The Norwegian competition authority, Konkurransetilsynet, has announced the allocation of two million kroner in funding for three research projects aimed at enhancing understanding of competition law. A total of eight projects submitted applications for the grants.

Karin Stakkestad Laastad, the legal director, expressed satisfaction with the number of applications received. She noted that the funded projects will provide valuable insights into merger control, Norwegian case law in competition law, and competition in the housing loan market.

The three projects receiving funding include:

1. Samfunns- og næringslivsforskning AS (SNF) has been awarded 1,225,752 kroner for the project titled “Merger Control in Dynamic Markets.” Led by Professor Lars Sørgard from the Norwegian School of Economics, this project aims to analyze issues related to merger control when an established company acquires a newcomer. It is expected to result in two research articles for international journals and a policy article for a Norwegian publication.

2. Anders Ryssdal has received 265,000 kroner for the project “An Analysis of Supreme Court Rulings in Competition Cases.” This project will examine five Supreme Court rulings in competition cases to identify general lessons and common features in Norwegian competition law. It is planned to produce a research article in Norwegian and a shorter version for international publication.

3. Menon Economics has been granted 480,000 kroner for the project “Local Competition and Consumer Behavior in the Housing Loan Market.” Led by Senior Manager Katrine Holm Reiso, this project will utilize detailed panel data to study how relocation affects market structure and switching behavior in the housing loan market. The outcome will include a research article and an opinion piece.