Taking a close look at the big picture: Munich hosts next GRUR Int-JIPLP event

You don't need one of these
to spot the legal issues ...

If you enjoyed this month's JIPLP-GRUR Int London seminar on the impact of the IP Enforcement Directive on national law (reported here and here on this weblog), you won't have long to wait for the next cooperation between the two journals, which takes place in Munich on 28 October 2015. The subject is "Internet Search Engines in the Focus of EU Competition Law -- a Closer Look at the Broader Picture" and it is to be hosted at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Munich.  What is this seminar about? Let our colleagues from GRUR Int explain in their own words:

Against the background of the EU Commission’s current investigation regarding Google Search, the 6th GRUR Int. / JIPLP Joint Seminar will examine and discuss the challenges concerning the application and enforcement of competition law in digital markets in particular with regard to search engines. Further, it will explore whether an adaptation of established concepts and instruments of competition law is warranted in order to adequately account for the distinct economic characteristics of digital markets.

Experts in law and in economics from Germany and the UK will

• inform on the allegations against Google in the EU Commission’s current investigation;
• identify the economic characteristics of the relevant digital markets and discuss the potential competition concerns;
• develop principles on the definition of the relevant markets that necessarily has to precede the identification of market dominance;
• discuss potential theories of harm as a basis for enforcement action;
• look at justifications available to dominant operators of search engines;
• discuss the potentials of public and private enforcement of competition law in digital markets;
• analyse the competition, consumer protection and privacy concerns that arise from the use of data in such markets;
• and discuss whether in view of the particular features of digital markets competition law is in need of reform.

The Seminar will take place from 14.00 – 19.30 in the English language without simultaneous translation. The seminar is open and free of charge. Room availability is limited to 100 seats so that we recommend an early registration. There will be a cocktail reception for all participants.

You can check out the full programme and the list of topics and speakers here
Online registration opens on Monday 21 September here.