Commeo

Provided by COMMEO

Number of partners: 6

Number of lawyers: 11

Languages: German, English, French, Greek

Office: Frankfurt

COMMEO is a highly specialized boutique law-firm offering the full range of EU and German competition law advice as well as on foreign direct investment control. Founded in 2010 in Frankfurt as a spinoff from an international law firm, COMMEO has become “one of the leading competition law boutique firms in Germany” (Chambers Europe 2022). COMMEO is acting on national and international matters. The Partners are regularly top-ranked in German and international publications. Clients praise their team work and their quality of work:

“ The firm offers an excellent level of quality and knowledge in their field. ” (Chambers Europe 2021) “ They are a very well-oiled machine and provide hands-on and pragmatic advice .”( Chambers Europe 2021)

“Commeo is very focused on the overall goal of efficiently allocating resources and gaining fast results. The firm also commits itself to challenge decisions in the name of the customer to achieve the best results.” (Chambers Global/Europe 2023)

COMMEO’s client base consists of international clients (eg Procter & Gamble, Magna Management AG, Belron Group, Eurofins), private equity funds (eg Nord Holding, Nimbus), domestic clients (eg dormakaba, Fraport AG, ARD, ZDF, Asklepios, SMA, UVEX, Saarstahl AG) and industry associations (eg VDMA).

The industry knowledge includes sectors such as automotive supply, pharmaceuticals and life science, branded consumer goods and lifestyle products, chemicals, steel, oil and gas, construction, media/advertising, IT and logistics as well as platforms/digital markets.

- German and European antitrust/competition law

- Compliance

- Foreign Direct Investment control

COMMEO advises clients on all aspects of German and European competition law including merger control, penalty proceedings, litigation, contract related competition matters or compliance. COMMEO also advises on foreign direct investment control. In addition to the non-forensic advice, COMMEO defends its clients in proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. The international network of partner law firms means that COMMEO can provide services to their clients beyond the borders of Europe and support them in multi-jurisdictional competition matters.

Merger Control

• Carglass: Advising Carglass on all competition law matters regarding the acquisition of ATU’s vehicle glass business in Germany. The transaction was cleared in a 2 ^nd phase proceeding before the Federal Cartel Office.
• Semikron/Danfoss : Advising Semikron and Danfoss on all transactional antitrust issues in connection with the establishment of the JV "Semikron Danfoss". COMMEO was responsible for the coordination of the worldwide merger control and investment control proceedings (in and outside the EU; more than 10 jurisdictions) and was responsible for the notification to the German Federal Cartel Office.
• Magna : Advising Magna on the establishment of a JV with LGE for the development and the production of electronic drive systems (including the coordination of merger control filings in 15 jurisdictions as well as the handling of the merger filing before the EU Commission).

Distribution Agreements

• EU Commission: Commeo was appointed by the EU Commission to draft an expert report on information exchange in dual distribution as part of the reform process for the new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation.

Abuse of Dominance

• Complaint to the EU Commission in the e-Books sector.
• Representing an IT service provider in its complaint to the EU Commission and before the EU General Court.
• Defending a media company against a complaint before the German Federal Cartel Office.
• Defending different companies against supply and data access claims inter alia in the pharmaceutical and data security industry.

Cartel Investigations

• Westfalen AG: Defending Westfalen AG in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cartel proceedings initiated by the German Federal Cartel Office. The proceeding lasted for 15 years and was ended by way of settlement with the 6th Cartel Senate of the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf.

Damages Claims

• Japan Airlines: Defending JAL in German civil damages litigation before the Cologne Regional Court brought forward by Barnsdale, a Deutsche Bahn subsidiary, with respect to harm allegedly suffered in consequence of the European air cargo cartel fined by the European Commission.

COMMEO is an independent firm, but widely known for its large network of partner law firms and excellent international network (cf. JUVE Handbook/Legal 500 Germany 2020/2021). Due to the existing contacts and well-proven cooperation with leading competition law experts in all relevant jurisdictions of the world, COMMEO is in a position to offer advice in transnational competition matters and ensure seamless coordination. This includes, for example, assisting in multi-jurisdictional merger control or cartel proceedings, reviewing pan-European distribution agreements, advising in proceedings involving abuse in license or patent disputes and implementing global compliance structures.

COMMEO Frankfurt