三部门发文规范互联网平台价格行为

Core Viewpoint - The release of the "Internet Platform Pricing Behavior Rules" marks a new phase of refined and normalized price regulation in China's platform economy, aiming to reshape the responsibilities and rights among platforms, merchants, and consumers, and promote a market focused on quality and service [1][5]. Summary by Sections Pricing Competition Order - The rules aim to standardize pricing competition, providing clear guidelines for platform operators and internal operators to foster a market order characterized by quality and fair competition [2]. - The rules protect the pricing autonomy of operators, ensuring that platform operators cannot impose unreasonable restrictions or conditions on the pricing behaviors of internal operators [2]. Consumer Rights Protection - The rules enforce clear pricing practices, promote transparency in dynamic and differential pricing, and regulate services like automatic payments to better protect consumers' rights to information and choice [2]. Detailed Regulations - The rules detail six specific norms regarding pricing competition, focusing on maintaining order, clarifying pricing integrity, and prohibiting unfair pricing practices such as predatory pricing, price discrimination, collusion, price gouging, and fraud [2]. Implementation Timeline - The implementation date for the rules is set for April 10, 2026, allowing time for platform operators to align their internal compliance systems with the new regulations [3]. - During the interim period, major platform operators will conduct self-assessments against the regulatory requirements and enhance their internal rules to comply with the new standards [3]. Industry Self-Regulation - The relevant regulatory bodies will guide industry associations to strengthen self-regulation and ensure the effective implementation of the rules [4]. Expected Positive Impacts - The rules are anticipated to purify the market competition environment, curb unfair pricing practices, and create a fair competitive space for small and medium-sized operators, thereby stimulating market innovation [5]. - They will protect consumer rights and prevent practices like data-driven price discrimination, enhancing consumer trust in a transparent pricing environment [5]. - The rules will guide the transformation of the platform industry, encouraging investment in technological innovation, service upgrades, and quality improvements, facilitating a shift from scale expansion to quality enhancement [5].