Advances in competition economics as well as in computational and empirical methods have offered the scope for the employment of merger simulation models in merger control procedures during the past almost 15 years. Merger simulation is, nevertheless, still a very young and innovative instrument...

Advanced economic instruments like simulation models are enjoying an increased popularity in practical antitrust. There is hope that they - being quantitative predictive economic evidence - can substitute for qualitative structural analysis and lead to unambiguous results. This paper...

English Abstract: This article analyzes the ministerial approvals granted in the energy sector against the background of the public interest justification "security of energy supply in Germany". Based on an in-depth examination of the case of E.ON/Ruhrgas as the last ministerial-approved merger...