Regulatory Authorities

Regulators exist in the areas of energy, electricity and gas (E-Control), Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR - Rundfunk & Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH and KommAustria, PCK and TKK), and railroads (Schienenkontroll GmbH SCG). These "special competition authorities" have been introduced for those industries in which liberalization processes were in recent years in progress.  In these areas, (natural) monopolies partially persist. With the exception of applications for merger approval, merger control regulators may appeal in antitrust law court proceedings.

Concerning the application of Competition Law, the Austrian Competition Authority has to work to ensure consistency with the decisions of regulators. According to the principles of data protection, the competition authority is allowed to give regulators information that they need to perform their duties.

The financial market supervision is a separate independent regulatory authority in the field of banking and insurance.