Technical contribution series 2026 · Month 4. Subsequently added on 13 November 2026; legal status: 13 November 2026. The archive date serves the monthly classification.
An informal conversation can become relevant under antitrust law if competitors exchange sensitive information. Companies should prepare employees for specific interview situations and offer a reliable internal reporting route.
Evaluate topics of discussion in advance
Price intentions, individual conditions, customer allocations or future volume planning require special attention. Not every technical exchange is inadmissible; information, market circumstances and purpose are decisive. Agenda and participants can help with the preparation.
Dealing with problematic talks
Employees should not participate in an inadmissible exchange. Demarcation, leaving the conversation and factual documentation are practical to practice in training courses. A later internal message enables the process and necessary follow-up steps to be checked promptly.
Reviewing cooperations separately
Joint development, purchasing or technical standards can trigger their own legal issues. The necessary data exchange shall be limited to the extent permitted. Technical shields and clean teams are possible instruments, but do not replace legal classification.
Four practical examples
Fictitious examples of illustration; the concrete assessment requires examination of the individual case.
Conversation at the Association Meeting
A competitor talks about planned price increases. Employees terminate the participation, document the process and report it internally; the further reaction depends on content and circumstances.
Customer data in the joint project
Cooperation partners want to exchange current individual prices. Before data exchange, necessity, competitive relationship and possible shielding are checked by a clean team.
Price targets for dealers
A manufacturer wants to impose binding minimum selling prices. Contractual clause and practical means of printing are examined under antitrust law; a requirement referred to as a recommendation can indeed be binding.
Suspicion of supply agreements
After an invitation to tender, unusual contacts appear. Evidence will be secured and possible procedural options, including cooperation, will be evaluated promptly.
Deepening and legal basis
Competition law · Official legal basis
Would you like to have a specific process checked? Send request. Scope and remuneration are agreed prior to commissioning.