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In this blog, we briefly present three interesting matters in the field of digital law: (1) Parliamentary initiatives to tackle cyber attacks; (2) 'Zero tariff' options and open internet access do not mix; (3) Council of State, GDPR and encryption.

A heads-up for companies with cross-border activities. The ECN+ Directive’s transposition deadline has expired and its provisions should by now have found their way into the national laws of the EU Member States.

The ACM’s list of 2021 focus areas is out. Whereas the digital economy and the energy transition are repeats from last year, the effects of the COVID-19 crisis is a new, although somewhat unsurprising, designated focal point.

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.

On 15 June 2021, the CJEU delivered an important judgment on the one-stop-shop mechanism.

On 23 June 2021, the Rotterdam District Court rendered two (final) judgments regarding damages claims following the European Commission’s decision on an alleged elevators cartel.

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.

The Court of Justice of the European Union recently further clarified which courts within the EU have jurisdiction to hear follow-on damage claims.

On 30 June 2021, a legislative proposal introducing an investment screening on grounds of national security in the Netherlands was submitted to the House of Representatives.

While skimming through employees’ chat conversations and e-mails, it is not uncommon for competition authorities to stumble across other potential antitrust violations, separate from the initial scope of the search.

On 1 July 2021, the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) imposed a fine of EUR 19.5 million on drug manufacturer Leadiant for excessive pricing of their orphan drug CDCA-Leadiant.

Recent enforcement action shows that companies involved in data sharing and data pooling or sustainability cooperation need to tread carefully.

On 9 July 2021, the Commission published its draft revised Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) and the accompanying Vertical Guidelines.

Now that political agreement has been reached on the final text, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) will enter into force soon. The DMA’s ex ante rules and obligations will apply next to the ad hoc EU and national competition rules.

Companies involved in multi-step acquisitions should beware of potential gun-jumping risks. The ACM has fined a trade association for failing to notify the acquisition of four pharmacies involving a consecutive partial resale.

On 22 March 2022, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) offered companies investigated for the same conduct by several authorities clarity on the core principles of the application of the non bis in idem (double jeopardy) protection.

On 7 March 2022, the Act implementing the ECN+ Directive into Belgian law was published in the Belgian Official Gazette. The Act entered into force on 17 March 2022.