Online-Märkte und Wettbewerbsrecht

The disruptive increase in platform-based business models – coined as “Platform Revolution” – has transformed the world economy. The unique features of multi-sided platforms impose new challenges on the regulatory environment. Distribution-related competition law is affected particularly by those changes. This interdisciplinary research analyses the assessment of vertical agreements relating to online sales platforms from a European, cartel-related perspective, focusing on anticompetitive agreements between the platform and its users as well as sales prohibitions via online platforms. This work provides an overview of the relevant legal assessment criteria and discusses critically pertinent legal and economic publications as well as the decision-making practices and case law. Special attention is given to the theory of two-sided markets as established by Jean Tirole, Nobel Prize winner in Economics.