211 results The ACM’s priorities in 2023: the energy transition, digitalisation, and sustainability On 26 January 2023, the ACM announced that its priorities for 2023 would be the energy transition, the digital economy, and sustainability. This agenda is unsurprising in view of the ACM’s recent policy statements and enforcement actions. Competition law developments in 2022 While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent. Key developments in sustainability claims in 2022 In 2022, the ACM and the European Commission put the spotlight on the accuracy of companies’ sustainability claims. Notably, the ACM published several market studies and adopted commitment decisions concerning allegedly misleading sustainability claims. Levelling the playing field in 2023: new tools and hurdles While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent. Foreign investment developments in 2022 2022 marks the second year of the EU Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Regulation, and the year in which legislators haven been busy shaping the Dutch national security screening regime and the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation. 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. 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. 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. FSR zorgt voor nieuwe uitdagingen bij transacties en aanbestedingen Op 12 januari van dit jaar trad de Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) in werking, die per 12 oktober een meldplicht bij de Europese Commissie voor bepaalde transacties en aanbestedingen introduceert. The vertical fight continues: two more cases on vertical restraints Companies should not take competition rules lightly in their supply relationships. The EU General Court's Valve judgment and the ACM's LG decision illustrate the consistent attention to vertical restraints. Developments in DMA land: EU tags Big Tech as first Gatekeepers The European Commission has designated six Tech Giants (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft) as gatekeepers for 22 core platform services under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). 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. Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Next page
The ACM’s priorities in 2023: the energy transition, digitalisation, and sustainability On 26 January 2023, the ACM announced that its priorities for 2023 would be the energy transition, the digital economy, and sustainability. This agenda is unsurprising in view of the ACM’s recent policy statements and enforcement actions.
Competition law developments in 2022 While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent.
Key developments in sustainability claims in 2022 In 2022, the ACM and the European Commission put the spotlight on the accuracy of companies’ sustainability claims. Notably, the ACM published several market studies and adopted commitment decisions concerning allegedly misleading sustainability claims.
Levelling the playing field in 2023: new tools and hurdles While 2022 revolved around new and improved regulatory tools, the focus in 2023 will be on putting these tools to use. More merger-related obligations, digital sector scrutiny and clarity on competition-law and consumer-law aspects is imminent.
Foreign investment developments in 2022 2022 marks the second year of the EU Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Regulation, and the year in which legislators haven been busy shaping the Dutch national security screening regime and the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation.
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.
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.
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.
FSR zorgt voor nieuwe uitdagingen bij transacties en aanbestedingen Op 12 januari van dit jaar trad de Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) in werking, die per 12 oktober een meldplicht bij de Europese Commissie voor bepaalde transacties en aanbestedingen introduceert.
The vertical fight continues: two more cases on vertical restraints Companies should not take competition rules lightly in their supply relationships. The EU General Court's Valve judgment and the ACM's LG decision illustrate the consistent attention to vertical restraints.
Developments in DMA land: EU tags Big Tech as first Gatekeepers The European Commission has designated six Tech Giants (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft) as gatekeepers for 22 core platform services under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
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.