The Data and Economic Analysis Team, established in the autumn of 2023, completed its first full year of operation in 2024. There are three members in the team. The unit operates horizontally within the organisation, serving both the Regulatory and the Competition Division based on the Authority’s priorities.
The high-priority tasks of the Data and Economic Analysis Team include implementing new software solutions to enhance the efficiency of the Authority. These solutions also aim to improve the collection and processing of information.
In 2024, the unit conducted several analyses, the most notable of which were the analyses of the public charging infrastructure for light vehicles and the waste transport market, and a brief analysis of the orthodontic services market.
The analysis of the public charging infrastructure for light vehicles showed that the infrastructure is developing primarily only in larger localities and there is a strong competition for position. The aim of the analysis was to create a broad overview of the functioning of the Estonian public charging infrastructure market and to identify bottlenecks affecting effective and fair competition.
The analysis of the waste management market mapped trends in the waste transport market in recent years, barriers to market entry and potential barriers to competition. The analysis showed that the market is moving from a duopolistic to a monopolistic market. The general decline in profitability in the waste transport market and the financial performance of operators point to price pressure in public procurement, which may force waste transport operators to use austerity when bidding and performing contracts. This situation often leads to problems with the quality of service and hampers the development of the market, as it allows operators with a large market share to consolidate their position and operators with a smaller market share to be driven out of the market.
A brief analysis of the orthodontic services market, which focused on the general trends over the past ten years and on the current competitive situation, found that orthodontic services are undersupplied in Estonia. The analysis revealed that the situation where the number of orthodontists has remained at the same level in the last ten years and the number of patients has multiplied has led to long waiting lists and market failure, which reduces the welfare of society.
Subtopics:
Analysis of public charging infrastructure for light vehicles