{"id":7273,"date":"2026-05-05T13:49:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=7273"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:04:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T13:04:45","slug":"weko-eroeffnet-untersuchung-zu-keyword-abreden-in-der-suchmaschinenwerbung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/weko-eroeffnet-untersuchung-zu-keyword-abreden-in-der-suchmaschinenwerbung\/","title":{"rendered":"COMCO opens Investigations into Keyword Bidding Agreements in Search Advertising"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7273\" class=\"elementor elementor-7273\" 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=\"14264\" 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=\"14762\" 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=\"48911\" 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 opens Investigations into Keyword Bidding Agreements in Search Advertising<\/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>05.05.2026<\/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>According to its press release of 30 April 2026, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO)<\/a> has opened two new investigations in the digital advertising sector. The investigations concern alleged agreements relating to so-called keyword bidding and involve companies in the travel industry and the Swiss online casino sector.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p><p>Companies can bid on specific keywords through search engine advertising platforms to increase the visibility of their products or services in search results. Particularly valuable are brand-related keywords associated with competing businesses. According to several leniency applications, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> suspects that companies in two different sectors agreed not to bid on certain keywords, in particular competitors&#8216; brand names. The investigations concern three providers of package holidays and almost all Swiss online casino operators. The alleged objective of these arrangements was to avoid direct competition in search results and protect each company&#8217;s online visibility.<\/p><p><strong>Current status<\/strong><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a> is assessing whether reciprocal agreements not to bid on certain keywords constitute unlawful agreements restricting competition under the Swiss Cartel Act. The preliminary theory of harm is that refraining from bidding on competitors&#8216; keywords may have distorted search results and made it more difficult for consumers to compare competing offers. As the investigations are ongoing, the presumption of innocence applies.<\/p><p><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/p><p>These investigations demonstrate that competition law scrutiny extends well beyond traditional markets into the digital economy. Agreements concerning online advertising strategies\u2014even where they appear commercially efficient or are regarded as common industry practice\u2014may raise significant antitrust concerns. Given the importance of online visibility and discoverability, businesses operating in Switzerland should ensure that their competition law compliance programmes also address digital marketing practices, including search engine advertising. Particular attention should be paid to any agreements, understandings or contacts with competitors concerning online advertising strategies.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">COMCO<\/a>&#8217;s press release is available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weko.admin.ch\/de\/newnsb\/mil_vnvxjE_4zqYMfaH_z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> (in German, French and Italian 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>Gem\u00e4ss Medienmitteilung vom 30. April 2026 hat die Wettbewerbskommission (WEKO) zwei neue Untersuchungen im Bereich der digitalen Werbung er\u00f6ffnet. Im Fokus stehen mutmassliche Abreden beim sogenannten &#171;Keyword-Bidding&#187;. Die Verfahren betreffen die Reisebranche sowie Anbieter von Online-Casinos in der Schweiz. Hintergrund&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"WEKO er\u00f6ffnet Untersuchung zu Keyword-Abreden in der Suchmaschinenwerbung","_seopress_titles_desc":"WEKO er\u00f6ffnet Untersuchung zu Keyword-Abreden in der Suchmaschinenwerbung","_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":[754,755,227,751,757,56,753,756,74,752,76],"class_list":["post-7273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","tag-bidding","tag-casino","tag-compliance","tag-digitaleconomy","tag-gebote","tag-kartellrecht","tag-keyword","tag-onlinecasinos","tag-schweiz","tag-werbung","tag-wettbewerbsrecht"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7273","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=7273"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7277,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7273\/revisions\/7277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}