https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/antitrust-law/ Recent content in antitrust and competition law on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia Hugo en-US Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/antitrust-law/german-antitrust-law/ Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/antitrust-law/german-antitrust-law/ <h2 id="statutory-framework">Statutory Framework</h2> <p>German competition law is codified in the <strong>Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen (GWB)</strong> —the Act Against Restraints of Competition—first enacted in 1957 and regularly amended. The GWB operates alongside EU competition law, applying to conduct that does not satisfy the EU effect-on-trade criterion. The Federal Cartel Office (<strong>Bundeskartellamt</strong>), based in Bonn, is the principal enforcement authority, with a reputation as one of the most active and influential competition agencies in Europe. Appeals from Bundeskartellamt decisions lie to the <strong>Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf</strong> and, on points of law, to the <strong>Bundesgerichtshof</strong>.</p>