Deferral of social security contribution due to the coronavirus crisis

Employers are obligated to pay social security contributions for their employees. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, they now have the option to defer these contributions. Many businesses are seeing orders dry up as a result of the crisis surrounding the coronavirus, yet nothing has changed on the cost front. Wages, salaries, and social security …

Tax relief in response to the coronavirus crisis

Germany’s federal government has drawn up various measures in an attempt to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including tax relief measures. The crisis surrounding the coronavirus is hitting businesses, freelancers, and the self-employed hard and – aggravated by tax liabilities – undermining their economic viability. We at the commercial law firm MTR …

Coronavirus – What it means for businesses

Businesses across the world are feeling the strain of these difficult times brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Yet business goes on and businesses must come to terms with the situation. We at the commercial law firm MTR Rechtsanwälte offer legal advice on a wide range of issues currently affected by the coronavirus.

MTR Rechtsanwälte – Experience in the fields of antitrust and competition law

Violations of antitrust law are subject to rigorous sanctions. In 2019, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, the Bundeskartellamt, imposed fines totaling around 848 million euros in response to illegal agreements.

The coronavirus pandemic and employment law

The coronavirus pandemic is turning employment law on its head. The protective measures – some of which are recommendations and others mandatory in nature – designed to contain and curtail the strain of coronavirus and respiratory disease known as COVID-19, have far-reaching consequences for all aspects of life. Schools and kindergartens have been and remain …

LG Berlin: Reference must be made to GmbH’s legal form

A company’s legal form as a GmbH is a key piece of information for consumers. Withholding information from advertisements about its legal form constitutes an antitrust violation according to a ruling of the LG Berlin.

Illegal price rigging – Bundeskartellamt imposes fines totaling 154.6 million euros

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, the Bundeskartellamt, has imposed fines totaling around 154.6 million euros on seven pesticide wholesalers for entering into illegal, anticompetitive price-fixing arrangements.

Antitrust & Competition Law: Medical practice that does not admit inpatients is not a Klinik

A medical practice that does not provide overnight accommodation for patients is not a Klinik and is not allowed to style itself as such. That was the verdict of the Landgericht (LG) Hamburg in a ruling from November 15, 2019 (Az. 315 O 472/18).

BGH – Use of protected seal of approval only allowed in connection with licensing agreement

The use of seals of approval that are protected trademarks is not permitted without corresponding licensing agreements. That was the verdict of Germany’s Federal Supreme Court, the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH), on December 12, 2019 (Az.: I ZR 173/16, I ZR 174/16, and I ZR 117/17).

Profits from trading cryptocurrency subject to tax

Profits from the sale of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are subject to tax. That was the verdict of the Finanzgericht Berlin-Brandenburg in a ruling from June 20, 2019 (Az.: 13 V 13100/19).