Update on recent Mergers in the Digital World: Concers over Microsoft's Aquisition of Skype

Just a quick update on the recent merger-mania among the computer/cell-phone/web 2.0 giants: After Google's bid for Motorola's mobile section we forgot all about the fact that Microsoft is trying to buy Skype. This merger seems to be stuck with the European Commission. Remembering that Skype also offers cell and landline telephone services these days, the Google deal may be looked upon in a new light. Do we really want these companies controlling our telephony services? Or are we just to choose between pest and cholera?
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The Free Movement on Suspension?

The Free Movement of Persons, being one of the core principles in EU-law, has come under strain from economic and political difficulties within the EU. This became apparent first when France in March unilaterally decided to suspend Schengen-rules and reintroduced border checks in order to prevent refugees fleeing from the conflicts in North Africa. This was accepted by the European Commission despite criticism. A few weeks later, Denmark, under pressure from their far right-wing Danish Peoples Party, (Dansk Folkeparti) reintroduced their border checks towards Germany and Sweden. This move caused Hessian Minister for Justice, Integration and European Affairs, Joerg-Uwe Hahn's, to call for Germans to spend their holiday in other places but Denmark.

Update on E-Books - Copy-Paste suits

Apparently the e-book class action came with a tail: Four more complaints have been lodged since Hagens Bergman filed their complaint on the 9th of August.

Don't post too much information on your facebook wall - or the police might come knocking at your door

Regarding possible restrictions of using social media in order to quell riots; the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, stated the following today:

“Mr Speaker, everyone watching these horrific actions will be stuck by how they were organised via social media. Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them. So we are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality.”

Antitrust Cases involving Google, Apple and other Giants: I'm getting confused here....

So, following the news these days (and I don't mean the stock markets crashing all over the place), one can get a bit confused about which internet/media/electronics giant is suing which and who is being investigated. So lets recap:

Price-fixing for E-Books!?

As anyone surfing around in the digital world probably is aware of, there has been quite some discussion over e-books, which you can could read on a mobile device such as the iPad or Amazon's kindle. I honestly don't know anyone who does, but I must admit I have occasionally seen people on the train doing it. Personally, I like the look and feel of a book, of turning the page and of having a shelf full of books in my home. That said, I have considered getting a kindle (very shortly). What has driven me away from that idea is that books cost the same, regardless of the format. Economically speaking that makes no sense whatsoever.

10th Complaint against Google to the European Commission

The French "daily deal" site Deal du Jour complained to the European Commission, because Google allegedly removed the site from the web index and also blocks them from using Google’s Adsense advertising service.

Avoiding Horizontal Information "Exchange" - Mission Impossible? (with translation)

So we had a discussion about this one in Johannes Zöttel's blog:

"Kollege Bach berichtet von einer Frage, die in einem Spring Meeting-Panel zum Thema Informationsaustausch aufkam:

Wettbewerber ruft an und gibt eine Preiserhöhung in Höhe von X zum Termin Y bekannt.

C-360/09 Pfleiderer vs Bundeskartellamt

A case I have recently been following is the Pfleiderer Case. This one started out unusually as a "simple" case before the Local Court (Amtsgericht) Bonn, Germany. The "simple" question was: Can a company (rather: their attorney) look into the file of an application for leniency in a cartel case of the German competition authority in order to prepare a private claim for damages? So this is what happened so far:

Leiden Law School

So, for all those who didn't know, Leiden University is the oldest University in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1575.

Moving to Leiden, The Netherlands

So, as anyone who is reading this blog at the moment most likely knows, I will be moving to Leiden soon, to attend Leiden University and do my LL.M. in European Law. Leiden is situated south of Amsterdam and north of The Hague and Rotterdam. It is also just 10 km away from th sea - perfect location, I'd say! I will miss Lüneburg, but I'm looking forward to a new city and new impressions!