of this study is that, compared to the status quo, the new reform proposal would at most double the workload and thus the number of staff in the area of patent examination and granting at the IPI

Sys­tem sta­bi­li­ty and ef­fi­ci­en­cy: the con­tri­bu­ti­on of tra­ding to Switz­er­lan­d's elec­tri­ci­ty sup­p­ly sys­tem

The current political and economic developments in Europe have led to a strong dynamisation of the energy markets with historic price peaks. In the search for causes and measures, electricity trading and in particular the trading activities of large electricity producers are increasingly being questioned. In the report, we show how today's trading system came into being, how it works, what role electricity trading plays for system stability and for an efficient exchange of energy, and why a close link between production and trading is important in this context.