The German Competition Authority rules against market division and information exchange in the sand-lime brick sector (KS-Quadro)

Summary On 14 February 2008 the Bundeskartellamt upheld an earlier decision ruling against market division and information exchange of German sand-lime brick producers. In its earlier decision, July 2003, the Bundeskartellamt prohibited a license system according to which licensees were restricted to market lime-stone bricks under trade marks “KS-Quadro“ and “KS-QuadroE” in certain, non-overlapping, market areas. In addition the license agreement involved the exchange of sales volume information and Know How. The decision became effective by the end of 2007. In December 2007 the licenser, KS-Quadro Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, applied for a cancellation of the Bundeskartellamt's 2003 decision as the factual and legal backgrounds had changed and the license system proofed highly