Policy Brief | Issue 2 | 24 January 2019


In its second Policy Brief, the Monopolies Commission speaks out against the re-expansion of the requirement for a Master Craftsman’s Certificate (Meisterzwang) to individual crafts that had been liberated from specific regulation in 2004.

  • From a competition policy point of view, an expansion of the requirement for a Master Craftsman’s Certificate is undesirable as it would establish additional barriers for the entry to the market and to the professions.
  • Ensuring quality and strengthening education in the crafts do not necessitate a Master Craftsman’s Certificate.
  • Economic considerations prompt constitutional objections about interference with the freedom of profession.

Download Policy Brief (in German language only)