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The rulings by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the discretionary powers of international sports associations to authorise alternative competitions show that the specifics of sports are no reason to tread lightly when applying EU competition rules.

2023 marked the near finale of the European Commission’s overhaul of its competition policy, leaving only a few loose ends to tie up in 2024/2025. It is now time to watch theory be put into practice by the competition authorities and at the courts.

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.

Following the EC’s Horizontal Guidelines, the ACM and CMA have also published updated guidance on sustainability agreements. The approaches adopted by the three authorities are largely similar, but leave room for divergent assessments in some respects.

The Rotterdam District Court has delivered its judgment in the ACM's first-ever vertical restraints case. It upholds the fine imposed on Samsung for coordinating its retailers' online consumer prices under the pretence of 'price recommendations'.

By 26 December 2023 at the latest, EU Member States must publish a list of organisations that they have designated as ‘qualified entities’ (bevoegde instanties) for bringing cross-border representative actions within the EU on behalf of consumers.

2021 was riddled with sneak previews of a “review of competition policy tools with unprecedented scope and ambition”.

The Commission has imposed interim measures on Illumina and GRAIL. These measures include the obligation to run GRAIL by independent management.

The Commission’s Communication “A competition policy fit for new challenges” (the “Communication”) identifies key areas in which competition law and policy can support European efforts in dealing with the challenges of the green and digital transitions.

Recently, the ECJ ruled that national courts dealing with private enforcement cases are competent to apply EU competition law to historical behaviour in the aviation sector.

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.

On 10 November 2021, the General Court (GC) almost entirely dismissed Google’s action against the European Commission’s Google Shopping decision.

De Europese Commissie zet in op meer staatssteun voor innovatieve ondernemingen en duurzaamheid. Dit blijkt uit de voorgestelde wijziging van de Algemene groepsvrijstellingsverordening waarover tot 8 december a.s. een consultatie loopt.

De toegang tot de bestuursrechter staat open voor niet-belanghebbenden die willen procederen tegen omgevingsbesluiten, indien zij tijdens de voorbereidingsprocedure een zienswijze hebben ingediend.

Companies involved in M&A deals falling below the EU and national notification thresholds need to think twice about their deal’s potential impact on competition from now on.

On 22 August 2020, the ban on abuse of economic dependence was implemented in Belgium. Now that almost a year has passed and the first judgments have been rendered, we assess what first lessons can be drawn from these judgments.

Recent developments gave rise to write this update: the European Parliament has ratified the Climate Law and confirmed the goal of the European Union on climate neutrality by 2050. 

Met de bekrachtiging van de Europese Klimaatwet door het Europees Parlement en de introductie van het klimaatpakket 'Fit for 55', wordt het duidelijker hoe de weg naar een klimaatneutraal Europa er uit gaat zien.