Merger control limits the freedom in company mergers, as the concentration of economic power may endanger competition.

Through a system of compulsory registration acceptable mergers also need to be registered on a regular basis. Adherence to the law of merger control is a necessary part of all transactions within a company and is therefore an integral part of our practice in relation to company transactions. We carry out the required registration in the Federal Cartel Office or the European Commission. We also advise companies who seek to prevent mergers of other companies; in the landmark E.ON/Ruhrgas case, for example, we represented parties summoned before the ministry and complainants before the Higher Regional Court Düsseldorf.

Contact persons in this area are Dr. Ines Zenke (Berlin), Dr. Christian Theobald (Berlin) and Matthias Albrecht (Munich).