Until now, the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) and the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) have only cooperated informally. On 1 November 2022, Switzerland and Germany signed an agreement on cooperation between competition authorities in Berlin. The agreement is intended to improve cooperation between the COMCO and the FCO and shall thus allow efficient enforcement of competition law in cross-border cases in the future. In this way, it shall contribute to better protection of competition in Switzerland and Germany.

In future, confidential information can also be exchanged, as the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) states in a press release. “The exchange of information is subject to strict conditions for the protection of business secrets and personal data” the Seco states.

With the agreement, the authorities can coordinate parallel procedures and carry out analyses jointly. It also facilitates the delivery of official notifications and rulings. In Switzerland, the agreement must be approved by the Federal Assembly.