European Commission

Enforcement, European Commission, Foreign subsidies, Foreign Subsidy Regulation, Merger control, Mergers, State aid, Subsidies

, , (Simmons & Simmons)/ /Leave a comment

With the introduction of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), the European Union (EU) embarked on a new regulatory era. This landmark regulation aims at addressing the distortive effects of subsidies granted by foreign – non-EU – countries to companies operating within the EU, and ensuring a level playing field and fair competition across the internal…

Digital, Digital markets, Digital Markets Act, Enforcement, European Commission

(Morais Leitão)/ /Leave a comment

Key message The discretion afforded to the European Commission (‘EC’) is of central importance with regard to the implementation and enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (‘DMA’). If viewed as arbitrariness, particularly in view of a normative framework that arguably permits such a perspective, the European Commission’s decisions may potentially jeopardise the rule of law…

European Commission, Foreign direct investment, Foreign investment

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Five years ago, the EU adopted the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Regulation as a key trade measure to address an increasingly complex geopolitical stage.  Since it became applicable, in 2020, the number of FDI regimes in place in Europe has almost doubled (from 14 to 24), leading to an aggregate screening of over 4,000 transactions…

Conference, European Commission, Foreign subsidies, Foreign Subsidy Regulation, Geopolitics, Merger control, Merger notification, Merger Thresholds, State aid, State owned enterprise (SOE), Subsidies, Tender, Trade Law

(Simmons & Simmons) and (University of Antwerp)/ /Leave a comment

Adopted in November 2022, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) is the latest arrival in the EU competition toolbox. Having just celebrated its second anniversary and with a few cases under its belt, the FSR is still the object of much discussion and curiosity from practitioners and stakeholders. To contribute to this debate, an expert panel…

Art. 22, Competition policy, European Commission, Guidance, Killer acquisitions, Merger control, Mergers

(Norton Rose Fulbright, Belgium) and , (Analysis Group)/ /Leave a comment

With the new European Commission (Commission) confirmed, European Union (EU) competition policy will be directed through 2029 by Teresa Ribera Rodríguez as the Executive Vice President (EVP) for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition from December 2024. EVP Ribera would have her hands full simply continuing the work started by outgoing EVP Vestager, including the…

Competition enforcement, Competition policy, Digital competition, European Commission, European Union, New Competition Tool

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The Draghi Report proposes substantial reform in the area of competition law, notably offering a critical assessment of recent policies implemented by the European Commission in merger control and antitrust enforcement. The Report will serve as a potential blueprint for Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, the Competition Commissioner-Designate and the European Commission to shape and execute competition…

European Commission, Foreign direct investment, Foreign investment, Legislation

(Beauchamps)/ /Leave a comment

Introduction   Earlier this year, the European Commission published a legislative proposal for a new FDI Screening Regulation. The legislative proposal builds, as noted in the Commission’s 4th Annual Report on the screening of foreign direct investments (FDI), on the experience gained by the Commission and EU Member States over the previous three years under…

Data protection, Digital markets, Digital Markets Act, Enforcement, European Commission

(European University Institute)/ /Leave a comment

As the DMA’s enforcement is in full swing, the complexities of its specific provisions and questions regarding their interpretation are beginning to surface. On 25 March 2024, the European Commission launched formal proceedings to investigate Meta’s ‘pay-or-consent’ model, introduced in November 2023 for Facebook and Instagram, sparking a significant discussion on the interpretation of Article…

Competition policy, European Commission, European Union, Guidelines, Killer acquisitions, Merger control

(Norton Rose Fulbright, Belgium) and , (Analysis Group)/ /1 Comment

Executive Vice President Vestager’s momentous tenure as Commissioner responsible for EU competition policy is nearing its end. EVP Vestager will leave her successor with a full agenda, including the first full-scale revamp of the Commission’s basic antitrust procedural rules in over 20 years, finalizing the controversial guidelines on exclusionary abuses under Article 102 TFEU and…

AI, Competition policy, Digital economy, Digital markets, Digital Markets Act, European Commission, European Union, Foreign Subsidy Regulation, Innovation, Market investigations, Merger regulation, New Competition Tool, Objectives of Competition Law

(Centrum für Europäische Politik)/ /Leave a comment

As the European Commission prepares for a new mandate under President Ursula von der Leyen later this year, former ECB President Mario Draghi – famous for his “whatever it takes” approach to saving the Euro – has now turned his focus to the future of EU competitiveness in the digital age. His long-awaited report, commissioned…