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Philipp E. Zurkinden

Partner

Position: Partner
Practice Areas: Competition & Regulatory Matters
Field-Display: Competition & Regulatory Matters Maincontact

Prof. Philipp Zurkinden heads the Competition Team. He advises Swiss and international clients in antitrust proceedings (agreements affecting competition, abuse and mergers) and on state aid law. He has in-depth knowledge of EU competition law and therefore often works on multi-jurisdictional proceedings with established international law firms. He is also engaged in compliance consultancy. Before joining Prager Dreifuss, he worked at SECO on drafting the Cartel Act still currently in force and directed the training of the Competition Commission Secretariat in the new legislation. Philipp Zurkinden teaches competition law at the University of Basel.

E-Mail

+41 31 327 54 54

Linkedin

VCard

Admission to the Bar

Admitted in Switzerland (1989) 

Practice Areas

  • Competition & Regulatory Matters

Education

  • University of Basel (Prof. Dr. iur, 2013; Dr. iur., 1997)
  • Europainstitut, Saarland University (LL.M. Eur., 1984)
  • University of Bern (Fürsprecher (barrister), 1989)

Languages

  • German
  • French
  • English
  • Italian
  • Spanish

Memberships

  • European Lawyers Association
  • Swiss Bar Association
  • Bernese Bar Association

Assistant

Nicole Stofer
+41 31 327 54 23
nicole.stofer@prager-dreifuss.com

The exchange/contact with the responsible people is excellent. There is a quick response and action and optimal solutions are shown. The treatment of the clientele is very courteous. — Legal 500 2024

The lawyers responsible for us responded excellently to our needs and conducted the negotiations entirely in our interests. Documents were drawn up within a very reasonable period of time and submitted where necessary. We were always well informed about the following (legal) steps. — Legal 500 2024

The team has in-depth expertise in different sectors. They are efficient and creative and deliver the highest quality customised solutions. — Legal 500 2024

Philipp Zurkinden is our main contact person. He has in-depth knowledge of both Swiss and European antitrust law, which makes him very well placed to help. — Legal 500 2024

Pragmatic, fast and highly professional. — Legal 500 2024

Quick perception, pragmatic with excellent know-how. — Legal 500 2024

The competition team at Prager Dreifuss is of very high calibre. It has a wealth of experience in all aspects of competition law. It has special expertise in cartel work and is involved in all major cartel cases. It is a well-respected and all-round team that you can turn to even for the most difficult of cases.— Legal 500 2024

Philipp Zurkinden is an excellent and very dependable competition law expert. He is very analytical and always proceeds with great care. He is creative and never looses sight of the client’s objectives. — Legal 500 2024

Profound knowledge of the law and the most recent practice of the authorities — Legal 500 2020 

Has magisterial expertise in an array of competition matters, such as state aid — Chambers 2020

Provides extraordinary service in competition law — Legal 500 2020

The team is very reliable, responsive and accurate in the solution proposed. — Legal 500 EMEA 2022

Philipp Zurkinden and Bernhard Lauterburg are responsive. Their answers are always well explained, well detailed. They offer several options to find the best solution for us. They are proactive. — Legal 500 EMEA 2022

The professional support is excellent and there is the willingness to go the extra mile. — Legal 500 EMEA 2022

Philipp Zurkinden has profound knowledge of Swiss and EU antitrust law. He has a wide and valuable network in the antitrust community. — Legal 500 EMEA 2022

Has deep understanding of corporate needs and efficient and productive way of collaborating — Legal 500 2020

Global Leader in Competition — Who's Who Legal 2020

National Leader in Competition — Who's Who Legal 2020

Publications

Subject: Health and Medical Law
Autor: Marino Baldi, Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Andrea Schütz, Philipp E. Zurkinden

GCR Life Sciences - Switzerland

A stable and comprehensible legal framework is of great importance, not only in crisis situations, but in general. Legal uncertainties are poison for the supply of a country with important medical goods. The life sciences sector has so far not raised any major competition law issues in Switzerland. Yet, recent jurisprudence as well as enacted and planned legislative amendments are not free of contradictions and ambiguities. The lack of an update of the Mutual Recognition Agreement and the related status of Switzerland as a third country vis-à-vis the EU brought additional uncertainties. The authors provide an overview of the current regulatory environment and discuss the implications of planned legislative changes.

Subject: Competition & Regulatory Matters
Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden

Annual Report on Jurisprudence in Swiss Competition Law in 2019/2020

This annual report on jurisprudence in Swiss competition law in 2019/20 summarizes the most important cartels, abuse of dominance and merger cases in this period. It further contains some comments on three state aid cases falling under the bilateral air transport agreement CH-EU in 2020 and on the ongoing reform of the Swiss Cartels Act.

Subject: Competition & Regulatory Matters
Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Chambers and Partners, Merger Control
Reading time: 7 Min

Merger Control - Trends & Developments in Switzerland (in Chambers Global)

This article provides an overview on the recent practice of the Swiss competition authorities in merger control and on the ongoing reform of the Swiss Cartels Act and the merger control reform respectively

Subject: Competition & Regulatory Matters
Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Getting The Deal Through

Public Procurement 2019 – Switzerland

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Getting The Deal Through

Public Procurement 2017 – Switzerland

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Merger control in Switzerland, market intelligence

Merger control in Switzerland, market intelligence

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Merger control in Switzerland, market intelligence

Merger control in Switzerland, market intelligence

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Chambers and Partners, Merger Control

Chambers Practice Guides: Merger Control

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Financier Worldwide

TalkingPoint: Swiss Antitrust Investigations

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Getting The Deal Through

Public Procurement 2015 – Switzerland

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: A Global Competition Review special report

The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies – Switzerland Chapter

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Financier Worldwide

The Evolution of Competition / Antitrust Law

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Forgotten popular sovereignty

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Risk & Compliance Magazine

Mini-Roundtable: Competition and Antitrust

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: The Private Competition Enforcement Review

The Private Competition Enforcement Review

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

“Relative market power” – an immature concept

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Finanz und Wirtschaft

For a new beginning in the antitrust law revision

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Drawing lessons from February, 9th

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Mehr Rechtsunsicherheit für Arbeitsgemeinschaften

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Kartellgesetzrevision in der zweiten Runde

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Finanz und Wirtschaft

Zu wenig zielgerichtete Schweizer EU-Politik

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: plea

Braucht die Schweiz ein Wettbewerbsgericht?

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Austausch von Informationen mit der EU

Autor: Bernhard C. Lauterburg, Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Getting The Deal Through

Getting The Deal Through – Public Procurement: Country Chapter Switzerland

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Finanz und Wirtschaft

Zu wenig Fantasie in der Europapolitik

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: NZZ

Fragen zur Rechtsstaatlichkeit im Wettbewerbsrecht

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Finanz und Wirtschaft

Die Schweiz, ihre Souveränität und Europa

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: The Handbook of Competition Enforcement Agencies

A Global Competition Review special report

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden, Thomas Eichenberger
Paper: SZW

Der Parallelimport von Arzneimitteln in die Schweiz

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: Global Competition Review

The reform of the Swiss Cartels Act

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: SWZ/RSDA

Auswirkungen der KG Revision auf Vertriebssysteme

Autor: Philipp E. Zurkinden
Paper: European State Aid Law

State Aids in Switzerland: The Air Transport Agreement between the EU and Switzerland