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Portrait ofMichael Bauer

Dr. Michael Bauer

Partner
Rechtsanwalt | Head of the CMS Antitrust, Competition & Trade Group

CMS EU Law Office
Avenue des Nerviens 85
1040 Brussels
Belgium
Languages German, English, French

German and European competition law, German and European merger control law, coordination of multinational merger control notifications in the EU and worldwide, EU state aid, compliance, general EU law, law of unfair trading practices.

Born on 30.9.64 in Stuttgart. Studied law in Tübingen and Bonn from 1985 until 1991. First state exam in Tübingen in 1991. Dissertation on the "Applicability of cartel law to public broadcasting stations" in 1992 with Prof. Dr Möschel. Doctorate from Eberhard-Karls University in Tübingen in 1993. Representative's staff member in the Baden-Württemberg State assembly from 1992 until 1994. Legal traineeship in Stuttgart from 1992 until 1994. Internship in New York (Oppenhoff & Rädler) in 1994. Second state exam in Stuttgart in 1994. Practised as a lawyer in Cologne from 1995 until 1999 (Freshfields Deringer). Lawyer since June 1999 and partner since January 2001 at CMS Hasche Sigle. Since 2001 Managing Partner of the CMS Brussels office. From 2009 until 2018 Head of the international CMS Sector Group Consumer Products. Since 2019 Head of the international CMS Practise Group Antitrust, Competition & Trade. Compliance-Ombudsman for two world-wide operating companies (one is DAX-listed).

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Führender Name im Kartellrecht (über 50 Jahre)

JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024

„Oft empfohlen“ für Öffentlicher Sektor

JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024

„Oft empfohlen“ für Kartellrecht

JUVE Handbuch, 2023/2024

"Dr. Michael Bauer: Extremely knowledgeable in European state aid law.", client

The Legal 500 EMEA, 2023

Listed as notable practitioners

Chambers Global, 2023

"We get great and speedy work from Michael Bauer.", client

Chambers Global, 2023

Next generation partner for Compliance

The Legal 500 EMEA, 2021

"pragmatic approach and extensive market knowledge", client

JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2022 (GCLF)

"among Germany’s leading antitrust lawyers, pragmatic approach", client

JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2022 (GCLF)

"Recommended" for Antitrust

JUVE German Commercial Law Firms 2020-2022 (GCLF)

Leading lawyer for European & international law

Kanzleimonitor 2021, 2022

"We particularly value his expertise on all questions relating to prices and discounts as well as his pragmatic approach and extensive knowledge of the market.", client

Chambers Europe, 2022

Listed as notable practitioner

Chambers Europe, 2022

"We particularly value his expertise on all questions relating to prices and discounts as well as his pragmatic approach and extensive knowledge of the market.", client

Chambers Global, 2022

Listed as notable practitioner

Chambers Global, 2022

"Dr. Bauer has extremely good knowledge of the industry, also thanks to his collaboration with the Markenverband. His advice is pragmatic and easy to implement in practice. He answers quickly and understandably.", client

The Legal 500 EMEA, 2022

Publications

  • Zu den Entwürfen der EU-Kommission für die Reform des Vertriebskartellrechts, Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb 2021, 606 (mit Dr. Dietmar Rahlmeyer und Dr. Markus Schöner)
  • "Export restrictions can be expensive", guest contribution, "Lebensmittelzeitung", 14.06.2019
  • "German Federal Court of Justice ruling on retailers' abuse of buying power", Getränkeindustrie, March 2018, p. 38
  • "New rules on retailers' abuse of buying power", guest contribution, "Lebensmittelzeitung", 08.02.2019
  • Rettungs- und Umstrukturierungsbeihilfen, in: Bungenberg/Birnstiel/Heinrich (Ed.), EU-Beihilfenrecht, Kommentar, Nomos, 2012
  • §§ 35, 36 GWB no. 182-201, § 38 GWB, in: Loewenheim/Meessen/Riesenkampff (Ed.), Kartellrecht, Verlag C. H. Beck, 2009
  • Reg. 1/2003, Art. 4-10, in: Competition Law: European Community Practice and Procedure - Article-by-Article Commentary, Sweet & Maxwell, 2008
  • Reg. 1/2003, Art. 4-10, in: Münchener Kommentar - Europäisches und Deutsches Wettbewerbsrecht (Kartellrecht), Vol. 1, Verlag C. H. Beck, 2007
  • Kartellrecht, in: Handbuch der Europäischen Aktiengesellschaft, C. F. Müller Verlag 2005, p. 531 et seq.
  • Kartellrechtliche Zulässigkeit von Beschränkungen des Internetvertriebs in selektiven Vertriebssystemen, WRP 2003, p. 243 et seq.
  • Die EU-Gruppenfreistellungsverordnung für vertikale Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen, RWS-Verlag 2001
  • Die neue EU-Gruppenfreistellungsverordnung für vertikale Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen - Folgen für die Rechtspraxis, Der Betrieb 2000, p. 193 et seq.
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Lectures list

  • “Outlook 2022: New EU Competition Rules for the Consumer Products Sector”, CMS CPSG Webinar, 9.12.2021
  • “Reden ist Silber – Schweigen ist Gold“ – Communication with competitors in antitrust law, lecture series, University of Düsseldorf, 14.10.2021
  • Advanced International Competition Law, London, May 2021, Moderator Panel "Horizontal Cooperation: The EU Commission’s reform of the Horizontal Guidelines"
  • Advanced EU Competition Law, Brussels conference, November 2020, "Review of Horizontal Cooperation Block Exemptions and Guidelines: What is on the Horizon?"
  • ABA Business Law Section, September 2020, panel on "Consideration of public interests in competition analysis"
  • Expert Workshop: "The role of national and international retail alliances in the agricultural and food supply chain", 5 November 2019, EU Commission – DG Agri and Joint Research Centre; Presentation: "Theories of harm in assessing retail alliances"
  • "Assessing the competition effects of buying alliances", Fifteenth annual symposium on competition amongst retailers and suppliers, Institute of European and Comparative Law, University of Oxford, 24 May 2019
  • "European Retail Alliances in Competition Law", CMS client webinar, 01.10.2018
  • "Buying alliances in the light of competition law", annual conference, Bundesverband der deutschen Süßwarenindustrie (German Sweets Industry Association) Conference Münster, 26.05.2018
  • "Unfair trading practices in the aftermath of the Edeka-Plus decision", Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht / RG Rheinland (German association of competition lawyers), Köln, 11.04.2018
  • "International retail alliances and joint ventures - under competition law ", 3rd Competition Policy Day, Markenverband (German Brands Association), Berlin, 28.02.2018
  • "Current issues of competition law in the automotive supplier industry", Client seminar, 15.02.2018
  • "Retail Buying Power", Danish Competition Day, Copenhagen, 28.09.2017
  • "Compliance risks for sales departments", Markenverband e.V. (German Brands Association) workshop, Hamburg, 06.09.2017
  • "Neuerungen in der Fusionskontrolle - GWB Novelle und Fallpraxis", CMS Mandantenseminar zur 9. GWB Novelle, Industrieclub, Düsseldorf, 29.05.2017
  • "European Retail Alliances: Buyer power", 8th CMS CPSG Annual Conference, Brussels, 10.11.2016
  • European Antitrust Review as a policy instrument? - Three theses -", IPBA Regional Conference, Brussels, 10.10.2016
  • "What is FRAND? Post Huawei case law in Germany", CMS TMC Breakfast, Munich, 26.07.2016
  • "European Retail Alliances - consumer benefits or competitive harm?", 12th annual symposium on competition amongst retailers and suppliers, Oxford, 10.06.2016
  • "Powerless against unfair price spreads in retail?", BSI Conference, Cologne, 28.04.2016
  • "Big Data - New Frontier for Competition Law -, IBC Advanced EU Competition Law Conference, Brussels, 08.02.2016
  • "Fair Competition in Trading Practices", Centromarca Business Conference, Milan, 23.09.2015
  • "Defining consumer choice and measuring performance in grocery", Trends in Retail Competition: Private labels, brands and competition policy, 11th symposium on competition amongst retailers and suppliers, Oxford University, 22.05.2015
  • "Important current developments in competition law for the food industry", Federal Associations for the Spirits Industry, Frankfurt, 12.05.2015
  • "4-to-3 mergers: Harmful to competition?", CMS Competition Law Conference, Brussels, 08.05.2015
  • "Negotiations with retail alliances - Can competition law help to tackle the abuse of buyer power? - The European perspective", Consumer Products Sector Group, Madrid, 28.04.2015
  • "Antitrust compliance in M&A transactions", we.connect, Compliance Congress "Corporate Governance Compliance Strategies 2015", Berlin, 23.04.2015
  • "Negotiations with retail buying groups - A practical guide under competition law", AIM - European Brands Association, Brussels, 10.03.2015
  • "Supplier / retailer relationship: Recent antitrust practice in Germany", Centromarca Conference - "PIRC one year later", Lisbon, 27.02.2015
  • "Telefónica / E-Plus merger: 5 reasons why the decision is a benchmark for mobile telecoms consolidation in Europe", ECTA's Annual Regulatory Conference 2014, Brussels, 20.11.2014
  • "Telefónica / E-Plus merger: a benchmark for mobile telecoms consolidation in Europe", IBC Legal's 20th annual conference Competition Law & Regulation in the Telecoms & IT Sectors 2014, Brussels, 05.11.2014
  • "Buyer power in the food retail sector - Recent developments in Germany", AIM - European Brands Association, Brussels, 04.11.2014
  • "SIEC Test in Telefónica (O2) / E-Plus", Antitrust Lawyer's Association, Brussels Group, 21.10.2014
  • "Negotiating conditions after the EDEKA decision", Workshop: Prices in competition law, German Brands Association, Frankfurt, 14.10.2014
  • "Compliance in distribution - What limits are set by competition law?", German Distribution Conference, Wiesbaden, 05.10.2014
  • "Best practice for conducting an international competition law audit", Compliance Roadshow, Hamburg, 29.08.2013
  • "Should the fine threshold of 10% of group turnover in EU competition law be lowered" The need for reform in the European antitrust fines", German Parliamentary Association, Berlin, 15.05.2013
  • "The rebates saga: what comes next?", CMS Competition Law Conference, Brussels, 18.04.2013
  • "Compliance Strategies 2013", we.connect, Conference chair, Berlin, 11.04.2013
  • "The 8th Amendment to the Act against Restraints of Competition - Merger control: Adjusting to Europe and special German methods", Antitrust Roadshow, Dusseldorf, 22.11.2012
  • “Silence is golden? – Communication among competitors”, Antitrust Roadshow, Munich, 07.12.2011
  • “A shut mouth catches no flies? – Legal boundaries of communication with distributors and competitors”, German Food Competition Law Conference, Wiesbaden, 23.08.2011
  • “Investigator ante portas – What to do in case of a dawn raid?”, Antitrust Roadshow, Munich, 20.06.2011
  • “Possibilities and boundaries of joint distribution arrangements / The new horizontal competition guidelines – Significance to the consumer goods industry”, Markenverband, Frankfurt, 17.03.2011
  • “Antitrust compliance in practice“, Euroforum, Annual conference of in-house counsels, Berlin, 24.02.2011
  • “Antitrust questions in the coffee industry”, Annual conference of the German coffee industry, Wiesbaden, 19./20.01.2011
  • “Vertical price fixing and recommended resale price – the new tightened practice of the German Federal Cartel Office”, German association for antitrust law, Bonn, 11.12.2010
  • “Compliance: Which measures should companies take?”, Annual conference of the German meat industry, Frankfurt, 24.11.2010
  • “German Competition Law”, Annual conference of the German meat industry, Frankfurt, 24.11.2010
  • “Competition law among competitors“, Annual conference of the German meat industry, Frankfurt, 24.11.2010
  • “Competition law in distribution“, Annual conference of the German meat industry, Frankfurt, 24.11.2010
  • “Leniency policy / Follow on actions“, Annual conference of the German meat industry, Frankfurt 24.11.2010
  • “The new vertical block exemption – Resale price maintenance and sales management”, Antitrust lunch, Zürich, 11.11.2010
  • “Inspectors at the front door – Facing an EU Competition surprise investigation at your company’s premises (Dawn Raid)“, Slovak-Austrian Chamber of Commerce and German-Slovak Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Bratislava, 23.09.2010
  • “Defense or surrender? Antitrust proceedings before the European Commission“, Slovak-Austrian Chamber of Commerce and German-Slovak Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Bratislava, 23.09.2010
  • “Making the point - Complaining before the European Commission - two case studies“, Slovak-Austrian Chamber of Commerce and German-Slovak Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Bratislava, 23.09.2010
  • “A new policy in the area of resale price maintenance?”, 2nd annual conference “Food and Competition Law”, Wiesbaden, 08.09.2010
  • “Is active pricing policy possible?“, 1st annual conference “Food and Competition Law”, Wiesbaden, 08.09.2010
  • “Antitrust compliance in the relationship between industry and commerce”, BDSI Business Forum, Bonn, 13.04.2010
  • “Training – which measures are necessary?”, Workshop Compliance, Munich, 25.06.2009
  • “State aid in the financial crisis“, PAG Competition, Vienna, 16.01.2009
  • “Unjustified requests by customers under German competition law”, Markenverband, Dusseldorf, 21.11.2007
  • “Boundaries of recommendations by trade associations under German competition law”, Seminar on antitrust issues relating to trade association activities, Berlin, 17.10.2007
  • “Compliance for trade associations”, Seminar on antitrust issues relating to trade association activities, Cologne, 10.10.2007
  • “The European antidumping regime“, EU/China Business Conference, Shanghai, 2006
  • “Consequences of the 7th amendment to the German Act against Restraints on Competition (GWB) for purchasing and distribution”, practitioner seminar “Update Purchasing and Distribution”, Munich, 24.11.2005
  • “Access to EU ports”, Brussels, 14.06.2005
  • “Cross Border Leniency”, PAG Competition, Milan, 16.01.2004
  • “State Aid – The Airbus Case”, PAG Competition, Milan, 16.01.2004
  • “The greyhound race in practice – First experiences with the new Leniency Notice”, University of Constance, 16.06.2003
  • “The new antitrust regulation no. 1/2003”, Euroclub, Brussels, 27.03.2003
  • “Recent developments in distribution antitrust law”, Forum Antitrust Law, University of Dusseldorf, 20.11.2002
  • “The new block regulation for motor vehicles”, MMI-Convention of Entrepreneurs, Wolfsburg, 01.10.2002
  • “New block exemption regulation on car distribution“, Academy of European Law, Brussels, 15.05.2002
  • “EU-State Aid”, PAG Competition, Brussels, 03.02.2002
  • “International Merger Control”, Zurich, 24.01.2002
  • “Principles of EC Competition Law, Art 81 EC“, Academy of European Law, Trier, 02.07.2001
  • “The new block exemption regulation for vertical restraints”, RWS-Seminar, Frankfurt, 02.02.2001
  • “The right to network access in railway transport”, Academy of European Law, Trier, 23./24.01.2001
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27/10/2023
JUVE Awards 2023: CMS recognised as Law Firm of the Year for Antitrust
Berlin – International commercial law firm CMS Germany was recognised yesterday evening as Law Firm of the Year for Antitrust at the JUVE Awards 2023. The JUVE Awards are regarded as among the most...

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22/03/2024
EU Competition Law Briefings 2024
The EU Competition Law Briefings have been created to provide a platform for our clients and other competition law experts to stay up to date on the developments of EU Competition Law. Every month CMS competition experts will present a recent case by the EU Commission or Community Courts during a webinar.
12/03/2024
After EU Commission's first decision on Carbon Contracts for Difference,...
The European Commission approved the first Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) scheme under the new Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy 2022 (CEEAG).Fol­low­ing the...
01/12/2023
EU Competition Law Briefings
The EU Competition Law Briefings have been created to provide a platform for our clients and other competition law experts to stay up to date on the developments of EU Competition Law. Every month CMS...
18/09/2023
40th Anniversary European General Counsel Forum
CMS proudly supporting European Company Lawyers Association (ECLA).
11/07/2023
10 key aspects of the notification form for concentrations under the Foreign...
On 10 July 2023, the European Commission adopted the Implementing Regulation and the notification form for concentrations under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 (FSR), shortly before the...
11/05/2023
EU Competition Conference 2023
Registration is open! We are delighted to invite you to our traditional EU Competition Conference 2023 organised jointly by the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf - Institute for Competition Law and the CMS Antitrust, Competition & Trade Group. The conference will take place on 11 May 2023 at the SQUARE Conference Centre in Brussels from 10:00 to 17:30 followed by an evening event* at the BELvue Museum. We are very honoured to be able to again welcome a list of distinguished guest speakers from various institutions and private companies who will provide their valuable perspectives on the newest trends in the wide field of competition law. The list of competition law experts includes:Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate General for Competition, European Com­mis­sionGuil­laume Loriot, Deputy Director-General Mergers at DG Com­pet­i­tion­Andreas Mundt, President of the German Competition AuthorityDamien Gerard, Prosecutor General of the Belgian Competition AuthorityAndreas Schwab, Member of the European Par­lia­ment­Fur­ther­more, we are proud to announce that our sessions will showcase a range of further competition law experts from various private companies and competition economy consultancies including speakers from AB InBev, Akzo Nobel, Alstom, E. CA Economics, Microsoft, Oxera and many others. Our conference will feature interviews, multiple panel discussions and focused sessions, providing insights on a variety of important topics. Conference Programme:   10:00 Wel­come:  Christian Kersting, Heinrich Heine University Düs­sel­dorf Mi­chael Bauer, CMS Brussels  10:10 Panel: Vertical restraints Navigating the new normal - Exploring the impact of new VBER and VGL on pricing strategies and online selling­Pan­el­lists:Miguel Pérez, Director Antitrust, IP & Commercial, Ab InBevCarlos Vérgez, CMS Mad­rid­Mod­er­at­or:Mal­gorzata Urbanska, CMS Warsaw  10:50 Interview with Andreas Mun­dt, Pres­id­ent of the German Competition Authority A new approach towards sustainability agreements and buying groups? Ger­many’s ideas for a new competition toolGuest:An­dreas Mundt, President of the German Competition Au­thor­ity­In­ter­view­ers:Mi­chael Bauer, CMS Brus­sels­An­nemieke Hazelhoff, CMS Amsterdam  11:25 Panel: Horizontal restraints What lies ahead? - The EU Commission’s new approach concerning sustainability agreements and information ex­change­Pan­el­lists:Daniela Esposito, Global Head of Competition Law, Akzo NobelDirk Middelschulte, VP Global General Counsel Competition, Uni­lever­Mod­er­at­ors:An­nemieke Hazelhoff, CMS AmsterdamMichael Bauer, CMS Brussels  12:15 Interview with Guillaume Loriot, Deputy Director-General Mergers at DG Competition Merger control de­vel­op­mentsGuest:Guil­laume Loriot, Deputy Director-General Mergers at DG Com­pet­i­tion­In­ter­view­ers:Chris­toff Henrik Soltau, CMS HamburgDieter Zandler, CMS Vienna  14:00 Focus Session: Private Damage Claims Current trends and pitfalls in private litigation, in the EU and bey­ond­Pan­el­lists:Av­antika Chowdhury, Partner, Oxera Con­sult­ing­Chris­ti­an Kersting, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfEdmon Oude Elferink, CMS Am­s­ter­dam­Mod­er­at­or:Tim Reher, CMS Hamburg  14:00 Focus Session: Foreign Direct Investment Beyond Borders: Key learnings and outlook on the future of Foreign Investment Con­trol­P­resenters:Kai Neuhaus, CMS Brus­sels­Jac­queline Vallat, CMS London  14:00 Focus Session: Foreign Subsidies Control Merger control 3.0: How to navigate these uncharted wa­ter­sPan­el­lists:Car­oline Medina, Competition Law Legal Director, AlstomClemens Kerle, CMS Os­lo­Mod­er­at­or:Claire Vannini, CMS Paris  14:45 Interview with Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate General for Competition, European Commission Topical questions about abuse package, Reg 1/2003 review and more­Guest:Olivi­er Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate General for Competition, European Com­mis­sion­In­ter­view­ers:Rup­precht Podszun, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDirk Van Liedekerke, CMS Brussels  15:50 Panel: Abuse of dominance The new package on exclusionary abuses - Refining the effects-based ap­proach?Pan­el­lists:Dami­en Gerard, Prosecutor General, Belgian Competition AuthoritySimone Kohnz, Director, E. CA Eco­nom­ic­sRup­precht Podszun, Heinrich Heine University Düs­sel­dor­f­Mod­er­at­or:Bri­an Sher, CMS London  16:45 Panel: Digital Regulation The Digital Markets Act comes to life - First experiences, first trend­sPan­el­lists:Soph­ie Gappa, Policy Officer at the Competition Unit of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate ActionGerhard Klumpe, Presiding judge at the Regional Court DortmundCarel Maske, Director of Competition EMEA, Mi­crosoft­Mod­er­at­ors:Björn Herbers, CMS BrusselsSzabolcs Szendro, CMS Budapest  18:30 Evening event* Dinner speech: More regulation or more competition? – An MEP’s point of viewby Andreas Schwab, Member of the European Par­lia­ment Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to engage with top legal minds and stay ahead of the curve in EU competition law. Should you have any questions regarding this event, please contact us.*Please note that seats for the evening event at the BELvue Museum are limited. We will reach out to you to confirm your seat once we have finalised our guest list. Thank you for your understanding.
18/04/2023
Germany adopts proposal to give Federal Cartel Office more power to intervene...
On 5 April 2023, the German federal government adopted the proposal of the 11th amendment to the German Act for Restraints against Competition (GWB) and started the legislative procedure in the federal...
10/10/2022
Germany proposes law on competition that strengthens the Federal Cartel...
On 26 September 2022, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) presented the draft for the 11th GWB amendment, which is to be called the Law for the Improvement of Competition...
04/02/2022
European Commission approves EUR 1.7 bn recapitalisation of Berlin Brandenburg...
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26/01/2022
Bundeskartellamt points out competition law limits in price arrangements...
German milk producers intended to introduce a new financing concept for raw milk producers (given that raw milk prices were not sufficient to cover the raw milk production costs). The new concept has...
19/01/2022
German Bundeskartellamt tolerates two sustainability initiatives
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28/10/2021
EU Competition Conference 2021
Thank you for attending EU Competition Conference 2021 You can now watch the recordings from the event here. The EU Commission has been very active and is currently working on a high number of legal...