Sectoral regulations and competition
Based in the heart of the capital of the European Union, our firm has recognised expertise in sector regulation and competition law, both European and Belgian.
Our practice
Based in the heart of the capital of the European Union, our firm has recognised expertise in sector regulation and competition law, both European and Belgian.
Our firm can offer its services to private and institutional players in the field of sector-specific regulatory authorisations in the chemical, pharmaceutical, medical, agri-food, media, telecommunications, heavy and mechanical engineering, transport, consumer, energy and security industries), competition law (anti-competitive practices, abuse of dominant position, merger control, state aid, services of general economic interest, institutional public-private partnerships), programmes and projects directly managed by the European Commission (in particular Horizon Europe) and foreign trade law (anti-dumping, other customs and technical barriers, bilateral free trade agreements and cooperation).
Our firm is distinguished by its active participation, as a legal service provider, for many years in techno-industrial projects funded by the European Commission (formerly H2020, now Horizon Europe).
> Identification of the regulatory aspects affecting a sector of activity, a specific company or its new project: carrying out bespoke studies, providing advice on market entry or development strategy
> Legal watch on regulatory aspects affecting clients active on regulated markets
> Advising and representing participants in calls for projects financed by the European Union (legal structuring of bids; award litigation) and beneficiaries of funding (external services for consortia, assistance with disputes arising during the project, support with post-financing audits and litigation).
> Assistance to public policy consultancies and professional organisations with advanced analyses of proposals for legislation or legislative amendments
> Assistance with complaints of breaches of European law, in particular competition law (complainants or defenders)
> Relations with the various European control bodies (OLAF, ECHA, EFSA, EMA)
> Preparing and assisting with notifications of mergers and acquisitions subject to merger control in Belgium or at European level
> Drafting, advising on and implementing compliance programmes within companies (informing and training staff in the fight against anti-competitive practices, transition of company practices to comply with new regulations).
> Drafting, implementation and management of information exchange programmes between companies in compliance with competition law (rule books) on behalf of professional organisations.
> Drafting, negotiating and advising on vertical and horizontal agreements between companies
> Advice on free movement, recognition of import/export licences, technical regulations and specific contractual clauses
> Assisting clients with questions of European law arising in the context of litigation before a national court.
> Assistance and representation before all EU supervisory bodies and judicial bodies
> Advising numerous recipients of funding from European programmes (H2020, Horizon Europe, European Defence Fund, AGRIP project grants)
> Frequent legal partner in European research, development and innovation consortia (formerly the H2020 programme, now the Horizon Europe programme)
> Belgian counsel to a VTC company in connection with the continued operation of its business in the Brussels region (including representation before the Constitutional Court)
> Council of manufacturers, importers and distributors of medical devices
> Advising a consumer organisation on competition law complaints
> Representation of clients before the European authorities (Commission, General Court of the European Union and Court of Justice) in proceedings concerning anti-competitive practices, abuse of dominant positions, state aid, customs tariffs and anti-dumping.
> Representation before the Belgian Competition Authority (complainant or target company)
> Advising national and multinational companies on compliance with sector-specific regulations
