For the first time, the European Commission has a female President. Even more exciting: her family roots. From an antitrust point of view, however, this is just one of far too many news this week. Summer break seems to be approaching, so much is going on again. Rupprecht Podszun has seen the news, here are his SSNIPpets – small but significant news, information and pleasantries – our pet project! Daddy Cool The European Commission has a new boss. Ursula von…
Just back from Aix-en-Provence, where the very fundamental eternital questions of antitrust law were discussed, Rupprecht Podszun finds himself again in exciting day-to-day business. Shortly before summer break – as is so often the case at this time of year – everything is running hot. We sort the most important and the most beautiful for you – here are the SSNIPpets, small but significant news, information and pleasantries – our pet project! The three Ministers: Proposals for EU Antitrust Law…
This was the hottest conference you could possibly imagine in antitrust. Literally: 42 degrees Celsius in Aix-en-Provence when ASCOLA met. ASCOLA is the Academic Society for Competition Law – it is the organisation where antitrust researchers from around the world meet once a year to explain to each other what they found out. Rupprecht Podszun was cooked (if not grilled) there, too. Here is his Conference Debriefing! Name of Conference: 14th ASCOLA Conference Location: Université Aix-Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, France Host: ASCOLA,…
During Whitsun week, Germany is always a bit in a holiday mode – especially when the weather is as it is. Rupprecht Podszun, however, keeps an eagly eye in any weather, so that nothing gets lost from the antitrust world. In his SSNIPpets today you have a chance to win big– so give it a read! Here are the SSNIPpets – small but significant news, information and pleasantries – our pet project! This is an English translation. You may find…
‘Most favoured nation’ clauses have been an antitrust battlefield for years with disputes in many European countries. Now the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court has decided in favour of a hotel booking platform in its Booking.com-decision. The case concerns narrow ‘most favoured nation’ clauses in agreements between hotel booking platforms and hotels. Adrian Deuschle reports. Narrow and wide MFN-clauses Booking.com brokers hotel rooms to consumers. If a consumer does the booking with Booking, the platform earns a commission of 10-15 %…
Commissioner Vestager gives us a break after the European elections. She is antichambering her own affairs, so antitrust enforcement has been postponed for a few days. This gives Rupprecht Podszun the opportunity to look through the pile of paper on his virtual desk, which has grown far too high. Here are his SSNIPpets – small but significant news, information and pleasantries – our pet project! Market dominance Two observations on the European elections, since this was a competition : Several…
Premierenfieber in Berlin: Zum ersten Mal seit Änderung von § 42 GWB wurde ein Hearing zur Ministererlaubnis veranstaltet. Der Fall ist brisant, denn zwei europäische Mittelständler wollen gegen den Widerstand des Kartellamts fusionieren, um so etwas wie ein “European Champion” zu werden. Ein Fall für Altmaier! Für D’Kart berichtet Niklas Andree von dem außergewöhnlichen Termin im Bundeswirtschaftsministerium. Art der Veranstaltung: Öffentliche mündliche Verhandlung im Ministererlaubnisverfahren Miba/Zollern (§ 56 Abs. 3 S. 3 GWB) Ort & Zeit: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, Berlin, 20. Mai 2019…
In the 2019 European Parliament election, friends of antitrust law are looking forward to one question in particular: Are we seeing Margrethe Vestager again as the next President of the European Commission? That, however, is so speculative that we are entering more secure territory: Election promises. Maximilian Konrad has reviewed the party programmes for those for whom voting advice apps have too few questions on competition policy. Brexit, refugee crisis, right-wing populism, euro crisis – there is no shortage of…
Es gibt einen Buzzzzz in Berlin. Den gibt es immer, aber jetzt gibt es ihn für die 10. GWB-Novelle, die in den Hinterzimmern entsprechend vorwärts getrieben wird. In Berlin traf sich auf Einladung der Grünen Bundestagsfraktion nun eine illustre Runde, um über ein digitales Kartellrecht zu diskutieren. Lucas Gasser, Doktorand bei Professor Rupprecht Podszun, berichtet. Art der Veranstaltung: Fachgespräch der Bundestagsfraktion von Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Ort & Zeit: Regierungsviertel, Berlin-Mitte, 8. Mai 2019 Gastgeber: Die Bundestagsfraktion von Bündnis 90/Die Grünen,…
The proposals to change European merger control, in particular with a view to paving the way for national and European champions, keep irritating the competition law community. This week, the Financial Times published an Open Letter signed by 92 practitioners from law firms and economic consultancies and academics. D’Kart documents this contribution to the debate – with thanks to Vanessa Turner who started the initiative. The recent Franco-German proposals to potentially soften and/or politicize competition enforcement in the EU continue…