Economic Intelligence Unit

The Economic Intelligence Unit (UIE) is the CNMC unit in charge of applying statistics and artificial intelligence to improve the ex officio detection of anti-competitive practices.

One of the most obvious trends in recent years is the exponential growth in the volume of information available and therefore the development of new tools for data analysis and processing.

The competition authorities, far from remaining unconcerned with this new reality, are adapting their structures and instruments to take advantage of these new developments through the creation of Intelligence Units.

In addition, the Unit supports the decision making of the Competition Directorate by analysing data through business intelligence tools as well as improving the effectiveness of inspections, e.g. by obtaining information with OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) techniques. In the same way, it analyses behaviours derived from this new reality, such as algorithmic collusion.

Finally, the UIE is the CNMC unit in charge of the competition whistleblower programme, for which it provides various channels for anonymous citizen collaboration, which allows it to become aware of indications of anti-competitive practices while maintaining the anonymity and confidentiality of this collaboration at all times.