Zusagen in der EU-Fusionskontrolle

The European Commission’s commitments practice in EU merger control is of considerable practical significance, yet it is rarely examined systematically in legal academic research. Felix M. Beckmann closes this gap with a comprehensive survey of all 47 commitment decisions from the first term of the von der Leyen Commission (2019–2024) and examines whether the Commission’s practice is compatible with the requirements of the Merger Regulation. The findings reveal significant shortcomings: non-transparent market tests, unduly long commitments, a problematic restriction on the pool of potential acquirers, and inadequate responses to tech mergers. On this basis, Beckmann develops concrete proposals for reform.