das
Kartellamt
🏛️ What exactly is das Kartellamt?
Das Kartellamt is the German term for a competition authority or cartel office. It's a governmental agency responsible for enforcing competition law. Its main task is to protect competition in the markets and to prevent and prosecute anti-competitive practices such as Kartelle (cartels), monopolies, or the abuse of market power.
In Germany, the official name of the authority is the Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Office). However, colloquially, people often just say das Kartellamt.
For example, it monitors company mergers (Fusionen) to ensure that no single company gains an overly dominant market position. It also takes action against illegal price-fixing agreements between companies.
🚨 Important: The article is always das because the word is derived from das Amt (the office), which is neuter.
🧐 Grammar: An Amt stays an Amt
The word "Kartellamt" is a neuter noun. It derives from "das Amt" (the office), so the article is always das.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das | Kartellamt |
| Genitive | des | Kartellamts / Kartellamtes |
| Dative | dem | Kartellamt / Kartellamte |
| Accusative | das | Kartellamt |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kartellämter |
| Genitive | der | Kartellämter |
| Dative | den | Kartellämtern |
| Accusative | die | Kartellämter |
📝 Example Sentences
- Das Kartellamt hat die geplante Fusion untersagt.
(The Cartel Office has prohibited the planned merger.) - Die Entscheidung des Kartellamts wurde mit Spannung erwartet.
(The decision of the Cartel Office was eagerly awaited.) - Dem Unternehmen droht eine Strafe durch das Kartellamt.
(The company faces a penalty from the Cartel Office.) - Viele Länder haben ähnliche Behörden wie das deutsche Kartellamt.
(Many countries have similar authorities to the German Cartel Office.) - Die Kartellämter der EU-Staaten arbeiten oft zusammen.
(The cartel offices of the EU states often cooperate.)
When do people talk about das Kartellamt?
The term das Kartellamt is primarily used in economic, legal, and political contexts. You often hear and read it in the news when discussing topics such as:
- Company mergers and acquisitions (Fusionen und Übernahmen)
- Investigations into potential price-fixing (Preisabsprachen)
- Abuse of a dominant market position (Missbrauch einer marktbeherrschenden Stellung)
- Competition law and its enforcement (Wettbewerbsrecht)
- Market regulation (Regulierung von Märkten)
It's a rather formal term but is generally understood in media reporting. It's less common in everyday conversation unless discussing business news.
💡 Mnemonics to Remember
For the article 'das': Many German words for official offices ending in -amt are neuter ('das'). Think of das Amt - it's a neutral entity ensuring fairness, like das Kartellamt.
For the meaning: Imagine a shopping cart-load (representing a Kartell) being pushed into an office (Amt) for inspection to ensure everything is fair and legal. Das Kartellamt checks the companies' "load".
🔄 Similar Terms: Synonyms and Contrasts
Synonyms
- Bundeskartellamt: The official name of the German federal competition authority.
- Wettbewerbsbehörde: A more general term for 'competition authority', including those in other countries or at the EU level (e.g., the EU Commission in this capacity).
- Wettbewerbshüter: A more figurative term, meaning 'guardian of competition'.
Antonyms (in the sense of opponents/opposites)
- Kartell (cartel): An illegal agreement between companies that the Kartellamt fights against.
- Monopol (monopoly): A market structure with only one provider, the formation or abuse of which the Kartellamt aims to prevent.
- Wettbewerbsbeschränkung (restriction of competition): What the Kartellamt seeks to prevent.
⚠️ Don't confuse it with general terms like Amt (too non-specific) or Behörde (can refer to any government agency).
😂 A Little Joke
Warum dauert die Prüfung einer Fusion beim Kartellamt so lange?
(Why does reviewing a merger at the Cartel Office take so long?)
Weil sie erst mal alle Akten alphabetisch nach den Anwälten sortieren müssen, die am lautesten protestieren!
(Because first, they have to sort all the files alphabetically by the lawyers who protest the loudest!) 😉
📜 A Little Poem
Das Kartellamt wacht mit strengem Blick,
(The Cartel Office watches with a stern gaze,)
Für fairen Handel, Stück für Stück.
(For fair trade, piece by piece.)
Kein Monopol, kein falsches Spiel,
(No monopoly, no foul play,)
Das ist sein hohes, ernstes Ziel.
(That is its high, serious goal.)
Es prüft Verträge, groß und klein,
(It checks contracts, large and small,)
Der Wettbewerb soll sauber sein.
(Competition should be clean.)
Ein Amt, das für uns alle zählt,
(An office that counts for us all,)
Damit die Marktwirtschaft nicht quält.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin ein Amt, doch nicht für Pässe da.
(I am an office, but not for passports.)
Ich schau genau, was auf dem Markt geschah.
(I look closely at what happened in the market.)
Wenn Firmen kungeln, groß und breit,
(When companies conspire, far and wide,)
Sorg ich für Wettbewerbsgerechtigkeit.
(I ensure competitive fairness.)
Wer bin ich? / Who am I?
Lösung / Solution: Das Kartellamt
More Tidbits
Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):
The word "Kartellamt" is a compound noun, formed from:
- das Kartell: Originally from Italian 'cartello' (small paper, poster), today it usually refers to a group of companies colluding to restrict competition.
- das Amt: An office or agency, often governmental.
The gender of the compound noun is determined by the last part (the base word), which is "Amt" here. Hence, it's das Kartellamt.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kartellamt?
The word "Kartellamt" is neuter. The correct article is always das: das Kartellamt (the cartel office), des Kartellamts (of the cartel office), die Kartellämter (the cartel offices).
