As some of you may have seen on social media, I had the opportunity to attend the European Competition Lawyers Association (ECLA) conference in Mallorca last week. One of the case studies discussed during the event sparked the idea for this post: It focused on non-poach agreements within the context of cooperations, such as subcontracting … Continue reading Are non-poach agreements in cooperations in line with competition law? A few observations. →

We have all been there: Searching for a specific product or brand on an online search engine, only to see competitive products or brands pop up in the search results. As a dedicated antitrust practitioner with a clear goal in mind (which is why you are reading this blog), this might not affect you. However, … Continue reading Whoever seeks will (not) find →

Recently, we have summarized the positions of various political parties in Germany regarding the upcoming election, which will be held this Sunday (see here). Although neither antitrust nor FDI are likely to be decisive factors for voters, I have examined the parties' stances on FDI. To provide some context, this post first summarises the latest … Continue reading German Foreign Investment Control: Recent Statistics and Future Outlook →

You wonder why my last Christmas story did not make it a movie (yet)? I do too. Last year, readers of our blog got to know Lotte, the smart and successful competition lawyer, who moved to the charming small town of Uppervalley to take over her grandfather's little law firm. As you might recall, Lotte … Continue reading How antitrust saves Christmas (again) →

The (extended) pre-Christmas season is always a busy time, leaving little room for writing a new blog (and I've also been working on the sequel to my Christmas story for weeks). However, I did not want to miss the chance to briefly summarize the key points of the Teva decision by the Commission – after … Continue reading Pay (a fine) for delay →

At the beginning of this month, the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) released its 160-page report on its sector inquiry into the provision and marketing of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Before you stop reading right away because you are still fully committed to combustion engine cars for the next decade anyway - don't. The … Continue reading No power without charging   →

Last week, the European Commission released its findings from the evaluation of so-called Regulation 1/2003 and Regulation 773/2004, which have been in effect since May 2004. In a comprehensive 270-page report, the Commission offers an in-depth overview of the application of the regulations, which basically regulate cartel and abuse of dominance proceedings in the EU, … Continue reading 20 years in numbers →

It's been almost exactly two years since we last blogged about information exchange (see here). We have been desperately waiting for an opportunity to revisit this topic dear to our heart, and the ECJ has now provided us with one. In its decision of 29 July 2024 (C‑298/22), the ECJ addresses the exchange of information … Continue reading Another update on information exchange?! →

This week, the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) unconditionally cleared the acquisition of Olink by Thermo Fisher after an in-depth review of the case. While the parties and lawyers involved might be (well-deservedly) popping champagne corks, I would like to use this case to highlight some trends in German merger control (and beyond). What is … Continue reading An exception or the first of many? →

Co-authored by Marcel Döhren In times of economic turmoil and disruption, Germany, and other countries across the globe, face an increasing number of insolvencies. With a company’s existence at stake, timely investments are often vital to saving a company in financial trouble. Foreign investment control adds to the complexity of insolvency proceedings. Below, we provide … Continue reading Foreign investment control in insolvency proceedings – some things to keep in mind →