Case C‑581/22 P

thyssenkrupp AG

v

European Commission

Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 4 October 2024

(Appeal – Competition – Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 – Concentration between undertakings – Decision declaring the concentration incompatible with the internal market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement – Determination of the relevant markets – Significant impediment to effective competition – Creation or strengthening of a dominant position – Non-coordinated effects – Standard of proof – Concepts of ‘important competitive force’ and ‘close competitors’ – Closeness of competition between the merging parties – Herfindahl-Hirschman Index – Requests for information – Distortion)

1. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly impeding effective competition in the internal market – Examination by the Commission – Prospective analysis – Burden of proof – Obligation on the Commission to rely on convincing evidence – Judicial review – Scope

   (Council Regulation No 139/2004)

   (see paragraphs 95-100)

2. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly impeding effective competition in the internal market – Examination by the Commission – Prospective analysis – Extent of the burden of proof – Burden on the Commission to substantiate the theory of harm put forward in relation to that concentration by means of a sufficiently cogent and consistent body of evidence to be able to conclude that an impediment to competition is more likely than not

   (Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2(2) and (3))

   (see paragraphs 126, 127)

3. Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Definition of the market in question – Criteria – Substitutability of products – Information needed for an assessment – Challenge to the Commission’s assessment – Burden of proof

   (Commission Notice 97/C 372/03, paragraphs 15 and 25)

   (see paragraphs 163-172)

4. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Examination by the Commission – Effect of the Commission’s previous decision-making practice – None

   (Council Regulation No 139/2004)

   (see paragraphs 187-190)

5. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly impeding effective competition in the internal market – Impediment to competition in a substantial part of the internal market – Criteria – Existence of non-coordinated horizontal effects resulting from the elimination of an important competitive constraint in an oligopolistic market

   (Council Regulation No 139/2004, recital 25 and Art. 2(2) and (3))

   (see paragraphs 201-204, 211)

6. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly impeding effective competition in the internal market – Criteria for assessment – Elimination of an undertaking which constitutes an important competitive force – Concept – Undertaking that has more of an influence on the competitive process than its market share would suggest – Sufficient element

   (Commission Notice 2004/C 31/03, paragraphs 26, 37 and 38)

   (see paragraphs 236-243)

7. Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly impeding effective competition in the internal market – Assessment of the anticompetitive effects of the transaction – Criteria

   (Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2(3); Commission Notice 2004/C 31/03, paragraphs 16 and 21)

   (see paragraphs 350-352)

See the text of the decision.