{"id":7253,"date":"2026-03-17T10:30:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T09:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=7253"},"modified":"2026-07-01T11:20:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T10:20:11","slug":"kartellrechtliche-schranken-fuer-aktionaerbindungsvertraege-und-konkurrenzverbote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/kartellrechtliche-schranken-fuer-aktionaerbindungsvertraege-und-konkurrenzverbote\/","title":{"rendered":"Antitrust Limits on Shareholder Agreements and Non-Compete Clauses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7253\" class=\"elementor elementor-7253\" 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=\"83725\" 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=\"83800\" data-id=\"328c9e8\" 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-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\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7243\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft.jpg 825w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260115-Bild-EN-LinkedIn-Beitrag-WEKO-Sekretariat-Vorabklaerung-gegen-Lizenzpreise-Microsoft-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\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=\"19606\" 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\">Antitrust Limits on Shareholder Agreements and Non-Compete Clauses<\/h1>\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>17.03.2026<\/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><strong>In a series of judgements handed down in January and February, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvger.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Administrative Court (FAC)<\/a> has clarified a key issue for joint ventures (JVs): when do non-compete clauses between non-controlling shareholders constitute territorial agreements? The rulings serve as a reminder to exercise caution when structuring cooperation arrangements, as even contracts dating back decades can lead to antitrust sanctions.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Backround<\/strong><\/p><p>In the <em>Belagswerke Bern<\/em> investigation, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Competition Commission (COMCO)<\/a> imposed sanctions on several construction companies that held shares in BERAG Belagslieferwerk Rubigen AG. A memorandum of association dating from 1976 prohibited the shareholders from operating their own paving plants or acquiring a stake in such plants within BERAG\u2019s catchment area. The companies concerned contested the decision before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvger.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAC<\/a>, arguing, amongst other things, that the clauses were no longer actively enforced and that the non-competition clause was permissible under the law of obligations.<\/p><p><strong>Judgment of the FAC<\/strong><\/p><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvger.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAC<\/a> fully upheld the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a>\u2019s decision and confirmed the sanctions. It held that the non-competition clauses constituted hard territorial agreements within the meaning of Article 5(3)(c) of the Competition Act (KG), which significantly restrict competition. The argument that these were non-competition clauses permissible under the law of obligations within the meaning of Article 536 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (OR) did not preclude the application of the KG.<\/p><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvger.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAC<\/a> further held that the right to impose sanctions is not time-barred as long as the contractual relationship formally continues, even if the clauses were not actively enforced.<\/p><p><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/p><p>The judgement underscores the strict stance taken by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Competition Commission (COMCO)<\/a> and the courts regarding horizontal agreements. Non-competition clauses in shareholder agreements are problematic under competition law if they are not justified by a genuine situation of control. Existing agreements concerning joint ventures should also be reviewed in light of this.<\/p><p>The judgements may be appealed to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bger.ch\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Supreme Court<\/a> (in German, French and Italian only).<\/p><p>The decisions can be accessed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bvger.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> under case numbers B-1425\/2022, B-992\/2022, B-1369\/2022, B-1390\/2022 and B-1391\/2022.<\/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>Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVGer) hat mit einer Reihe von Urteilen im Januar und Februar eine zentrale Frage f\u00fcr Gemeinschaftsunternehmen (GU) gekl\u00e4rt: Wann sind Konkurrenzverbote zwischen nicht-kontrollierenden Aktion\u00e4ren als Gebietsabreden zu qualifizieren? Die Antworten des BVGer mahnen zur Vorsicht bei der Kooperationsgestaltung,&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Kartellrechtliche Schranken f\u00fcr Aktion\u00e4rbindungsvertr\u00e4ge und Konkurrenzverbote","_seopress_titles_desc":"Kartellrechtliche Schranken f\u00fcr Aktion\u00e4rbindungsvertr\u00e4ge und Konkurrenzverbote","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9],"tags":[744,745,227,746,56,747,239,81,743,742,39],"class_list":["post-7253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","tag-belagswerke","tag-bern","tag-compliance","tag-gruendervertrag","tag-kartellrecht","tag-konkurrenzverbot","tag-marktmacht","tag-missbrauch","tag-schweiz-bvger","tag-unternehmensrecht","tag-weko"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7253","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=7253"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7262,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7253\/revisions\/7262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}