轴辐协议兼具横向和纵向经济关系的复合结构对传统垄断协议二分架构形成较大冲击,在其规制方面,我国现行反垄断法面临很大挑战亦受到诸多质疑,轴辐协议成为困扰反垄断理论和实务界的难题。正因如此,从反垄断法的修订到具体经济领域、行业指南的制定,轴辐协议都成为关注的焦点之一。随着平台经济的蓬勃发展,平台经济领域的反垄断问题受到世界主要反垄断辖区竞争监管机构的普遍关注,加强平台经济领域的反垄断、促进公平竞争也是当前我国反垄断的政策要求。《国务院反垄断委员会关于平台经济领域的反垄断指南》率先引入了轴辐协议概念,为平台经济领域轴辐协议的反垄断规制提供了指引。一方面,平台经济的商业模式和竞争生态比较复杂,独特的市场结构、竞争特点和运行模式使得轴辐协议在该领域呈现出一些新的特点。与此同时,一系列新的竞争要素又对平台经济领域轴辐协议的达成和实施产生复杂影响,这些新特点和新问题亟需重视。另一方面,平台经济的新模式、新特点和新技术的应用并未彻底颠覆反垄断法的基本分析框架,我国反垄断法的基本原则、研究框架、规制体系仍可适用。所以,对平台经济领域轴辐协议的分析和规制仍应立足于“轴心—辐条—轮辋”结构和运行机理,明确其构成要件、分析原则,厘清其与其他垄断协议和滥用市场支配地位行为的关系。与此同时,在规制平台经济领域轴辐协议的过程中,应该在反垄断法修订的大背景下,明晰相关条文的法律意旨和规范目的,在做好与现行法律法规和行业指南相衔接的同时,有必要结合平台经济的市场状况、运行模式和技术特点,加深对平台经济领域轴辐协议的认识,关注相关竞争要素,增强执法的针对性。根据有关轴辐协议规制的现有研究,本文赞成参照协同行为解决平台经济领域轴辐协议的规制问题,在分析平台经济中的轴辐结构安排和轴辐意思联络方式的基础上,提出相应的证据要求、证明标准和证明责任分配建议。在落实反垄断法规定和细化行业指南方面,本文建议创新监管方法和规制思路,进一步充实监管力量,形成政府规制、平台自治和社会力量协同治理的多元共治结构,妥善处理好鼓励创新与竞争监管的关系,促进平台经济健康发展。
The composite structure of hub-and-spoke agreements, which incorporates horizontal and vertical economic relations, has greatly impacted on the dichotomous structure of traditional monopoly agreements. With regard to relevant regulations, the current Anti-monopoly Law in China has faced great challenges and been questioned in many aspects. Therefore, hub-and-spoke agreements have become one of the focal points from the revision of the Anti-monopoly Law to specific economic fields and the formulation of guidelines for certain industries.With the vigorous development of the platform economy, anti-monopoly issues therein have aroused extensive attention from competition regulators in major anti-monopoly jurisdictions around the world. Meanwhile, strengthening anti-monopoly in the platform economy and promoting fair competitions are also the current policy requirements in China. The Anti-monopoly Guidelines on the Platform Economy issued by Anti-monopoly Commission of the State Council has firstly introduced the concept of hub-and-spoke agreements, which provides methods and guidelines for the anti-monopoly regulations on hub-and-spoke agreements in the platform economy. On the one hand, the business models and competitive ecology of the platform economy are relatively complicated, and the unique market structure, competitive features and operation modes motivate the hub-and-spoke agreements to present some new characteristics in this field. At the same time, a range of new competitive elements are exerting a complex impact on the conclusion and implementation of hub-and-spoke agreements in the platform economy, and these new features and issues require urgent attention. On the other hand, the application of new models, features and technologies of the platform economy have not completely overturned the basic analytical framework of Anti-monopoly Law. And the basic principles, research framework and regulatory system of China’s Anti-monopoly Law can still be applied. Therefore, the analyses and regulations of hub-and-spoke agreements in the platform economy should continue to base on the structure and operation mechanism in the form of “hub-spoke-rim” and clarify their constituent elements, analytical principles as well as their relationship with other monopoly agreements and abuse of dominant market position. At the same time, in the process of regulating hub-and-spoke agreements in the platform economy, the legal intent and regulatory purpose of the relevant provisions should be clarified in the context of the revision of the Anti-monopoly Law. While effectively aligning existing laws, regulations and industry guidelines, it is necessary to deepen the understanding of spokes agreements in the platform economy in combination with the market conditions, operating models and technical characteristics of the platform economy, to focus on the relevant competitive elements and to enhance the pertinence of law enforcement. According to the existing studies on the regulations of hub-and-spoke agreements, this thesis favors addressing the regulation of hub-and-spoke agreements in the platform economy with reference to collaborative behavior and puts forward corresponding evidential requirements, standards of proof and allocation of the burden of proof, relying on the analysis of the structural arrangement and the way of meaning contact of hub-and-spoke in the platform economy. In terms of implementing the provisions of the Anti-monopoly Law and refining the industry guidelines, this thesis recommends innovative regulatory methods and paths, further enriching the regulatory force, forming a pluralistic and co-regulatory structure of government regulation, platform autonomy and social forces, properly handling the relationship between encouraging innovation and competition regulations, and contributing to the healthy development of the platform economy.