Acm.nl uses cookies to analyze how the website is used, and to improve the user experience. Read more about cookies

NMa follow-up monitoring: Ticket Service and TicketBox have complied with commitments

Ticket Service Netherlands and TicketBox have removed potentially anti-competitive provisions from contracts, according to follow-up monitoring results put forward by the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa). Parties involved in ticket pre-sales for concerts, sports events and dance parties have thus complied with commitments previously agreed upon with the competition authority. The majority of contracts did not pose any problems. Following the monitoring round, Ticket Service revised 11 out of the total of 86 contracts that had been subjected to the follow-up check. As a result of the changes consumers may buy tickets in novel ways, for instance via e-ticketing.

Since the revision of the contracts a year ago, event organisers are allowed to cooperate with other nation-wide ticket providers when selling tickets via Ticket Service and TicketBox. It has now become easier for those selling concert tickets, for instance, to compete on the basis of ticket prices: Ticket Service has removed the contract condition stipulating that retailers making use of certain channels of distribution (record shops, for instance) must pass on the same amount of service costs as would Ticket Service.

The NMa implements follow-up monitoring as a common means to verifying whether parties comply with commitments. In its audit report published in May this year, the Netherlands Audit Office recommended that the NMa continue its efforts in this regard. Follow-up monitoring prevents anti-competitive practices from recurring or remaining in place.