Florian Prischl

Florian Prischl

@florianprischl.com

Counsel @ DLA Piper, specializing in Austrian and European antitrust and competition law. He/Him

96 followers72 following88 posts

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Freedom of Information #FOI in Austria: A state-affiliated entity cannot refuse info under the exemption for publicly listed entities if the entity is not actually listed but merely issues tradable securities. Thank you for trusting me with this matter, @moserat.bsky.social!

Verfassungsgerichtshof@oevfgh.bsky.social

Zwei #VfGH Entscheidungen zur Informationsfreiheit: Hypo Vbg ist kein börsennotiertes Unternehmen, daher nicht ausgenommen. Ob bei NÖ Unternehmen Geheimhaltungsinteresse überwiegt, hat ggf. der VwGH, aber nicht der #Verfassungsgerichtshof zu entscheiden: t1p.de/lft7v

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

The Constitutional Court rejected our argument that this exemption as a whole is unconstitutional. However, it also rejected the extremely broad interpretation of the Administrative Court Vorarlberg. State-affiliated entities cannot dodge their duty to provide information on thin reasoning.

Florian Prischl reposted

Maximilian Werner
@maximilianwerner.at

Wie berechnet sich die Frist für Gerichtsanträge wegen Informationsbegehren an private Informationspflichtige (in § 14 Abs 2 Satz 1 IFG)? Also etwa an den Tiergarten Schönbrunn? Bei dieser Frage waren Literatur und Verwaltungsgerichte uneins – nun hat sie der Verwaltungsgerichtshof geklärt. 1/5

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Why I enjoy my work: Under Austria's new #FOIA law, state-owned enterprises have to provide information upon request similarly to the state. If they refuse, the applicant can seek relief with the administrative courts.

Maximilian Werner@maximilianwerner.at

Wie berechnet sich die Frist für Gerichtsanträge wegen Informationsbegehren an private Informationspflichtige (in § 14 Abs 2 Satz 1 IFG)? Also etwa an den Tiergarten Schönbrunn? Bei dieser Frage waren Literatur und Verwaltungsgerichte uneins – nun hat sie der Verwaltungsgerichtshof geklärt. 1/5

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Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

I helped settle that question: The Supreme Administrative Court agreed that the lower court's interpretation has no basis in law and that applicants may rely on the unambiguous wording of the law instead of being shut out of information because another interpretation might be conceivable.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

It's great that my pro bono work has a clear impact on this (for Austria) new area of the law, and that I get to argue and fight as a part of that. Thank you for your trust in me, @maximilianwerner.at, and the great cooperation! (Reposts of Maximilian's German explainer posts to follow.)

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Why I enjoy my work: Under Austria's new #FOIA law, state-owned enterprises have to provide information upon request similarly to the state. If they refuse, the applicant can seek relief with the administrative courts.

Maximilian Werner@maximilianwerner.at

Wie berechnet sich die Frist für Gerichtsanträge wegen Informationsbegehren an private Informationspflichtige (in § 14 Abs 2 Satz 1 IFG)? Also etwa an den Tiergarten Schönbrunn? Bei dieser Frage waren Literatur und Verwaltungsgerichte uneins – nun hat sie der Verwaltungsgerichtshof geklärt. 1/5

Florian Prischl reposted

Sean Marotta
@smmarotta.bsky.social

Replying to @nicholashandler.bsky.social

As a practicing lawyer, the very broad idea is super easy! My client should win! It's the middle parts that I get paid for.

Florian Prischl reposted

Nicholas Handler
@nicholashandler.bsky.social

Replying to @smmarotta.bsky.social

I think a lot of people get very broad ideas in their head that they're sure would make sense if they could just write them down. They don't realize that in the process of trying to write actual sentences and paragraphs, they end up discovering lots of inconsistencies and unjustified assumptions.

Florian Prischl reposted

Sean Marotta
@smmarotta.bsky.social

Replying to @smmarotta.bsky.social

Bad legal writing is often the product of bad legal REASONING and so you can't separate the "important" stuff from the "boring" stuff the way that the legal AI evangelists assume.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

The opposite is also often true: Because the writing is not used as an opportunity/time to properly reason (instead treated as "just gotta write something down real quick"), the reasoning will be bad.

Sean Marotta@smmarotta.bsky.social

Bad legal writing is often the product of bad legal REASONING and so you can't separate the "important" stuff from the "boring" stuff the way that the legal AI evangelists assume.

Florian Prischl reposted

Sean Marotta
@smmarotta.bsky.social

One thing that AI evangelists seem to assume, particularly legal AI evangelists assume, is that the thinking and analysis is quick, and the writing is just tedious busywork that slows us down. But the writing IS the thinking and analysis. You work out the thinking and analysis by writing it down.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

This is very much how I work and feel - and I feel strongly about it. However, I have met lawyers who are different (can you imagine??). They need to talk to another person (not just themselves, not a recording device) to actually *think*. Blows my mind every time.

Sean Marotta@smmarotta.bsky.social

One thing that AI evangelists seem to assume, particularly legal AI evangelists assume, is that the thinking and analysis is quick, and the writing is just tedious busywork that slows us down. But the writing IS the thinking and analysis. You work out the thinking and analysis by writing it down.

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Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

3) Der BWB setzen das Gesetz (gut!) und ihr relativ kleines Budget deutliche Grenzen, was zum nächsten Punkt führt: 4) Heutiges Urteil ist Ergebnis von StA-Ermittlungen. Die Schnittstelle zwischen Straf- und Kartellrecht ist mitunter schwierig zu navigieren und immer wieder ein Stolperstein.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Das betrifft nicht zuletzt Themen wie den Informationsaustausch und die Akteneinsicht; EuGH-Urteil C-2/23 klärt bei weitem nicht alles. Hier könnten Überarbeitungen der Gesetze helfen, um den Wettbewerb zu stärken.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Damit wird eine Geldbuße gegen STRABAG aus 2021 um ca. €100 Mio (!) erhöht. Erst strafrechtliche Ermittlungen der WKStA deckten die zusätzlichen, der BWB nicht offengelegten Fälle auf.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Meine Analyse: 1) Die Höhe von Geldbußen steigt nach dem REWE-Urteil 2025 (€70 Mio) rasant. Dass STRABAG die Buße akzeptiert, ist vielleicht ein Zeichen, dass Unternehmen nun ein höheres Risiko in Rechtsmitteln (Rekurs an KOG (OGH)) sehen. 2) BWB demonstriert weiterhin Kompetenz und Hartnäckigkeit.

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Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

4) This result is based on criminal investigations by public prosecution into criminal bid rigging. Interplay of Austrian criminal and competition law can be tricky, in particular re: sharing of info and access to file (recently partially adjudicated by ECJ C-2/23).

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

This follows, and increases, a 2021 fine of ~€45 million on STRABAG in relation to a long-running, long-investigated construction cartel in Austria. After that, criminal investigations into the cartel apparently revealed STRABAG involvement not disclosed to Austrian Federal Competition Authority.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

My analysis: 1) Austria continues path of higher #antitrust / #competition law fines. Acceptance by STRABAG may show that risk appetite for appeals re: fines is severely reduced following last year's €70 mil REWE fine. 2) @bwboesterreich.bsky.social demonstrates resolution and skill in prosecution.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

Today, political horse trading is often treated as more important than following policy goals and values, even as virtuous. This makes the fierce independence of #competition authorities who follow the (rule of) law even more important. Interesting proposal from Yon-Courtin, worth discussing!

Rapporteur@euractiv.com

Lead competition legislator pitches ‘independent’ authority

dlvr.itLead competition legislator pitches ‘independent’ authorityFrench liberal MEP, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, proposes an independent authority to circumvent 'political interference' in competition cases
Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

REWE, the retailer handed the highest ever Austrian🇦🇹 #competition fine, plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights #ECHR (media reports confirmed by the company).

Florian Prischl@florianprischl.com

🇦🇹 Austrian Supreme Court issues highest-ever #competition fine in a failure to notify case: EUR 70 million. 💶 The first instance fine was only EUR 1.5 million. Summary of the decision in German on the Court's website: www.ogh.gv.at/entscheidung...

ogh.gv.atVerhängung einer Geldbuße wegen verbotener Du... | OGH | ogh.gv.atUrteile und Beschlüsse des OGH | Geldbußen nach dem KartG verfolgen präventive und repressive Zwecke, was eine angemessene Höhe erfordert, weil sonst keine abschreckende Wirkung erzie...
Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

REWE argues that the fine is blatantly disproportionate to the offence committed, which it describes as a "formal violation" of the law. If the ECHR takes up the case, I expect some insight into the nature of antitrust fines (punitive/criminal?).

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

While a fine set as a proportion of turnover is broadly accepted, REWE may have a case in view of the leeway given by Austrian law to courts, and in view of approach taken by Austrian courts that 10% of turnover is not a cap, but determines range. Nuanced point, but important for fine amounts.

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

🇦🇹 Austrian Supreme Court issues highest-ever #competition fine in a failure to notify case: EUR 70 million. 💶 The first instance fine was only EUR 1.5 million. Summary of the decision in German on the Court's website: www.ogh.gv.at/entscheidung...

ogh.gv.atVerhängung einer Geldbuße wegen verbotener Du... | OGH | ogh.gv.atUrteile und Beschlüsse des OGH | Geldbußen nach dem KartG verfolgen präventive und repressive Zwecke, was eine angemessene Höhe erfordert, weil sonst keine abschreckende Wirkung erzie...
Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

The Court clearly expects authorities to step up their fine requests. To quote the Court: "fines should be an effective controlling tool against breaches of competition law, [...] as they have been common at the EU level and in other EU Member States for a long time". #competitionlaw #antitrust

Florian Prischl
@florianprischl.com

The Austrian Federal Competition Authority will finally receive a new, permanent director general. Natalie Harsdorf-Borsch, broadly respected in the Austrian competition law community (including adversary attorneys) is to be named new GD. #antitrust #competition

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