The Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, released its annual review for 2025, detailing its key activities and enforcement actions. The authority imposed fines totaling around ten million euros for prohibited cartel agreements and returned approximately 200 million euros in compensation to the federal budget related to energy price regulations.

In 2025, the Bundeskartellamt focused heavily on cartel enforcement, issuing fines against companies and individuals, including a case involving vertical price fixing in audio products. The authority received numerous tips about potential competition violations, leading to new investigations and unannounced searches in collaboration with international competition authorities.

The digital economy remained a significant area of focus, with ongoing investigations against major companies like Alphabet/Google, Meta, Amazon, and Apple. The authority initiated a market test regarding proposed remedies in Apple's app ecosystem and addressed potential price control mechanisms at Amazon.

In the energy sector, the Bundeskartellamt concluded its review of potentially abusive behavior by energy suppliers, returning substantial compensation to the federal budget. The authority also initiated a procedure to examine structural competition issues in the fuel wholesale market.

In merger control, the authority reviewed around 900 merger cases, approving most but blocking the acquisition of three slaughterhouses by the Tönnies Group due to significant competition concerns. Additionally, the authority imposed obligations on the Rethmann Group to notify future mergers to ensure competition is maintained.

Overall, the Bundeskartellamt's activities in 2025 reflect its commitment to maintaining competitive markets across various sectors, including digital platforms, energy, and retail.