Wolfgang Deselaers’ practice focuses on EU and competition law, including cartels, cartel damage (and other competition) litigation, monopolies, merger control, and State aid.

He represents clients before the European Commission, the German Federal Cartel Office, as well as the European Courts and German courts. His experience extends to a broad range of industries, including consumer products, retail, automotive, transport, health care, steel, chemical, and financial services. Wolfgang is widely published and a regular speaker at conferences.

Wolfgang joined the firm as a partner in 2017. Prior to joining Cleary, he was a partner at an international law firm based in Brussels and Düsseldorf.

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Notable Experience

Recent Matters

  • German football clubs Bayer Leverkusen, TSG Hoffenheim, and VfL Wolfsburg before the German Federal Cartel Office in relation to the 50+1 rule, which prevents investors from controlling German football clubs.

  • Google in an antitrust damages litigation brought by Idealo (a subsidiary of Axel Springer) before the Regional Court of Berlin in relation to the EU Shopping case.

  • Google in antitrust litigation brought by Netdoktor (a subsidiary of Hubert Burda Media Holding KG) before the Regional Court of Munich in relation to a cooperation between Google and the German Ministry of Health.

  • Broadcom in antitrust litigation before the Regional Court of Munich. 

  • Nestlé in various merger control and antitrust proceedings as well as in cartel damage cases before various courts in Germany.

  • Kärcher in successfully obtaining dismissal of the French Competition Authority’s retail price maintenance allegations against Kärcher.

  • Beiersdorf in antitrust proceedings as well as in various cartel damage cases before various courts in Germany.

  • BayWa in antitrust proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office.

  • GoodMills in cartel proceedings (flour) and damage litigation.

  • Leading automotive companies in relation to global cartel proceedings and damage litigation in Europe and Germany.

  • Deutsche Bahn in dominance proceedings before the European Commission including successful appeals of two dawn-raid decisions to the European Court of Justice.

  • Lithuanian Railways in dominance proceedings before the European Commission and an appeal to the EU General Court and the EU Court of Justice.

  • Western Digital in an antitrust action for damages.

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Prior to joining Cleary, Wolfgang’s notable experience included:

  • BP in various merger control and antitrust proceedings.

  • European airline in relation to the air cargo cartel before German and European courts.

  • Royal Bank of Scotland in antitrust proceedings (essential facility) before the European Commission and various German courts including the German Supreme Court.

  • Siemens in merger control proceedings (e.g., Siemens/Invensys).

  • CVC in various EU merger control proceedings (e.g., Flint/Akzo; Flint/Sicpa; Elopak/SIG).

  • Duales System Deutschland in antitrust proceedings before the European Commission, EU General Court, and European Court of Justice.

  • Major TV company in antitrust proceedings in relation to the central marketing of TV rights to international motor sport series, including Formula One, before the European Commission and various German courts, including the German Supreme Court.

  • Rambus in dominance proceedings before the European Commission and German courts.

  • United Airlines in dominance proceedings against European airports in relation to their ground-handling monopolies before the European Commission.

  • Soda Club in dominance proceedings (essential facility) before the German Federal Cartel Office and German Courts including the German Supreme Court.

  • Hypo Real Estate in various State aid proceedings during the financial crisis.

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Selected Activities

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  • Member of the Board, German Competition Law Association (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht) (2006 to 2018)
  • Advisor to the International Competition Network, which comprises more than 100 competition authorities worldwide
  • Lecturer at the Institute for Law and Finance, University of Frankfurt, LL.M. Finance, on EU competition law (2010 to 2015)

Publications

“The Federal Cartel Office’s first proceedings under Section 19a of the German Act against Restraints of Competition – resolved and unresolved issues,” NZKart 2024, 366

“Das Recht der Europäischen Union, Entscheidungspraxis Artikel 102,” in: Eberhard Grabitz, Martin Nettesheim, Meinhard Hilf, 60. Ergänzungslieferung 2021

“Staatlicher Eingriff in das Windhundrennen der Bonusregelung - Kriminalistische List oder Verfassungsverstoß?” WuW 2020, WUW1330733

“Anscheinsbeweis für das Entstehen eines Schadens bei bloßem Informationsaustausch?” in: Kokott/Pohlmann/Polley (Hrsg.), Festschrift für Dirk Schroeder. Europäisches, deutsches und internationales Kartellrecht, Köln, 2018, S. 203-210.

“Kein Anscheinsbeweis für die Entstehung eines Schadens bei bloßem Informationsaustausch,” WuW, 10/2018, 512

“EuGH stärkt Verteidigungsrechte der Unternehmen bei Auskunftsbeschlüssen der Europäischen Kommission,” WuW, 7-8/2016, 355

“Deutsche Bahn v Commission: Limits on the European Commission’s Inspection Powers,” Journal of European Competition Law & Practice, Vol. 6, No. 8, 2015, 581

“EC Dawn Raids: The General Court in Deutsche Bahn – no need for a prior judicial authorisation and views on ‘accidental’ discoveries,” September 2013

“Abschlussbericht des Bundeskartellamtes zur Sektoruntersuchung Kraftstoffe – alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen zum Thema marktbeherrschendes Oligopol?” in: Festschrift für Cornelis Canenbley, 2012, 129

“Willenserklärung als essential facility,” WuW 02/2008, 179

“Die Leitlinien der Kommission zur Bewertung nicht-horizontaler Zusammenschlüsse,” EWS 2008, 57 (Heft 3)

“Neue Entwicklungen im einstweiligen Rechtsschutz im Kartellverwaltungsverfahren: der Soda-Club-Beschluss des BGH,” WuW 9/2007, 882 ff.

“Golden Shares: The ECJ outlaws state protection,” The European Lawyer, 19 June 2002, 10

“Bringing a competition complaint at EU level,” Global Counsel Competition Handbook 2000, 51

“Weißbuch zum Europäischen Kartellrecht – Rechtssicherheit ade?”, Europäisches Wirtschafts & Steuerrecht, EWS 2000, 41

“The WTO Millennium Round and the Audiovisual Sector,” International Trade Law and Regulation 1998 (6), 147

“Sportverbände und Europäisches Kartellrecht,” WuW 1998, 946

“Liberalisation of Ground Handling Services at Community Airports,” Air & Space Law Vol. XXI, No. 6, December 1996

“Die “Essential Facilities” – Doktrin im Lichte des Magill-Urteils des EuGH,” EuZW 16/1995, 563

“Selektiver Vertrieb und Kontrahierungszwang nach Art. 85 EWG-Vertrag Europäisches Kartellrecht,” Dissertation, Europäische Hochschulschriften, Frankfurt a.M., Oktober 1992

Events

September 12, 2024
Antitrust and Competition Law Enforcement: What Does the Future Hold?

October 1, 2021
Antitrust Sanctioning Policy in the EU, Universities of Linz, Augsburg and Zurich

January 29, 2020
Careers of Future Generations

November 15, 2019 
Damage claims in relation to anti-competitive exchanges of information, University of Cologne

February 20, 2019
Transatlantic Views on Competition and Professional Licensing

December 12, 2018
Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht – Limitation issues in relation to follow-on damages claims (panel moderator)

October 24, 2018
Cartel Follow-On Damages Claims Seminar: Recent Experiences in Cross-Border Cases

May 10, 2017
ICN Annual Conference, Cartel Workshop, Porto

February 15, 2017
Festakt Tschechisches Oberstes Verwaltungsgericht, damage litigation in Europe and U.S., Brno

November 24, 2016
Jahrestagung Kartellrecht Schadensersatz, Wien

June 16, 2016
ERA Academy of European Law, Dawnraids and Judicial Review, Brussels

May 24, 2016
Kartellrechtliche Schadensersatzansprüche, Köln

February 2, 2016
GCR Annual Antitrust Law Leader Forum, Damage Litigation in Europe, Miami

November 24, 2015
DKN Kartellrecht Summit, Recent developments, Berlin

June 23, 2015
Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht – 50th Anniversary Symposium

June 14, 2015
Studienvereinigung - Symposium Wien, Marktmacht