Tag: rocan

Supermarket mergers and the question of incremental consolidation

Earlier this week, the German Federal Cartel Office cleared Edeka's acquisition of 178 Tegut supermarket stores subject to divestiture commitments (see also our earlier post). The decision might not be a landmark merger control case but the discussion that followed offers an interesting opportunity to revisit a question that competition regulators increasingly face: How should … Continue reading Supermarket mergers and the question of incremental consolidation →

When Cooperation Comes with Conditions: Lessons from the TCA’s Decision Concerning the Gherkin Hybrid Seed Sector

Mustafa AYNA, Selim TURAN, Yavuz YILDIZ, Ceren ÖZER, ACTECON Leniency is not a “file-and-forget” exercise. For companies considering whether to approach the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA or the Authority), the real test starts after the leniency application is filed. The TCA’s decision (the Decision) concerning the hybrid fruit and vegetable seed sector makes that point … Continue reading When Cooperation Comes with Conditions: Lessons from the TCA’s Decision Concerning the Gherkin Hybrid Seed Sector →

Regulatory Cooperation: One Practice, Several Regulators

Last week, the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) declared commitments offered by Apple regarding its Apple Tracking Transparency Framework (ATTF) binding, thereby concluding proceedings which were initiated in 2022. At first sight, this may look like another Big Tech case. But the case is also interesting for another reason: The same practice by Apple has … Continue reading Regulatory Cooperation: One Practice, Several Regulators →

Competition Law 2025 – the Bundeskartellamt’s annual report is here

Earlier this week, the Bundeskartellamt (FCO) published its annual report covering 2025 and early 2026. If there was a single theme running through the FCO’s 2025/26 Annual Report, it is this: Competition policy is no longer confined to traditional antitrust questions. It has become a tool for managing geopolitical shocks, digital gatekeepers, energy security, AI-driven … Continue reading Competition Law 2025 – the Bundeskartellamt’s annual report is here →

Chocolate, borders, and the Single Market: Why the Commission’s new raids matter

The European Commission’s announcement about dawn raids in the chocolate confectionery sector on Monday (!!) this week may appear, at first glance, like a normal enforcement move. But there might be more. Once again, it seems as if Brussels is signalling that restrictions on cross‑border trade inside the EU remain politically toxic and legally unforgivable … Continue reading Chocolate, borders, and the Single Market: Why the Commission’s new raids matter →

News on parity clauses: platform power and the Energiewende

Price comparison platforms have become essential infrastructure for energy consumers – and now, one of the largest is being forced to change its business practices. The German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) announced earlier this week that it has accepted binding commitments from Check24 to abandon price parity clauses in its contracts with energy suppliers. The … Continue reading News on parity clauses: platform power and the Energiewende →

FDI in Europe: Open for business, screening for security?

I admit – I like numbers, and the European Commission’s fifth annual report on foreign direct investment screening is packed with them. But since not all readers share my enthusiasm for statistics, this post highlights the most striking observations. Last month, the European Commission (Commission) published its fifth annual report on foreign direct investment (FDI) … Continue reading FDI in Europe: Open for business, screening for security? →