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Tag: Bundeskartellamt

The 11th Amendment to the ARC and Germany’s New Competition Tool

The 11th Amendment to the ARC and Germany’s New Competition Tool

PDF-Version: Click here Suggested Citation: Wagner-von Papp, DKartJ 2023, 22-33 On 5 April 2023, the German government, represented by Robert Habeck (Vice Chancellor and Minister for the Economy and Climate Protection, The Greens) and Marco Buschmann (Minister for Justice, Liberal Democrats (FDP)) unveiled the Government Bill (RegE in German) to reform the Act against Restraints of Competition (ARC) in a press conference [in German, but subtitles can be auto-translated]. In the press conference, Vice Chancellor Habeck called the reform the…

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AGENDA 2025: Germany and competition in the digital markets – pioneering role or offside position?

AGENDA 2025: Germany and competition in the digital markets – pioneering role or offside position?

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. The German Federal Cartel Office has made a name for itself enforcing antitrust law in the digital economy. Christian Karbaum wonders whether it can fulfill this role under the DMA as well. The Bundeskartellamt [Federal Cartel Office] and…

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Competition policy agenda of the BMWK until 2025

Competition policy agenda of the BMWK until 2025

High-ranking visitor in Bonn: The new German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck made his “inaugural visit” to the Federal Cartel Office in Bonn today, Monday, February 21, 2022. Habeck is the first Green minister to hold this office. He was accompanied by State Secretary Sven Giegold and Head of Department Philipp Steinberg – Giegold, a high-profile thinker of the Green Party, moved to Berlin from the European Parliament, and had previously dealt with competition policy….

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Sustainability under Article 101 (3) TFEU

Sustainability under Article 101 (3) TFEU

Does DG COMP increasingly communicate like a Central Bank? A newsletter here, a subtle hint or comment at a Q&A session there? If high hopes of more ESG (Environment – Social – Governance) elements in the analysis under Article 101 (3) were an exchange traded item, Thursday last week could have been a day with increased selling activity. Thomas Lübbig discusses the last developments. Sustainability – More than a Weasel Word? Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager delivered her keynote address at…

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Conference Debriefing (26): WuW70

Conference Debriefing (26): WuW70

In 1951, seven years before the German competition act entered into force, WuW was founded, the oldest German competition law journal. The editors (of which our reporter is one) staged a conference in Berlin to mark the 70thanniversary – with awards, expected honoraries and unusual suspects. If you want to have an idea how these Germans think about antitrust, Rupprecht Podszun has a Conference Debriefing for you! Name of Event: “70 Years Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb – Join the Future of Competition” – it was…

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SSNIPpets (36): Close of business

SSNIPpets (36): Close of business

Christmas trees are close to be lit, December cookies have to be eaten before being too hard, time for last minute gift shopping is running out, and the essential question for the antitrust lawyer is which merger case you still have to get through in 2019 or which damage claims you still have to file by the end of the month. This newsletter provides important information on this – it is most probably the last one this year. Before close…

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GWB10: Geplante Änderungen im Kartellbußgeldrecht

GWB10: Geplante Änderungen im Kartellbußgeldrecht

Der Referentenentwurf zur 10. GWB-Novelle sieht neben einer Modernisierung der Missbrauchsaufsicht, einer partiellen Überarbeitung der Vorschriften zur Fusionskontrolle und einigen Nachschärfungen im Kartellschadensersatzrecht auch erhebliche Änderungen im Kartellbußgeldrecht vor. Rechtsanwalt Dr. Maximilian Janssen stellt einige der wichtigsten geplanten Neuerungen in diesem Bereich vor. Die Ausführungen beziehen sich auf die Entwurfsfassung des Referentenentwurfs vom 07.10.2019, 18:14 Uhr (verfügbar zum Download hier). Neustrukturierung der §§ 81 ff. GWB Im Zuge der Umsetzung der Richtlinie (EU) 2019/1 sieht der Referentenentwurf (RefE) eine grundlegende Neustrukturierung…

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Quo vadis Vertical BER? – The Bundeskartellamt’s Background Paper

Quo vadis Vertical BER? – The Bundeskartellamt’s Background Paper

The Bundeskartellamt just held its annual meeting with professors and judges, this time discussing the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation. In preparation, the German authority issued a background paper. Florian Wagner-von Papp read the paper. Here is his report! A note from the editor: On Monday, we posted a synopsis and translation of some important rules in the draft bill (GWB-Referentenentwurf) in our blog. There were a few mistakes in that document that we have now corrected. Apologies. We kindly ask…

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Conference Debriefing (7): International Competition Conference Berlin

Conference Debriefing (7): International Competition Conference Berlin

Every two years the competition community meets in Berlin upon invitation by the Bundeskartellamt. This year, the stage was set for good entertainment: Peter Altmaier, the German Minister for Economic Affairs with a taste for industrial policy, was to face Andreas Mundt and Margrethe Vestager, both of them global champions of enforcement. Yet, as Rupprecht Podszun found out, two other speakers stole the headlines. Here is his Conference Debriefing! Name of Conference: 19th International Competition Conference, known as “IKK” for…

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