Competition: EU
Europe Guide 2024 : Belgium
Band 5
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+32 2 282 6000Chambers Review
Bird & Bird regularly advises clients on assessing requirements for merger filings and submitting notifications. It also acts on competition issues relating to the distribution of fashion and manufacturing products and assists technology companies with appeals of EC cartel and abuse of dominance decisions. The team is also adept at advising clients on contentious state aid matters. One of the standout aspects of the practice is its activity in the sports sector; it advises several sports governing bodies either on specific competition law-based complaints or on more general matters relating to the exercise of their regulatory functions.
Work Highlights
- Bird & Bird acted for Pontegadea on the merger clearance of its joint acquisition with Telefónica of Telxius Telecom across six jurisdictions, including the EU.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Bird & Bird offers very strong legal knowledge and knowledge of the EU competition process."
"The firm provides pragmatic advice that takes into account our specific business."
"Bird & Bird knows our company very well, which facilitates good understanding of our issues and problems and thus allows it to provide responses tailored to our needs."
"The team was committed and evolved in understanding our perspective on our problems and was dedicated and worked hard to consistently provide legal advice on complex and intricate issues."
"Bird & Bird offers very strong legal knowledge and knowledge of the EU competition process."
"The firm provides pragmatic advice that takes into account our specific business."
"Bird & Bird knows our company very well, which facilitates good understanding of our issues and problems and thus allows it to provide responses tailored to our needs."
"The team was committed and evolved in understanding our perspective on our problems and was dedicated and worked hard to consistently provide legal advice on complex and intricate issues."
Notable Practitioners
José Rivas is known both for his activity in EU litigation seeking to challenge EC decisions and for his varied work on behalf of clients in the sports and aviation sectors. He also handles merger clearances, advice relating to international companies' distribution models and state aid disputes.
"José Rivas was very helpful for us. He managed to explain the issues to us and gave us clear advice on next steps."
"He is very knowledgeable on competition matters and is able to handle the cross-border aspects of the matter as well."
"José Rivas has very strong EU competition law knowledge and provides sound advice."
Anne Federle often acts for clients on competition investigations, representing complainants and defendants in cartel and abuse of dominance cases, before both the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. She is also often involved in mandates concerning competition compliance and distribution issues.
"The way she renders the advice is just great. I have complete trust in her and whenever we need support, she helps."
"Anne Federle provides clarity in complex factual constellations."
"She is an excellent lawyer and a very pleasant person to work with."
"She is a driving force in German-speaking antitrust lawyers in Brussels."
"Anne Federle is very pragmatic, down to earth, knows her way around and has a good feeling for how to deal with people."