Current contents of the Federal Cartel Office

23 rd International Conference on Competition from 11 to 13 March 2026 in Berlin

12.03.2026

published on: 12.03.2026

From 11 to 13 March 2026 the Bundeskartellamt will be hosting its 23 rd International Conference on Competition (IKK) in Berlin. The biennial conference is one of the most important events in the field of competition law and policy worldwide, bringing together high-ranking representatives from competition authorities, the judiciary, politics and academia, as well as the legal profession and the business world.

In the run-up to the conference, the Bundeskartellamt is once again organising a workshop for younger competition authorities, which aims to enhance their expertise and encourage international networking.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: “Competition policy is facing profound challenges, ranging from geopolitical tensions and key digital technologies to issues of regulation and independence. The International Conference on Competition provides a unique forum for discussing these issues from a practical perspective with decision-makers from public authorities, businesses and academia.”

A special feature of the conference is its clear focus on competition policy, combined with a strong practical orientation. As well as heads of authorities and judges, the participants include decision-makers from international companies and experienced legal advisers. This brings together regulatory perspectives, business practices and economic expertise.

The main part of the conference will begin with keynote speeches by high-ranking representatives of the judiciary, politics and business, including:

• Professor Stephan Harbarth, President of the Federal Constitutional Court
• Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition at the European Commission
• Dr Thomas Steffen, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
• Omeed A. Assefi and Dina Kallay, senior representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division
• Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG
• René Obermann, Chairman of Airbus SE and Warburg Pincus Europe, Deputy Chairman of IONOS Group SE This year’s conference will feature discussions that are influenced by growing geopolitical tensions, increasing demands for a competitive, sovereign and sustainable Europe, and the profound impact of technological developments.

The panel “Competition law meets geopolitics – balancing open markets and trade with industrial policy and resilience” will address the consequences of global power shifts and the growing significance of industrial policy strategies. It will examine how open competition can be reliably ensured in an environment characterised by bloc formation, national interests and security-related requirements.

The panel “Navigating AI – driver of innovation or threat to open competition?” will examine the effects of artificial intelligence on market structures and competitive dynamics. It will discuss how competition authorities should further develop their tools in an economy that is increasingly characterised by AI -supported decision-making processes.

The panel “Competition and regulation – opposing forces or shared objectives?” will focus on the relationship between competition law and regulation. It will explore how these two approaches can be coordinated to promote innovation and secure open markets in the long term.

The panel “Independence under pressure – rule of law and the limits of administrative autonomy” will address the institutional independence of competition authorities. It will explore how this independence, which is a key prerequisite for effectively enforcing competition law, can be guaranteed.

The panel “Mergers – from market leaders to market shapers: innovation vs. foreclosure” will focus on the further development of merger control. It will address how merger control should respond to dynamic, innovation-driven markets, and explore the relationship between competition, industrial and structural policy objectives.

The conference will conclude with the Power Talk “Competition in the age of omnipresent change”, which will expand upon selected key topics covered during the conference. It will focus on developments in Europe and the US, the challenges posed by major technology and AI companies, and the effects of geopolitical changes on competition.

More information on the conference programme and the speakers is available at www.internationale-kartellkonferenz.de.

German Version:

• ### Internationale Kartellkonferenz vom 11. bis 13. März 2026 in Berlin

12.03.2026

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