Prof. Dr. Rupprecht Podszun new member of the Monopolies Commission – Term of Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kühling ends
The German government has appointed Prof. Dr. Rupprecht Podszun as a member of the Monopolies Commission for a term from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028.
New Commission member Rupprecht Podszun has held the Chair of Civil Law, German and European Competition Law at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf since 2016 and is a director of the Institute for Competition Law. From 2013 to 2016, he held the Chair of Civil Law, Intellectual Property and Commercial Law at the University of Bayreuth. He has been President of the Academic Society for Competition Law (ASCOLA) since 2023. His research focuses on antitrust and competition law, in particular with a focus on the media and internet industry, economic activity by the state and interfaces with intellectual property law, law and sustainability. In his successful podcast "Bei Anruf Wettbewerb", he has been providing information on competition policy backgrounds and developments together with the former Chairman of the Monopolies Commission, Prof. Dr. Justus Haucap, for many years.
Prof. Dr. Rupprecht Podszun succeeds Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kühling, who will retire from the Commission on 30 June 2024 after two terms. Prof. Kühling was a member of the Monopolies Commission from July 2016 to June 2024 and its Chairman from September 2020 to June 2024. During his membership, the Commission dealt with important issues including the digital and socio-ecological transformation. These involved the handling of digital ecosystems, data access and the Digital Markets Act, as well as competition problems in healthcare markets and the distortion of competition in international trade due to subsidies granted to state-owned and private companies in China. The Monopolies Commission's reports on the regulated railways, energy, telecommunications and post sectors should also be mentioned, as well as its opinion on the online activities of public broadcasters. The Commission would like to express its special thanks to Prof. Kühling for his commitment to competition.
Policy Brief on competition in the food supply chains
Policy Brief | Issue 13 | February 8, 2024
The German Monopolies Commission on competition in the food supply chains
The Monopolies Commission recommends that interventions in agricultural markets or food supply chains to strengthen the market position of farmers should only be made cautiously and on a clear factual basis:
- The structures of the food supply chain in Germany show signs of competition problems and potential market power.
- Various instruments already exist to regulate these markets, but some of these have only recently come into effect and their consequences have not yet been conclusively evaluated.
- A final assessment is reserved for a more detailed evaluation.
13th Sector Report Telecommunications (2023): Achieving gigabit goals through competition!
Sector Report of the Monopolies Commission pursuant to § 195 (2) and (3) of the Telecommunications Act, December 13, 2023
The Monopolies Commission presents its 13th Telecommunications Sector Report.
- Extend mobile spectrum assignments for a maximum of three years and with conditions that promote competition.
- Allow infrastructure competition and open up fiber networks.
- Reduce the duration of proceedings at the Federal Network Agency.
13th Sector Report Post (2023): Renewing the postal service by enhancing competition!
Sector Report of the Monopolies Commission pursuant to § 44 of the Postal Services Act in conjunction with § 195 (2) and (3) of the Telecommunications Act, December 13, 2023
- The German Postal Act, which came into force in 1998, is long overdue to be renewed. The current draft of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is a good starting point. It should be enacted as soon as possible.
- Universal service obligations, which define the minimum level for postal services, should reflect society's needs. This is currently not the case and should be corrected.
- The benefits of competition should be utilized in densely populated regions, even in the declining mail sector. Where necessary, deliveries from different providers can be bundled.
- The enforcement of labour and social law in the postal sector is mandatory. To this end, employees should be empowered to identify and report violations anonymously.
