Due to its connection with competition, the formation, the conduct, and the steering of groups of undertakings have been a subject of modern competition law since its emergence in the USA of the late 19th century. This is because market players might, by making use of their economic freedom to form and to act as groups, destroy this freedom. The question is, therefore, whether and to what extent legislation is required in order to get rid of this threat to the freedom of competition of the individual and competition itself as an institution. With the transition to a system based on freedom of contracts and freedom of competition, this question has also become topical in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs).