Assessment of Acqui-Hires – Overview of Recent Case Law and Challenges Particularly from a German Merger Control Perspective

This article provides an overview of the phenomenon of “acqui-hires,” i.e. transactions where companies are acquired primarily for their skilled workforce, with particular focus on the perspective of German merger control law. As competition authorities across Europe increasingly scrutinize labor market dynamics, the paper explores whether acqui-hires present a regulatory gap or are adequately addressed by existing legal frameworks. Through analysis of recent cases, including the Mic