93 results 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. 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. Dominant firm may refuse to supply retailer after initial delivery The Brussels Court of Appeal has held that a dominant producer firm may have valid reasons to refuse further supplies to a retailer, despite its dominance and despite previous deliveries. Highest Dutch Court: ACM has not proved dominance of Dutch railway operator NS A high market share is not always proof of a dominant position. The Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb) upheld the annulment of the ACM’s fine of nearly EUR 41 million on Dutch railway operator NS for alleged abuse of dominance. Amsterdam Court of Appeal rules on the applicable law to air freight cartel damages claims On 6 July 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had to decide whether the pragmatic approach of the Amsterdam District Court, which had applied Dutch law to all air freight cartel damages claims, could be upheld. CJEU clarifies jurisdiction for follow-on damage claims The Court of Justice of the European Union recently further clarified which courts within the EU have jurisdiction to hear follow-on damage claims. 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. Dust off your dawn raid manuals: the heat is (back) on Companies should brace themselves for multiple multi-jurisdictional dawn raids over the coming months. Commission reveals first piece of antitrust sustainability puzzle The European Commission has published a Policy Brief setting out its preliminary views on how to fit the European Green Deal’s sustainability goals into the EU competition rules. Tom Verdonk co-edited ‘Unfair Trading Practices in the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain’ Tom Verdonk has co-edited the book ‘Unfair Trading Practices in the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain’, recently published by Larcier-Intersentia. More hurdles to cross: Foreign Direct Investment gaining momentum Cross-border acquisitions and mergers may soon have an extra hurdle to cross before receiving the green light. In the EU, the development of FDI screening mechanisms has gained speed after COVID-19. Spreading fast: Dutch and Belgian COVID-19 State-aid approved Many Member States are taking measures to support the economy during the COVID-19 crisis. The European Commission’s Temporary Framework enables the rapid approval of certain types of State aid. De renaissance van de voorlopige maatregelen in het mededingingsrecht Mededingingsautoriteiten zijn op zoek naar instrumenten om snel in te grijpen bij ontluikende mededingingsproblemen op de techmarkten. If you can’t stand the heat: kitchen retailers fined for misleading consumers There is a new enforcement trend in the Netherlands; consumer protection is shifting from private enforcement before the civil courts, to public enforcement through the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). Waiting for the EC: third-party platform bans and RPM still on radar The results of the European Commission’s evaluation of the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) call for more clarity and convergence in the interpretation of certain (online) vertical restrictions. On the right track? GC sends mixed messages with Lithuanian Railways The essential facilities doctrine imposes on holders of indispensable facilities a duty to deal with their competitors. General Court confirms: no proof, no dawn raid The Commission should think twice before conducting a dawn raid. The General Court partially annulled three Commission decisions ordering dawn raids at the premises of French supermarkets for a lack of sufficiently strong evidence. Finding your way through the maze of Belgian aid measures available to businesses in times of COVID-19 In order to help companies in these dire times of COVID-19, Belgium’s federal and regional governments have provided an arsenal of aid measures. Sophie Van Besien, Michèle de Clerck and Peter Wytinck provide an overview. Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Next page
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.
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.
Dominant firm may refuse to supply retailer after initial delivery The Brussels Court of Appeal has held that a dominant producer firm may have valid reasons to refuse further supplies to a retailer, despite its dominance and despite previous deliveries.
Highest Dutch Court: ACM has not proved dominance of Dutch railway operator NS A high market share is not always proof of a dominant position. The Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (CBb) upheld the annulment of the ACM’s fine of nearly EUR 41 million on Dutch railway operator NS for alleged abuse of dominance.
Amsterdam Court of Appeal rules on the applicable law to air freight cartel damages claims On 6 July 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had to decide whether the pragmatic approach of the Amsterdam District Court, which had applied Dutch law to all air freight cartel damages claims, could be upheld.
CJEU clarifies jurisdiction for follow-on damage claims The Court of Justice of the European Union recently further clarified which courts within the EU have jurisdiction to hear follow-on damage claims.
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.
Dust off your dawn raid manuals: the heat is (back) on Companies should brace themselves for multiple multi-jurisdictional dawn raids over the coming months.
Commission reveals first piece of antitrust sustainability puzzle The European Commission has published a Policy Brief setting out its preliminary views on how to fit the European Green Deal’s sustainability goals into the EU competition rules.
Tom Verdonk co-edited ‘Unfair Trading Practices in the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain’ Tom Verdonk has co-edited the book ‘Unfair Trading Practices in the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain’, recently published by Larcier-Intersentia.
More hurdles to cross: Foreign Direct Investment gaining momentum Cross-border acquisitions and mergers may soon have an extra hurdle to cross before receiving the green light. In the EU, the development of FDI screening mechanisms has gained speed after COVID-19.
Spreading fast: Dutch and Belgian COVID-19 State-aid approved Many Member States are taking measures to support the economy during the COVID-19 crisis. The European Commission’s Temporary Framework enables the rapid approval of certain types of State aid.
De renaissance van de voorlopige maatregelen in het mededingingsrecht Mededingingsautoriteiten zijn op zoek naar instrumenten om snel in te grijpen bij ontluikende mededingingsproblemen op de techmarkten.
If you can’t stand the heat: kitchen retailers fined for misleading consumers There is a new enforcement trend in the Netherlands; consumer protection is shifting from private enforcement before the civil courts, to public enforcement through the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
Waiting for the EC: third-party platform bans and RPM still on radar The results of the European Commission’s evaluation of the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) call for more clarity and convergence in the interpretation of certain (online) vertical restrictions.
On the right track? GC sends mixed messages with Lithuanian Railways The essential facilities doctrine imposes on holders of indispensable facilities a duty to deal with their competitors.
General Court confirms: no proof, no dawn raid The Commission should think twice before conducting a dawn raid. The General Court partially annulled three Commission decisions ordering dawn raids at the premises of French supermarkets for a lack of sufficiently strong evidence.
Finding your way through the maze of Belgian aid measures available to businesses in times of COVID-19 In order to help companies in these dire times of COVID-19, Belgium’s federal and regional governments have provided an arsenal of aid measures. Sophie Van Besien, Michèle de Clerck and Peter Wytinck provide an overview.