EU Competition Law

• • 01/07/2020
  • News

  Van Bael & Bellis welcomes Alex Stratakis as a Partner

  Van Bael & Bellis is pleased to announce that Alex Stratakis is joining the firm this week as a Partner. Based in London, and with almost 15 years of experience in all aspects of competition law, Alex will lead the UK Competition practice out of Van Bael & Bellis’ new London office, opening in September (subject to SRA approval). Alex’s practice covers predominantly UK, but also EU, Greek and Cypriot competition law, focusing on complex merger control, distribution, dominance and state aid. He has extensive experience successfully representing clients before the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the European Commission and various (non-UK) national competition authorities across the globe, as well as before European and national courts. He has also advised a number of companies on the implications of the UK’s Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regime. Alex’s practice covers a wide range of sectors, including life sciences (originators and medical device manufacturers), aviation, automotive, energy & mining, industrials, chemicals, luxury goods, telecoms, media, transport and infrastructure. Alex says “I am delighted to be re-joining Van Bael & Bellis as Partner to spearhead the enhancement of the firm’s UK capabilities together with a very gifted and experienced team of solicitors. Van Bael & Bellis’ stellar competition practice and unique market proposition needs no introduction; and I will be relying heavily on my colleagues to succeed together.” Philippe De Baere, managing partner, comments “The forthcoming opening of our London office is an important step in Van Bael & Bellis’ growth as a firm. To make this a success, the quality of our UK team will be essential. I am therefore extremely pleased that Alex decided to join us in this venture. Not only is he a leading UK competition lawyer, he also forms part of the Van Bael & Bellis family, having started his career with us in 2005. I am convinced that this unique combination will make him an effective leader of our new UK Competition practice.“ Alex Stratakis’ arrival means that Van Bael & Bellis’ Competition team now includes 15 partners and 7 counsel.

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  • 29/06/2020
  • News

  Van Bael & Bellis to open London office

• • 22/05/2020
  • News

  Andrzej Kmiecik participates in ICC-Baker McKenzie 14th Annual Conference on Trends and Developments in Global Competition Law

  On 15 May 2020, Van Bael & Bellis partner and head of competition Andrzej Kmiecik participated in a panel discussing developments in international merger control at the 14th Annual Conference on Trends and Developments in Global Competition Law organised online by the London-based Interdisciplinary Centre for Competition Law and Policy and Baker McKenzie. Other members of the panel were: Chris Prevett, Senior Legal Director, Mergers, Markets & Sector Regulation, UK Competition and Markets Authority and Heather Johnson, Senior Counsel to the Director, US Federal Trade Commission. The panel was chaired by Eyad Maher Dabbah, Director and Professor, ICC, Queen Mary University of London. Further information on the conference is available here.

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We offer unrivalled experience in

• Abuses of Dominance
• Cartels
• Horizontal Agreements
• Merger Control
• State Aid
• Vertical Agreements

• • 06/07/2020
  • Newsletters

  VBB on Competition Law, Volume 2020, No. 6

  The June 2020 issue of our newsletter, VBB on Competition Law, which covers major developments in competition law at both the European Union and Member State levels.

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• • 01/07/2020
  • Articles

  European Commission’s White Paper on Levelling the Playing Field as regards Foreign Subsidies

  Key Takeaway: The EU (and Member States) may be given new, far-reaching powers to tackle the perceived harmful effects of third-country subsidies benefitting businesses operating in the EU. Remedies could be imposed limiting participation in all sectors of the internal market, including prohibiting businesses from making subsidised acquisitions and participating in public procurement in the EU. On 17 June 2020, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published a White Paper on how to respond to third countries giving subsidies to companies active in the EU (“foreign subsidies”). In an effort to level the playing field, the Commission proposes new tools to address what it perceives as unfair competition from foreign players in the EU’s internal market. The Commission considers that existing tools, in the areas of notably trade defence, competition law and public procurement, are insufficient to avoid distortions resulting from foreign subsidies. The proposed new tool box fits within the EU’s new policy of “open strategic autonomy”. It signals a more pro-active approach on the part of the EU in responding to unfair and abusive practices distorting the EU internal market and undermining the level playing field.

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• • 22/06/2020
  • Newsletters

  VBB on Belgian Business Law, Volume 2020, No. 5

  The May 2020 issue of our Belgian Business Law newsletter reporting on the latest developments in a range of areas, including competition, data protection, intellectual property and labour law.

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