Information - Services - Formalities by subjects - Takeovers and mergers - Kartellrechtliche Besonderheiten - Antitrust Supervision; Dominant Companies - Dienstleistungsportal Bayern

Description

Antitrust supervision of market-dominant companies comprises two core areas:

• Abuse supervision of the pricing of market-dominant companies:
  These companies may not demand prices that exceed those that would result from effective competition.
• Enforcement of the prohibition of discrimination and obstruction under antitrust law:
  Market-dominant and market-strong companies may not treat similar companies differently without an objective reason and may not exploit their market power to unreasonably obstruct other companies in their competitive opportunities.

Competent authorities:

Insofar as the effects of the conduct complained of in Germany do not extend beyond the State of Bavaria: Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.

Otherwise, the Federal Cartel Office, and in the case of Europe-wide effects, also the European Commission (Directorate-General for Competition) are responsible.

Legal bases

• § 18 Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen (GWB)

  "Marktbeherrschung"

• § 19 Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen (GWB)

  "Verbotenes Verhalten von marktbeherrschenden Unternehmen"

• § 20 Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen (GWB)

  "Verbotenes Verhalten von Unternehmen mit relativer oder überlegener Marktmacht"

Links to more information

• Bayerische Landeskartellbehörde

Related issues

• Prohibition of cartels; Exempted agreements
• Prohibition of cartels; prosecution of violations