European & Competition Law
Our experts have proven expertise in European law and all areas of competition law, including cartels and anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance, merger control, foreign direct investment (FDI), the regulation of foreign subsidies (FSR), civil follow-on litigation, state aid, and market regulation. The team has thorough sector-specific knowledge supported by the firm’s unique top-tier industry focus groups. This enables us to provide our clients with sound sector-specific advice and tailored solutions.
Our relationships with national and European regulatory bodies are good and our extensive global network of top European and competition lawyers allows us to provide targeted advice to international clients. Our experts advise and represent leading companies in groundbreaking cases before national competition authorities, the European Commission and national and European courts in the following areas.
Anti-competitive agreements and cartels
We advise clients on whether they can include commercially desirable restrictions in their share purchase, shareholder, joint venture, strategic alliance, distribution, franchise and agency agreements without violating the competition rules. Our team also assists and represents clients during investigations by the competition authorities into potentially anti-competitive conduct and in legal proceedings.
Abuse of dominance
Our team has unrivalled experience in advising and representing clients on matters relating to abuse of dominance and representing clients in investigations and litigation. Our competition experts offer advice to companies in various sectors, including mobility services, consumer goods, entertainment, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. In recent years, we managed to settle several high-stake abuse of dominance cases, including the first-ever informal commitments decision taken by the Dutch Competition Authority.
Merger control and foreign direct investment (FDI)
We assist clients with multi-jurisdictional merger control and FDI analysis and the necessary notification processes before the relevant authorities. We regularly act as lead counsel for leading companies in global merger filing proceedings, in close cooperation with firms from our international network.
Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR)
Our team assists and represents clients in the context of the EU’s foreign subsidies regime. This includes advise in the context of necessary notifications related to mergers and acquisitions and public procurement, and assistance to clients involved in investigations by the European Commission. Our team assisted a company during the first dawn raid under the foreign subsidies regime.
Competition Litigation
Our integrated Competition Litigation Team brings together top-level competition and litigation experts and has a proven track record in civil (follow-on) damages cases. We have been involved in many of the cases brought before the Dutch courts, including class actions. We have experience in representing both the plaintiff and defendant side in these complex proceedings. This often involves working with economic experts and our extensive global network of leading law firms.
State Aid
We advise both public bodies and companies on whether their plans contain elements of state aid and if so whether such aid is compatible with EU law and under what conditions. We help them to (re)structure projects accordingly. Where aid has been granted to the disadvantage of our clients we also challenge it before the European Commission or national or European Courts.
Market regulation
Our team also offers advice on various matters of EU law relating to the European internal market, unfair competition and consumer protection. This includes advice on matters of unfair trading, consumer protection and geo-blocking, online platforms and e-commerce regulation. Our team also offers assistance to parties subject to the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as well as parties seeking redress for non-compliance with the DMA.
