Merger Control, FDI and FSR: Lessons learned from recent deals

As our regular readers know, M&A deals in Europe face a complex interplay of merger control, foreign investment control and the Foreign Subsidies Regulations. Three very recent transactions illustrate how these regimes shape deal strategy and timelines. This post will dive into initial lessons to be learned from Universal/Downtown Music, Snam/Open Grid Europe and ADNOC/Covestro. … Continue reading Merger Control, FDI and FSR: Lessons learned from recent deals →

The Debate on Call-In Powers reignited by a fine on Doctolib

The French Competition Authority’s recent decision to fine Doctolib – a French technology company that offers software for, among other things, online booking of appointments with doctors – marks a shift in European competition enforcement. For the first time, the French regulator applied abuse of dominance rules to sanction a below-threshold merger ex post. This … Continue reading The Debate on Call-In Powers reignited by a fine on Doctolib →

FDI in Europe: Open for business, screening for security?

I admit – I like numbers, and the European Commission’s fifth annual report on foreign direct investment screening is packed with them. But since not all readers share my enthusiasm for statistics, this post highlights the most striking observations. Last month, the European Commission (Commission) published its fifth annual report on foreign direct investment (FDI) … Continue reading FDI in Europe: Open for business, screening for security? →

„Trick or Treat“ – A Halloween reflection on antitrust law

Today is officially the spookiest day of the year: Halloween. A time when little (and not-so-little) costumed kids roam the streets for candy and horror movies haunt every TV channel. But the phrase “trick or treat” – often heard on this special day – does not only apply to all the fantastic chocolate bars and … Continue reading „Trick or Treat“ – A Halloween reflection on antitrust law →

Antitrust à la mode: from Hermès to Temu

If you want to capture the range of antitrust in (fashion) commerce now is the perfect moment. A U.S. court recently ruled that Hermès did not break antitrust rules by keeping its Birkin bags scarce. Meanwhile, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has launched a probe into Temu’s pricing strategies, and the European Commission (Commission) has … Continue reading Antitrust à la mode: from Hermès to Temu →

Will AI replace antitrust lawyers in the (near) future?

Most of the time on this blog, the focus is on new cases and the latest developments in antitrust. Today, though, I want to turn the spotlight on the profession itself. With AI systems now capable of drafting contracts, spotting compliance issues, and even producing blog posts, it is fair to ask: Are antitrust lawyers … Continue reading Will AI replace antitrust lawyers in the (near) future? →

Update on Foreign Investment Control – Conference Report

September means the start of autumn, days getting shorter while skies often remain blue and the air crisp. Since two years, September also means time for the annual conference of the German “Forum Investitionsprüfung” – an association/platform of foreign investment control practitioners. Here is a summary of my the main takeaways. This post will spare … Continue reading Update on Foreign Investment Control – Conference Report →

Media mergers – more complex than ever?

Like many other industries, the media sector is undergoing significant disruption, with linear TV increasingly losing relevance amid the rise of streaming platforms and alternatives such as social media. Regulators worldwide take these changes into account when assessing cooperations and transactions – particularly with regard to market definitions. Many cases have led to in-depth reviews … Continue reading Media mergers – more complex than ever? →

Contesting the Commission: How merger decisions are tested in court

Telling your client that their merger control filing was cleared is one of the most pleasant jobs in the life of an antitrust lawyer. Everyone involved puts in a lot of effort to provide the regulators with the necessary information to take an informed decision and usually, these decisions are final. However, in some cases, … Continue reading Contesting the Commission: How merger decisions are tested in court →

European Commission fines for incomplete information: A landmark enforcement

Earlier this week, the Commission fined French companies Eurofield SAS and its former parent Unanime Sport SAS (together Eurofield) a total of approx. EUR 172,000 for providing incomplete information during an antitrust investigation into the synthetic turf sector. This decision marks the first time the Commission has imposed a fine solely for the provision of … Continue reading European Commission fines for incomplete information: A landmark enforcement →