On 26 March 2015, the European Commissioner in charge of competition policy, Margrethe Vestager, announced a potential competition inquiry in the e-commerce sector. According to the Commission, the proposed inquiry is aimed at identifying and resolving cross-border barriers to e-commerce in (...)

Cartel Damage Claims, a Belgian SPV for the collection of follow-on damages in antitrust litigation, has lost an appeal against six members of the so-called German cement cartel. On 18 February 2015, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf upheld a judgment of the Regional Court of Düsseldorf (...)

On November 24, 2011 the German Federal High Court (Bundesgerichtshof) published its decision in the ORWI case. The claimant, a German savings bank, brought a claim for damages against a carbonless paper manufacturer, that were ceded to him by ORWI, a manufacturer of pre-printed forms. Claimant (...)

The German Federal Court of Justice (the Bundesgerichtshof or “BGH”) in its decision dated April 20, 2010 held that the intended acquisition by Swiss Phonak Holding (today Sonova Holding AG, hereinafter referred to as “Phonak”) of GN ReSound-Group (“GN ReSound”) from the Danish firm GN Store Nord A/S (...)

Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt), Press release of 08 February 2007 () On 6 February 2007 the German Federal Cartel Office announced that it had imposed an administrative fine in the amount of EUR 300,000 on Rossmann, the leading German drugstore chain, for alleged sales below the (...)

The German Bundeskartellamt rendered a significant decision on the obligation of franchisors to share purchasing advantages with franchisees the 8th May 2006. Praktiker is a leading German DIY-store chain. While the majority of Praktiker chain stores are owned by Praktiker, a small number of (...)