Leibniz ScienceCampus "Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation" (MaCCI) Takes off

An international conference on global regimes for the protection of intellectual property rights and corporate competitive behaviour on 29 March, 2012 launched the new Leibniz ScienceCampus "Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation" (MaCCI). MaCCI is a joint project of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and the School of Law and Economics at the University of Mannheim. Its specific research design is almost unique in Germany and in Europe. Mannheim-based MaCCI is co-funded by the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Leibniz Association.

“With MaCCI we created a platform that stimulates interdisciplinary exchange between researchers who have a law or economics focus and who can give fresh impetus to questions from the areas of competition, regulation and innovation policy. This exchange takes place both with researchers based in Mannheim as well as in cooperation with internationally renowned researchers in other countries”, explains Martin Peitz, professor of economics at the University of Mannheim and director of MaCCI.

The core topics analysed by the Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation include classical aspects of competition law and the economics of competition such as vertical restraints on competition, abuse of market power, merger control, and private and public enforcement of anti-trust laws. Furthermore, MaCCI focuses on the regulation of the telecommunications and energy sector, competition in the health sector, and patent legal proceedings. These key research issues are of central importance for modern industrial societies, individual consumers, and economic policy. “Competition is vital for the performance of the German economy and the common European market. In times of crisis, an intervening industrial policy is repeatedly being demanded. This claim is currently being voiced at the European level, too. It is thus important to investigate and explain the conditions for unobstructed competitive processes and to remind policy makers of its importance for Germany’s and Europe’s international success”, says Prof. Dr. Heike Schweitzer, professor of private law, economic law and competition law at the University of Mannheim and director of MaCCI.

Corporate competitive behaviour and the quality of global regimes for the protection of intellectual property rights were specifically chosen as topics of the MaCCI inaugural conference because it is crucial for the export-oriented German economy to register and enforce protection rights in foreign markets. “Today, patents, trademarks, and copyrights represent central assets in international competition. Thus, the shaping and applying of patent, trademark, and copyright laws is particularly important. We are extraordinarily delighted that a number of internationally renowned researchers and specialists take part in the two-day MaCCI inaugural conference in Mannheim to discuss these topics”, states Dr. Georg Licht, head of ZEW Research Department “Industrial Economics and International Management” and director of MaCCI.

The concept of a Leibniz ScienceCampus demands an association of at least one Leibniz institution and one university as well as the federal state where the university is located and may also include the federal government. The aim of the initiative is to promote excellence in research of Leibniz institutions and universities on the basis of a complementing, regional partnership, which is principally open to other institutions. The duration of a Leibniz ScienceCampus is usually seven years or longer.

MaCCI is headed by a four-person Board of Directors: Thomas Kohl (ZEW), Dr. Georg Licht (ZEW), Prof. Dr. Martin Peitz (University of Mannheim) and Prof. Dr. Heike Schweitzer (University of Mannheim). The Leibniz ScienceCampus is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Kai Hüschelrath (ZEW).

Additional information on MaCCI

For further information please contact

Dr. Georg Licht, E-mail licht@zew.de

Prof. Dr. Martin Peitz, E-mail martin.peitz@googlemail.com

Prof. Dr. Heike Schweitzer, E-mail schweitzer@uni-mannheim.de