{"id":6982,"date":"2025-10-16T10:20:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T09:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=6982"},"modified":"2025-11-05T11:39:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:39:00","slug":"weko-publiziert-begruendete-einstellungsverfuegung-zur-relativen-marktmacht-im-automobilbereich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/weko-publiziert-begruendete-einstellungsverfuegung-zur-relativen-marktmacht-im-automobilbereich\/","title":{"rendered":"COMCO publishes reasoned Discontinuation Order on Relative Market Power in the Automotive Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6982\" class=\"elementor elementor-6982\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5e192929 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"90311\" data-id=\"5e192929\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-328c9e8\" data-eae-slider=\"61956\" data-id=\"328c9e8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a76e28a\" data-eae-slider=\"97208\" data-id=\"a76e28a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99081b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"99081b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">COMCO publishes reasoned Discontinuation Order on Relative Market Power in the Automotive Sector<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1457845 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1457845\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251016-COMCO-Statement-of-Reasons-BMW.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-6981\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251016-COMCO-Statement-of-Reasons-BMW.jpg 825w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251016-COMCO-Statement-of-Reasons-BMW-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251016-COMCO-Statement-of-Reasons-BMW-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251016-COMCO-Statement-of-Reasons-BMW-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f29e2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5f29e2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-685ec73 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Competition<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">News<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-d50ae70 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>16.10.2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ec6c601 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-user-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMario Strebel, Fabian Koch\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d17332b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d17332b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-4d17332b{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6fdab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6fdab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-e6fdab6{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bcb7c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0bcb7c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"82\" data-end=\"181\"><strong data-start=\"82\" data-end=\"181\">COMCO publishes reasoned discontinuation order on relative market power in the motor vehicle sector<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"183\" data-end=\"664\"><strong>By decision of 30 June 2025, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/weko\/en\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO)<\/a> discontinued its investigation against BMW (Switzerland) AG after BMW had extended or newly concluded contracts with the reporting dealer. At the same time, following a summary substantive review, COMCO imposed procedural costs of CHF 121,345 on BMW.\u00a0<\/strong><br data-start=\"593\" data-end=\"596\" \/><strong>In early October, COMCO published the reasoned discontinuation order.<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"666\" data-end=\"1242\"><strong data-start=\"669\" data-end=\"683\">Background<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"666\" data-end=\"1242\">The dispute concerned whether BMW held relative market power over a long-standing partner and abused that position. Specifically, it involved the non-renewal or termination of certain dealer, service, and used-car contracts as of 30 September 2023, as well as a dealer contract that had only been extended until the end of 2025. In July 2024, BMW adjusted its conduct and extended or supplemented key contracts until the end of 2028. As a result, the alleged abuse ceased to exist at the time of the decision, and the proceedings were discontinued as moot.<\/p><p data-start=\"1244\" data-end=\"2132\"><strong data-start=\"1246\" data-end=\"1264\">Considerations<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"1244\" data-end=\"2132\">For the allocation of costs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/weko\/en\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> summarily examined whether there had been an abuse before BMW\u2019s change in conduct. It answered this in the affirmative: BMW had allegedly refused or failed to renew business relationships without legitimate business reasons, even though the contracting partner was dependent due to significant BMW-induced investments and the lack of reasonable alternatives.<br data-start=\"1659\" data-end=\"1662\" \/>To assess this dependency, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/weko\/en\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> placed particular emphasis on the amount, purpose, and timing of the claimed investments, BMW\u2019s role in prompting them, as well as the amortization horizon and the possibility of alternative use. This approach contrasts with the practice of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesgerichtshof.de\/EN\/Home\/homeBGH_node.html;jsessionid=19E7802B3EB55A91FD110043C4303004.internet981\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">German Federal Court of Justice (BGH)<\/a> in the <em data-start=\"1984\" data-end=\"1996\">Opel Blitz<\/em> case, according to which the lack of reasonable alternatives must be determined without considering any investments made by the dealer.<\/p><p data-start=\"2134\" data-end=\"2734\"><strong data-start=\"2136\" data-end=\"2150\">Assessment<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"2134\" data-end=\"2734\">The case highlights the relevance of relative market power in investment-intensive sectors. Even below the threshold of classical market dominance, contract terminations or non-renewals may constitute abusive conduct.<br data-start=\"2370\" data-end=\"2373\" \/>Companies that may hold relative market power should carefully document investment incentives and alternatives, communicate in a timely manner, and, where appropriate, provide transitional solutions. Contractual partners, in turn, should minimize dependencies and substantiate their investments, amortization plans, and lack of alternatives with solid evidence.<\/p><p data-start=\"2736\" data-end=\"2769\">The decision is available<a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/dam\/weko\/de\/dokumente\/2025\/verfuegung_bmw_schweiz_ag_v om_30_juni_2025.pdf.download.pdf\/BMW%20(Schweiz)%20AG_Verf%C3%BCgung%20vo m%2030.%20Juni%202025.pdf\" data-wplink-url-error=\"true\"> here<\/a> (in German only).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0b3fb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c0b3fb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>CORE Attorneys is a boutique law firm in Switzerland, focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/wettbewerbsrecht\/\">competition\/antitrust law<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/regulierung\/\">regulatory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/vertriebsrecht\/\">distribution law<\/a> matters. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/\">News &amp; Insights<\/a> and follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/core-attorneys\">LinkedIn<\/a> for regular updates on all our focus areas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mit Verf\u00fcgung vom 30. Juni 2025 hat die Schweizer Wettbewerbskommission WEKO ihre Untersuchung gegen die BMW (Schweiz) AG eingestellt, nachdem BMW Vertr\u00e4ge mit der anzeigenden H\u00e4ndlerin verl\u00e4ngert bzw. neu abgeschlossen hat. Zugleich auferlegte sie BMW nach summarischer materieller Pr\u00fcfung die&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"WEKO publiziert begr\u00fcndete Einstellungsverf\u00fcgung zur relativen Marktmacht im Automobilbereich","_seopress_titles_desc":"WEKO publiziert begr\u00fcndete Einstellungsverf\u00fcgung zur \r\nrelativen Marktmacht im Automobilbereich","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9],"tags":[656,670,668,655,56,81,669,657,39],"class_list":["post-6982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","tag-abhaengigkeit","tag-automobilbereich","tag-begruendete-einstellungsverfuegung","tag-geschaeftsverweigerung","tag-kartellrecht","tag-missbrauch","tag-relativemarktmacht","tag-vertragsbeendigung","tag-weko"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6982"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7005,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions\/7005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}