Rupprecht Podszun

About ten years ago, “IP and competition law” was the hottest ticket in antitrust town. The relevant cases decided in those days had it all: Well-known companies, very sophisticated legal issues, and authorities that were willing to intervene vigorously in the field of intellectual property law. Ever since, the situation has changed considerably. It seems that high hopes for curing the (alleged) diseases of intellectual property laws, as diagnosed by competition experts, with the tools of antitrust law have subsided. Reviewing the case law of the past years it seems that there has been relative calm in the field with several notable exceptions. This assessment, however, may be misleading. The debates have moved forward into new directions, and while competition lawyers no longer seem to believe in radical changes, IP and competition still have an important interplay. Both disciplines share the aim of promoting innovation in the economy. In times when innovation is a buzzword in economic, legal and political debates, it is essential to get the best out of both worlds. This will be all the more important with a view to the Internet of Things where IP issues and competition law remedies will be instrumental.