Using of Consumer Surplus for the Assessment of Antitrust Effectiveness

The dissertation presents a step-by-step measurement of consumer surpluses from the elimination and prevention of various violations of antitrust laws. The criteria for the effectiveness of the antimonopoly policy in the UK and in Russia are described, and their comparison is carried out. The calculation method used in The Competition and Market Authority (UK) is given. Its application is reproduced on the example of the cartel in-vestigation revealed by the FAS Russia in 2017. The resulting surplus is compared with the value of the average consumer surplus, calculated on the basis of the amount of fines collected and the number of cases initiated. The structure of law enforcement by the FAS Russia in the context of the saved surpluses is recognized as suboptimal. Next, a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of antitrust policy measures is carried out using the "difference in differences" method: the contribution of the FAS to the change in the prices of violators is investigated. Based on the obtained estimates and data on the volume of sales of goods, consumer surpluses are calculated from the investigation of two types of violations – the conclusion of anticompetitive agreements and abuse of a dominant position, as well as from the prevention of violations by issuing warnings. Extrapolation of surpluses to the entire set of cases for the year, and comparison of the total benefits for the year with the FAS budget showed that the level of effectiveness of the antimonopoly policy in Russia is not inferior to the policy in the UK