282 results The era of FDI screenings kicks off in Belgium The Belgian screening mechanism for FDIs will enter into force on 1 July 2023. The mechanism is designed to safeguard Belgium's critical infrastructure and to protect sectors crucial to Belgium's public order, national security and strategic interests. Commission publishes PSD3 and PSR Proposal; a tightening of the regulation of payment services providers in the EU On June 28, 2023, the European Commission published a set of new legislative proposals, including PSD3, aimed at ushering in the digital era for payments and the broader financial sector, with a particular focus on consumers. Ready, set, go! The Dutch national security screening FDI regime takes off The Dutch Investments, Mergers and Acquisitions Security Screening Act (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames – Vifo Act) entered into force on 1 June 2023. Solace for companies seeking guidance on sustainability agreements Now that the European Commission adopted the revised Horizontal Guidelines (HGs), including the new chapter on sustainability agreements, companies wishing to set up sustainability initiatives finally have more certainty on the applicable guidance. The new Luxembourg FDI Screening Law On 18 July 2023, the Luxembourg law of 14 July 2023 establishing a mechanism for the national screening of foreign direct investments likely to undermine security or public order has been published in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Not so fast - General Court clarifies merger control test There is no magical number when it comes to “4-to-3” telecom mergers. On 28/5/2020, the EU’s General Court handed down a landmark judgment annulling a 2016 decision of the European Commission blocking the merger between O2 UK and Three. French supermarket dawn raids down the drain On 9 March 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the European Commission should properly record interviews if they are used to gather information regarding the subject matter of the investigation. ECJ in Towercast: plan C for tackling concentrations? Companies beware: completed non-notifiable concentrations do not necessarily go scot-free. An ex post abuse-of-dominance investigation by national competition authorities (NCA) could still loom. Guidelines vs Guidance: exclusionary abuse Guidelines due by 2025 The European Commission is seeking feedback on the adoption of Guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 TFEU. In the meantime, the Commission has amended its 2008 Guidance. Forewarned is forearmed: RPM still top of mind The clock is ticking for companies to set the record straight on resale price maintenance (RPM). Retailers must be able to determine their own retail prices without any direct or indirect meddling by suppliers. Informal views issued in agricultural industry and banana sector The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) informally accepted a commitment agreed by the partners of the Belgian Agro Food Chain Platform, limiting the possibility to contractually exclude the theory of change of circumstances. The impact of geopolitical developments on transactions: a tangled web of rules and hurdles Where is the line between openness and protectionism in the European single market? At both EU and national level, more and more protective barriers against foreign investors and acquirers have been created in the international competition. Dawn raid drama: bycatch and data rooms Beware of the fine line in antitrust investigations between illegal fishing expeditions and accidental discoveries pointing at a separate antitrust infringement. If at first you don’t succeed ... Court unblocks two blocked healthcare mergers The ACM needs to ‘try, try again’ when assessing healthcare mergers. The Rotterdam District Court overturned two of the ACM’s healthcare merger prohibitions within less than two months. Dutch national security screening regime enters into force The Dutch national security screening regime (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames or Wet Vifo) enters into force today, 1 June. ECJ in Unilever: commercial policy by dominant undertakings on thin ice Unilever shows the need to assess evidence on lack of anti-competitive effects in abuse cases and how liability can extend across different levels of the supply chain. Dominant undertakings had better think twice when imposing policy on distributors. Abuse: an access request you can’t refuse? The European Court of Justice has confirmed that the essential facilities test is limited to ‘pure’ access cases. Infringement of a regulatory access obligation must be assessed under the general framework for abuse of dominance. Belgian Competition Authority opens first hybrid cartel proceedings In the first hybrid cartel proceedings by the Belgian Competition Authority, the Prosecutor recently submitted a draft decision to condemn and impose a fine on pharmaceutical wholesaler CERP SA for allegedly participating in anticompetitive practices. Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Next page
The era of FDI screenings kicks off in Belgium The Belgian screening mechanism for FDIs will enter into force on 1 July 2023. The mechanism is designed to safeguard Belgium's critical infrastructure and to protect sectors crucial to Belgium's public order, national security and strategic interests.
Commission publishes PSD3 and PSR Proposal; a tightening of the regulation of payment services providers in the EU On June 28, 2023, the European Commission published a set of new legislative proposals, including PSD3, aimed at ushering in the digital era for payments and the broader financial sector, with a particular focus on consumers.
Ready, set, go! The Dutch national security screening FDI regime takes off The Dutch Investments, Mergers and Acquisitions Security Screening Act (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames – Vifo Act) entered into force on 1 June 2023.
Solace for companies seeking guidance on sustainability agreements Now that the European Commission adopted the revised Horizontal Guidelines (HGs), including the new chapter on sustainability agreements, companies wishing to set up sustainability initiatives finally have more certainty on the applicable guidance.
The new Luxembourg FDI Screening Law On 18 July 2023, the Luxembourg law of 14 July 2023 establishing a mechanism for the national screening of foreign direct investments likely to undermine security or public order has been published in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Not so fast - General Court clarifies merger control test There is no magical number when it comes to “4-to-3” telecom mergers. On 28/5/2020, the EU’s General Court handed down a landmark judgment annulling a 2016 decision of the European Commission blocking the merger between O2 UK and Three.
French supermarket dawn raids down the drain On 9 March 2023, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the European Commission should properly record interviews if they are used to gather information regarding the subject matter of the investigation.
ECJ in Towercast: plan C for tackling concentrations? Companies beware: completed non-notifiable concentrations do not necessarily go scot-free. An ex post abuse-of-dominance investigation by national competition authorities (NCA) could still loom.
Guidelines vs Guidance: exclusionary abuse Guidelines due by 2025 The European Commission is seeking feedback on the adoption of Guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 TFEU. In the meantime, the Commission has amended its 2008 Guidance.
Forewarned is forearmed: RPM still top of mind The clock is ticking for companies to set the record straight on resale price maintenance (RPM). Retailers must be able to determine their own retail prices without any direct or indirect meddling by suppliers.
Informal views issued in agricultural industry and banana sector The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) informally accepted a commitment agreed by the partners of the Belgian Agro Food Chain Platform, limiting the possibility to contractually exclude the theory of change of circumstances.
The impact of geopolitical developments on transactions: a tangled web of rules and hurdles Where is the line between openness and protectionism in the European single market? At both EU and national level, more and more protective barriers against foreign investors and acquirers have been created in the international competition.
Dawn raid drama: bycatch and data rooms Beware of the fine line in antitrust investigations between illegal fishing expeditions and accidental discoveries pointing at a separate antitrust infringement.
If at first you don’t succeed ... Court unblocks two blocked healthcare mergers The ACM needs to ‘try, try again’ when assessing healthcare mergers. The Rotterdam District Court overturned two of the ACM’s healthcare merger prohibitions within less than two months.
Dutch national security screening regime enters into force The Dutch national security screening regime (Wet veiligheidstoets investeringen, fusies en overnames or Wet Vifo) enters into force today, 1 June.
ECJ in Unilever: commercial policy by dominant undertakings on thin ice Unilever shows the need to assess evidence on lack of anti-competitive effects in abuse cases and how liability can extend across different levels of the supply chain. Dominant undertakings had better think twice when imposing policy on distributors.
Abuse: an access request you can’t refuse? The European Court of Justice has confirmed that the essential facilities test is limited to ‘pure’ access cases. Infringement of a regulatory access obligation must be assessed under the general framework for abuse of dominance.
Belgian Competition Authority opens first hybrid cartel proceedings In the first hybrid cartel proceedings by the Belgian Competition Authority, the Prosecutor recently submitted a draft decision to condemn and impose a fine on pharmaceutical wholesaler CERP SA for allegedly participating in anticompetitive practices.