Antitrust and competition regulations can often be viewed by organizations as a substantial challenge, either in their day-to-day businesses or in their most strategic projects. We advise clients on all aspects of competition and antitrust law – both at Europe-wide level and within national jurisdictions – to enable them to achieve their business goals while limiting exposure to antitrust risks.
Our member firms have served as trusted competition counsel to major industry players in many key sectors, and represented clients before the European Commission, national competition authorities, national and European courts, and regulatory authorities across Europe and around the world. In addition, our Brussels-based advisors offer valuable insight and expertise from the epicentre of competition law and enforcement in the EU.
Our areas of expertise include advising on antitrust issues related to allegations of cartelisation, cooperation agreements, distribution methods, information exchange, and abuse of dominant position/market power. We defend companies and their management on all aspects of national, cross-border or EU investigations, including ‘dawn raids.’ This includes a Dawn Raid Response Team to provide speedy legal assistance during unannounced investigations, as well as defence against investigative measures of competition authorities and public prosecutors and worldwide coordination in cross-border antitrust investigations.
Whether buying and selling companies or establishing joint ventures, our antitrust team assists with all merger control aspects of the transaction, in close cooperation with our M&A teams. This includes risk assessment with respect to transactions falling in the new category of transactions below controlling thresholds. both at a national and European level. Our member firms support clients with preparing feasibility studies, conceiving filing strategies and later representing them in merger control proceedings, as well as coordination of large both EU and extra-EU multijurisdictional cases, negotiation of remedies and assistance with appeals against clearance decisions. In the past year alone, our member firms have successfully advised on numerous complex transactions, and obtained unconditional clearances in the vast majority of cases.
We also have significant experience in enforcing and defending cartel damage claims, both in and out of court. Furthermore, we help clients to anticipate any possible issues related to State aid and subsidies granted by public authorities, and to manage related claims and investigations against illicit State aids, either in defence or as plaintiffs.
Finally, we advise clients on legal issues arising out of their investments in Europe, including imports, exports, and third-party transactions – including those subject to mandatory foreign investment filings in France, Germany, Italy and other countries, as well as those falling in the scope of the EU scrutiny for extra-EU investors, and extra-EU foreign subsidies. We also advise on export control rules, customs law and related tax issues, and challenge unfair pricing in international trade with anti-dumping and anti-subsidy actions.
