69 results 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. 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. 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. 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). From Farm to Fairness: Unpacking the Dutch Unfair Trading Practices Act for the Agri-Food Supply Chain Since 2021, Dutch rules against unfair trading practices, which implemented an EU Directive, apply to business-to-business relationships in agri-food supply chains. Enforcement by the ACM, initially slow, is now intensifying. Foreign subsidies: another addition to the M&A checklist Checking for merger control notification obligations and Foreign Direct Investment screening mechanisms will be on the list for most companies involved in M&A deals. Slovak Telekom: ECJ on essentials of the ‘essential facilities’ doctrine Only dominant companies with a “genuinely tight grip” on the market can be forced to grant rivals access to their infrastructure. ECJ in Pometon: beware of too much info in staggered hybrid proceedings In hybrid cartel proceedings (in which one party opts out of settlement), settlement decisions should not pre-judge the outcome of the Commission's investigation into non-settling parties. Court bundles educational publishers merger off to ACM for reassessment Digital mergers have steered competition authorities away from their usual mantra of structural over behavioural remedies. The Rotterdam District Court recently gave its blessing to the ACM’s remedies for securing access to a digital school platform. Game over? Gaming companies fined for geo-blocking The Commission’s cross-border sales crusade seems far from over. The EUR 7.8 million fine imposed on distribution platform owner Valve and five PC video games publishers for geo-blocking practices is the most recent notch in the Commission’s belt. Sustainability solutions sussed out soon More antitrust clarity has arrived for companies involved in sustainability collaborations. The EC published draft revised rules on horizontal cooperation agreements and the ACM informally approved two green initiatives in the energy sector. Employers beware: final warning for “job cartels” Only months after suspending an investigation into a possible wage-fixing cartel, the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has warned employers, employers’ organisations, and trade associations to not engage in no-poach agreements. Pfizer may be off the hook, but ACM pharma supervision continues Pharma companies beware: discount schemes by former patent owners raise red flags at competition authorities. Second time lucky: Intel’s EUR 1.06 billion loyalty rebate fine quashed Intel’s second round at the General Court was significantly more successful than its first. In the first round, the General Court had failed to analyse whether the loyalty rebates at issue were capable of restricting competition. In the second round, afte Are you ready for the new Dutch and EU transactional hurdles? Companies beware: new Dutch and EU transactional hurdles are coming closer. In the Netherlands, new national security investment screening rules are imminent. Navigating access refusals after the ECJ’s Google Android Auto-ruling Big Tech faces challenges when denying third parties access to its open platforms. The European Court of Justice has ruled that a dominant company’s refusal to make its open platform compatible with a third-party app may be abusive. Impact of Belgium’s Government Agreement on the Future of Competition Law On 31 January 2025, Belgium's Government Agreement for 2025-2029 was published, focusing on strengthening competition, safeguarding tech expertise, and increasing subsidy transparency. However, more steps are needed to define practical implementation. C'est le ton qui fait la musique – The end of employer copyrights? The CJEU decision in the National Orchestra of Belgium decision shakes up employer copyright in the Netherlands. With new consent and compensation requirements, are your employment contracts still airtight? Discover the implications of the decision here. Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Next page
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.
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.
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.
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).
From Farm to Fairness: Unpacking the Dutch Unfair Trading Practices Act for the Agri-Food Supply Chain Since 2021, Dutch rules against unfair trading practices, which implemented an EU Directive, apply to business-to-business relationships in agri-food supply chains. Enforcement by the ACM, initially slow, is now intensifying.
Foreign subsidies: another addition to the M&A checklist Checking for merger control notification obligations and Foreign Direct Investment screening mechanisms will be on the list for most companies involved in M&A deals.
Slovak Telekom: ECJ on essentials of the ‘essential facilities’ doctrine Only dominant companies with a “genuinely tight grip” on the market can be forced to grant rivals access to their infrastructure.
ECJ in Pometon: beware of too much info in staggered hybrid proceedings In hybrid cartel proceedings (in which one party opts out of settlement), settlement decisions should not pre-judge the outcome of the Commission's investigation into non-settling parties.
Court bundles educational publishers merger off to ACM for reassessment Digital mergers have steered competition authorities away from their usual mantra of structural over behavioural remedies. The Rotterdam District Court recently gave its blessing to the ACM’s remedies for securing access to a digital school platform.
Game over? Gaming companies fined for geo-blocking The Commission’s cross-border sales crusade seems far from over. The EUR 7.8 million fine imposed on distribution platform owner Valve and five PC video games publishers for geo-blocking practices is the most recent notch in the Commission’s belt.
Sustainability solutions sussed out soon More antitrust clarity has arrived for companies involved in sustainability collaborations. The EC published draft revised rules on horizontal cooperation agreements and the ACM informally approved two green initiatives in the energy sector.
Employers beware: final warning for “job cartels” Only months after suspending an investigation into a possible wage-fixing cartel, the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has warned employers, employers’ organisations, and trade associations to not engage in no-poach agreements.
Pfizer may be off the hook, but ACM pharma supervision continues Pharma companies beware: discount schemes by former patent owners raise red flags at competition authorities.
Second time lucky: Intel’s EUR 1.06 billion loyalty rebate fine quashed Intel’s second round at the General Court was significantly more successful than its first. In the first round, the General Court had failed to analyse whether the loyalty rebates at issue were capable of restricting competition. In the second round, afte
Are you ready for the new Dutch and EU transactional hurdles? Companies beware: new Dutch and EU transactional hurdles are coming closer. In the Netherlands, new national security investment screening rules are imminent.
Navigating access refusals after the ECJ’s Google Android Auto-ruling Big Tech faces challenges when denying third parties access to its open platforms. The European Court of Justice has ruled that a dominant company’s refusal to make its open platform compatible with a third-party app may be abusive.
Impact of Belgium’s Government Agreement on the Future of Competition Law On 31 January 2025, Belgium's Government Agreement for 2025-2029 was published, focusing on strengthening competition, safeguarding tech expertise, and increasing subsidy transparency. However, more steps are needed to define practical implementation.
C'est le ton qui fait la musique – The end of employer copyrights? The CJEU decision in the National Orchestra of Belgium decision shakes up employer copyright in the Netherlands. With new consent and compensation requirements, are your employment contracts still airtight? Discover the implications of the decision here.