Dr. Eckhard Bremer
Areas of expertise
Market Access
Market Regulation
Antitrust Damage Claims (Litigation), Abuse of Dominance
Administrative Procedures (Regulatory and Competition Authorities)
Government Contracts, State Aids
Languages
German
English
References
Antitrust law, public procurement law, regulatory law, public commercial law: advice to national and international companies, trade associations, ministries, public entities and individual enterprises
Advising State Government on cartel damages claim worth EUR 300m
Advising RDC Deutschland and HKX (Hamburg-Köln-Express) in all matters concerning access to the German railway market: Acquisition of rolling stock including financing, licensing and homologation; access to railtrack system and track- and station pricing; participation in public tenders; access to national tariff – and ticket distribution system; including advice in corporate law, labor law, commercial contracts
Advising an international railway company on the acquisition of rolling stock, financing, licensing
Advising media companies in proceedings brought by the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission on suspicion of abuse of a dominant market position against Google
Advisor to WESTBahn (Austria) in bid protest procedure in the award of passenger service contracts in Austria
Advisor to an international rolling stock producer on public tender procedure and licensing, including public procurement and cartel law
Acting on behalf of Axel Springer AG in the appeal on points of law before the German Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG, ruling of the 29th January 2014, case no. 290114U6C2.13.0) regarding the denial of the media law clearance certificate by the Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK) in the AS/ProSiebenSat1 merger case
Acting on behalf of Axel Springer AG in the Berlin Tagesspiegel / Berliner Zeitung merger control procedure and the procedure to obtain minister exempt approval
Advising Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) on European state aid law, public procurement law and passenger transportation law in negotiations with the Berlin state government on the award of transport contract worth around EUR 3 billion and on other European-wide procurement procedures
Advising a rail company on access to monopolized ticket distribution system and access to a cartelized nationwide tariff system
Advising an international railway company in the acquisition, refurbishment licensing and finance of rolling stock, including related advice on corporate law, labor law, commercial contracts by other specialized attorneys of the firm
Advising media companies in connection with the media law reform
Acting for National Geographic Society in an appeal before the German Federal Supreme Court challenging the decision by competition authorities to prohibit the licensing of the German edition of National Geographic Magazine to Gruner + Jahr
Representing a railway company in judicial review and state aid review proceedings relating to the anti-competitive award of transport contracts
Representing a railway company in the bidding procedure of the divestiture trustee for the acquisition of private enterprises on matters concerning procurement law, anti-trusts law, industry regulation, and of special expertise relating to company, commercial, contract and employment law
Rankings
Handelsblatt/Best Lawyers 2024 and previous years, Best Lawyers Germany, Antitrust Law
Best Lawyers Germany 2022 and previous years Attorney of the Year
Professional background and education
Since 2019
Hyazinth, Of Counsel
2001
Hogan Lovells and its predecessor firm Hogan & Hartson, Partner
1996
Lawyer in Berlin
1990-1996
Research Fellow, Project on Law & Economics of International Telecommunications at Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Private Law Hamburg); Assistant to Prof. Dr. Ernst-Joachim Mestmäcker (former Chairman of German Monopolies Commission)
1996
Universität Göttingen, Dr. iur. (s.c.l.)
1989
Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht Hamburg, Assessorexamen (German equivalent to Bar Exam)
1987
Harvard University, Cambridge / Mass. USA, LL.M.
1983
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Referendarexamen (German equivalent to LL.B.)
1976-1978
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Published works (selection)
Vereinbarungen zwischen Zeitungs- und Zeitschriftenverlagen (Agreements on the commercial cooperation of Newspaper and Magazine Publishers), Treatise on Section 30 (2b) GWB (German competition act) co-authored by Max Klasse in: Münchener Kommentar für Wettbewerbsrecht (Competition & Antitrust Law), Vol. 2, München/Munich 2022
Die Ministererlaubnis (The power of the Federal Minister of Economics pursuant to Section 42 GWB (German competion act) , to permit a merger of undertakings previously prohibited by the Federal Cartel Office), co-authored by Fabian Scheffczyk, in: Münchener Kommentar Wettbewerbsrecht (Kartellrecht, Antitrust Law), Vol. 2, Munich 2022
Preisbindungen bei Zeitungen und Zeitschriften (Price fixing for newspapers and magazines. Treatise on Section 30 GWB (German competition act), co-authored by Jens Hackl in: Münchener Kommentar Wettbewerbsrecht (Kartellrecht) Competition Law (Antitrust Law), Volume 2, Munich 2022
Sektorentätigkeiten/Verkehrsleistungen (Sector activities / Transport services. Treatise on Section 102 (4) GWB (German competition act), co-authored by Felix Helmstädter in: Münchener Kommentar Wettbewerbsrecht (Kartellrecht) Competition Law (Public Procurement Law), Vol. 3, Munich 2022
Vergabe von öffentlichen Aufträgen über Personenverkehrsleistungen (Award of public contracts for passenger transport services by rail. Treatise on Section 102 (1) GWB), co-authored by Felix Helmstädter in: Münchener Kommentar für Wettbewerbsrecht (Competition Law, Public Procurement Law) Vol. 3, Munich 2022, Volume 3, Munich 2022
Die Rückforderung überhöhter Eisenbahninfrastrukturentgelte (The recovery of excessive rail infrastructure charges on the basis of Section 315 of the German Civil Code (BGB) and antitrust law.) Treatise on the judgment of the ECJ of November 9, 2017 (C 489/15), co-authored by Fabian Scheffczyk in: NZKart 3/2018, p. 121
Die Ministererlaubnis nach der 9. GWB-Novelle – Verfahren und Drittrechtsschutz (Ministerial Approval according to the 9th Amendment to the German Competition Act (ARC) - Procedural Rules and Third Party Intervention), co-authored by Fabian Scheffczyk in: NZKart 9/2017, p. 464–469
Kartellvergaberecht und Marktöffnung im Schienenpersonennahverkehr (The Competitive Award of Regional Rail Transport Service Contract under German and European Public Procurement Law and the Role of Public Procurement Law in the Opening of Passenger Transport Markets), co-authored by Felix Helmstädter in: Wettbewerb-Transparenz-Gleichbehandlung, Festschrift for Friedhelm Marx, pp. 53-73, 2013
Gerichtliche Billigkeitskontrolle von Infrastrukturentgelten) Judicial Control of Intrastructure Charges in Railway Transport, co-authored by Thomas Höppner in: Netzwirtschaften und Recht (N&R), Supplement 1/2011
Fairer Wettbewerb zwischen Internet-Suchmaschine und Online-Presse. (Fair competition between Internet search engine and online press. Why newspaper and magazine publishers turned to the antitrust authorities in re Google) in: Communication and Law (KuR), 3/2010
Kartellrechtswidrige Zusatzentgelte für die Trassennutzung in Deutschland (Compatibility of Track Access Fees with German and European Antitrust Regulation) in: Eisenbahn-Revue International (ERI), April 2010
Recurso para o Ministro em controlo de concentracoes – Comentário ao artigo 42. da lei alema da concorrencia (Ministerial exempt, commentary to § 42 GWB) in: Temas de Integracao, 1. E 2. Semestre de 2010 n. 29 e 30, pp. 301-366, 2010
Zum Verhältnis von Kartellrecht und Eisenbahnrecht (The Relationship between Antitrust Law and Railway Regulation) co-authored by Thomas Höppner in: Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb (WuW) 2009, p. 1271
Konzentrationskontrolle in »virtuellen Meinungsmärkten«? (Article concerning interpretation on German Media Law on Rules of Contration) co-authored by Andreas Grünwald in: MMR 2009, pp. 80–84
Transparenz und Wettbewerb bei SPNV-Verträgen erforderlich (The Need of Transparency and Competition in the Award of Contracts for Public Passenger Transport) co-authored by Christoph Wünschmann in: Der Nahverkehr, 11/2008, p. 34 et seq.
Einstweiliger Vollzug von Zusammenschlüssen im vorläufigen Rechtsschutz – Zum Phonak-Beschluss des OLG Düsseldorf (Temporary Legal Protection against Implementation of Merges under Antitrust Law) co-authored by Christoph Wünschmann and Maik Wolf in: Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb (WuW) 2008, Heft 1, p. 28
Fusionskontrolle im Nahverkehr (Merger Control in the Passenger Transport Industry) co-authored by Christoph Wünschmann in: Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb (WuW) 2006, Heft 11, p. 1118
Gewährleistungsverantwortung als Infrastrukturverantwortung am Beispiel der Eisenbahnreform in Deutschland. (The Government’s Responsibity for providing Public Services and Infrastructure, exemplified by the Reform on Railway Regulation in Germany) in: Gunnar-Folke Schuppert (Editor); Der Gewährleistungsstaat – Ein Leitbild auf dem Prüfstand, p. 133 et seq. (2005)
Die Pflicht der Aufgabenträger zur Vergabe von SPNV-Leistungen im Wettbewerb – Vergaberechtliche und beihilferechtliche Grundlagen (The Government’s Legal Obligation to perform Public Tender Procedures in awarding Passenger Transport Contracts), co-authored by Christoph Wünschmann in: Wirtschaft und Verwaltung, pp. 51–64, 2004
Kartellrechtsreform und Sicherung der Pressevielfalt. Wäre eine »Lex Holtzbrinck« verfassungsgemäß? (The Reform on German Merger Control Rules relating to the Pinted Press. Press diversity and plurality under the scrutiny of Constitutional Law) co-authored by Karin Martini in: ZUM 2003, pp. 942–948
Pressefusionskontrolle im Zeitalter zusammenwachsender Medienmärkte (Merger Control of the Printed Press at the age of converging media markets) co-authored by Hanno Wollmann, Rolf H. Weber, Wolfram Hertel et al., HHR White Paper, Berlin, 2001
Verfassungs- und wirtschaftsrechtliche Fragen der Breitbahndkommunikation (Constitutional and Economic Issues in Broadband Communications). A Symposium. Special supplement to issue 2/2001 of MultiMedia und Recht by Eckhard Bremer (Editor), with contributions by Wernhard Möschel, Lawrence Lessig, Tilman Rhein, Raimund Schütz, Christoph Wagner and Hans Peter Hillig and an introduction by the editor
Treuhandverwaltung und Jurisdiktionsbefugnis. (Public Trusteeship and Jurisdictional Authority - International Law Limitations on the Extraterritorial Application and Enforcement of Commercial Law Nomos / Baden-Baden, 1998
Zehn Forderungen für eine effiziente Regulierungsbehörde (Ten Requirements for an Efficient Regulatory Authority in Germany), co-authored by Dieter Lange, Ulrich Immenga et al, WCP White Paper, Berlin, 1996
Die koordinierte Sperre im deutschen und europäischen Recht der öffentlichen Aufträge (The coordinated exclusion of competing suppliers by market dominating buyers under German and EU Public Procurement Law), co-authored by Ernst-Joachim Mestmäcker, in: Betriebsberater, Beilage 19/1995
Medienplanwirtschaft – Organisationsrechtliches Denken bei der Interpretation der Rundfunkfreiheit durch das Bundesverfassungsgericht (Planned Media Economy - The concept of organizational law in the Federal Constitutional Court's Interpretation of Broadcasting Freedom), in: ORDO 1995, pp. 361-389
Freiheit durch Organisation – Ausgestaltung der Rundfunkfreiheit (Freedom of broadcasting as a result organizational measures by the government? - The interpretation of Broadcasting Freedom as a Problem of Fundamental Rights Interpretation and Theory) in: Ernst-Joachim Mestmäcker (Editor), Kommunikation ohne Monopole II pp. 311-349, Nomos / Baden-Baden, 1995
Die wettbewerbliche Ordnung des Rundfunks (Organizing a broadcasting system on the basis of economic competition / Konkurentnaja Sistema Radiovezanija i Televidenija) in: W. Hoffmann-Riem (Editor), Rundfunkrecht für Russland, S. 105–145, Nomos / Baden-Baden, 1994 (In German and Russian language)
Der Rundfunk in der Verfassungs- und Wirtschaftsordnung in Deutschland co-authored by Michael Esser and Martin Hoffmann. in: Law and Economics of International Telecommunications, Vol. 17, Nomos / Baden-Baden, 1992
Broadcast Content Regulation in the United States and the Policy of Deregulation Harvard University, Cambridge / Mass., 1987
Memberships
Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht (German Experts’ Association on Antitrust Law)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rechtsvergleichung (German Society for Comparative Law)
Deutsch-Amerikanische Juristenvereinigung (German American Lawyers’ Association)
Forum Vergabe e.V.
media.net berlinbrandenburg
MOFAIR
Deutsche Verkehrswissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (German Association of Transport Sciences)
Freundeskreis des Max Planck Instituts für ausländisches und internationals Privatrecht, Hamburg (Alumni Association of Max Planck Institute for Foreign and Private International Law, Hamburg)
Harvard Law School Association
Harvard Club of New York City