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Author: Christian Kersting

AGENDA 2025: Reform of Cartel Damages Law

AGENDA 2025: Reform of Cartel Damages Law

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This article is part of the D’Kart Spotlights: AGENDA 2025, in which experts from academia and practice comment on aspects of the Competition Policy Agenda presented by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The contributions already published can be found here. Cartel Damages Law is also part of the agenda of the BMWK. Christian Kersting takes this opportunity to adress the issues of the Antitrust Damages Directive. The Competition Policy Agenda of the Federal Ministry for Economic…

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Children liable for their parents! Up- and down-stream liability within the economic unit

Children liable for their parents! Up- and down-stream liability within the economic unit

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There is news about group liability in competition law. After Skanska, the next case to catch the ECJ’s attention is Sumal. Advocate General Giovanni Pitruzzella has just given his opinion. Christian Kersting and Jannik Otto report. Background The ECJ clarified in Skanska (Case C-724/17) that it is the undertaking itself, i.e. the economic unit, that infringes competition law. This led the Court to the conclusion that there is also successor liability, meaning that the legal successor of the infringer is…

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Big Bang in Dortmund: Offhand Free Estimation of Cartel Damages

Big Bang in Dortmund: Offhand Free Estimation of Cartel Damages

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The Regional Court of Dortmund caused a stir again. Most recently we reported here on the court’s decision on the right of the undertaking to claim damages itself. This time it was about the estimation of the amount of damages caused by cartels. Christian Kersting classifies the verdict. It is a well-known fact that it is hard to quantify cartel damages. German courts are very aware of this fact, which led to a surge of preliminary decisions on the merits…

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Regional Court Dortmund: Right to claim damages for the undertaking itself?!

Regional Court Dortmund: Right to claim damages for the undertaking itself?!

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Things are not getting quiet in cartel damages law. Recently the LG Dortmund has ruled on the liability of sister companies. In our blog this was discussed here. In a brand-new decision the court has now also commented on the right of the undertaking to claim damages itself. Christian Kersting reports. Ever since the ECJ’s decision in Skanska (ECJ, dec. of March 14, 2019, C-724/17) it should be clear that the “undertaking” and its constituent parts are liable for competition…

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German Premiere: Dortmund Court on Group Liability

German Premiere: Dortmund Court on Group Liability

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Damages claims remain a hot topic for many European courts. In this blog, we follow the tricky issues regarding the liability of corporate groups in such cases with some dedication. Christian Kersting and Hans-Markus Wagener report that the District Court of Dortmund, an important forum for such claims, handed down a decision that will spark new debates in Germany. Civil liability for violations of EU competition law is keeping national civil courts increasingly busy. Whenever they have to decide in…

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Neues vom BGH zu der Frage, was passiert, wenn es trotz teurer Compliancesysteme zu Kartellrechtsverstößen gekommen ist.
Compliancesysteme als mildernder Umstand? Neues vom BGH

Compliancesysteme als mildernder Umstand? Neues vom BGH

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Verstöße gegen das Kartellrecht sind extrem teuer. Es liegt daher im Interesse der Unternehmen, solche Verstöße zu vermeiden – auch wegen einer potentiellen Organhaftung. Aus diesem Grund werden Compliancesysteme eingerichtet, die auf die Verhinderung von Rechtsverstößen, insbesondere von Kartellrechtsverstößen, gerichtet sind. Sind diese Systeme erfolgreich und verhindern tatsächlich Rechtsverstöße, so hat sich der betriebene (erhebliche) Aufwand gelohnt. Was aber, wenn es trotz eines teuren Compliancesystems zu Kartellrechtsverstößen gekommen ist? War dann alles umsonst? Vertrauen ist schlecht, Kontrolle ist schlimmer? Für…

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Das BAG entscheidet zur Organhaftung im Schienenkartell.
Organhaftung für Kartellbußgelder: Zurück auf Los!

Organhaftung für Kartellbußgelder: Zurück auf Los!

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Kartellanten drohen hohe Kartellbußen. Nachdem der Kartellverstoß aufgedeckt und das Bußgeld von der Gesellschaft bezahlt wurde, stellt sich die Frage nach dem Regress gegen die Organmitglieder, welche entweder für das Kartell selbst verantwortlich waren oder ihrer Überwachungsaufgabe nicht hinreichend nachgekommen sind. Mit dieser Frage der Organhaftung im Schienenkartell haben sich in den letzten Jahren die Arbeitsgerichte auseinandergesetzt – zu Unrecht, wie das BAG gestern entschied. Was war passiert? ThyssenKrupp versucht seit einigen Jahren, den Geschäftsführer einer Tochtergesellschaft für einen Kartellverstoß dieser…

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