The members of the Monopolies Commission are appointed by the Federal President on the recommendation of the Federal Government. To be eligible, they must possess specialist knowledge of economics or law, as well as expertise and experience in social policy and technology. They must not be members of the Federal Government or a state government, nor may they represent a trade association or an employers’ or employees’ organisation. 

Members of the Commission are appointed for a term of four years. They may be reappointed.

The members of the Commission elect a chairperson from among their number. The chairperson represents the Monopolies Commission externally and chairs the meetings. 

No — the members of the Monopolies Commission carry out their duties on a voluntary basis. They generally continue to pursue their academic or business activities at the same time, which strengthens the link between theory and practice in the Commission’s work.

The Monopolies Commission is bound only by its statutory remit and is independent in its activities; in other words, it is not subject to instructions from third parties. This institutional independence is complemented by the personal independence of its members. For example, members may not be members of the federal or state government, nor may they represent any trade association. Conflicts of interest must be disclosed and result in a member being excluded from the Commission’s deliberations and decision-making. These aspects are set out in the Monopolies Commission’s rules of procedure (not accessible) [PDF, 525 KB] .