Global Competition Review awards Antitrust and Competition practice "European Behavioural Matter of the Year"
Global Competition Review, a leading competition law and policy journal, has awarded Hogan Lovells’ Antitrust, Competition and Economic Regulation team the European Behavioural Matter of the Year for its work advising Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft (BMW) on the European Commission’s investigation into the cartel allegations in connection with the so-called “Circle of 5” (“5er-Kreis”).
The case departed from the classic cartel allegations such as price fixing and customer or market allocation agreements. The subject of the investigations were purely technical discussions between the manufacturers. Throughout the course of the proceedings, the Commission significantly reduced its initial allegations, clearing the way for a settlement. With our counsel, BMW was able to reduce the provision set up for these proceedings by approximately EUR 1 billion.
The team was led by partner Christoph Wünschmann, with support from partner Christian Ritz, counsel Johanna Brock-Wenzek, senior associates Hubertus Weber and Matthias Schlau, associate Hanna Weber, senior project associates Maria-Theresia Murr and Shota Meskhi, and senior business lawyer Björn Meilen (all Munich).
The full descriptions of the nominated matters can be found here.