The chief of the Federal Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt, has warned that political interference is increasing on an international level. “The world has become more complicated for competition authorities” he told the “Tagesspiegel” Background service. “When political blocs focus more on their own interests, it becomes harder to enforce competition law consistently across borders”.
Mundt is concerned about what he calls the “political whirlpool”. At the International Cartel Conference in Berlin, he and other officials will discuss how authorities can protect their independence as the world becomes more politically fragmented.
In response to accusations that the EU Commission is being cautious in cases against companies like X and other digital giants because of fears of retaliation from the United States, Mundt rejected the claim. “There is no indication that EU authorities act more conservatively for political reasons” he said. “We are not under pressure, and despite the customs dispute I do not see that happening in Brussels”.
