Competition: Domestic | Europe

contrast has a superb reputation for its handling of top-end domestic Belgian competition law matters. It acts for complainants, defendants and third-party interveners on BCA behavioural investigations and assists with appeals against BCA decisions. The team frequently advises clients on merger clearance proceedings before the BCA and the EC. The firm also handles mandates that raise complex issues regarding vertical agreements between manufacturers and distributors and defends civil claims filed in Belgium that raise competition law arguments in relation to the termination of distribution agreements. The law firm also offers experience in behavioural investigations before the EC. It is a popular choice with clients in the automotive sector.

CMS has a well-regarded domestic competition law practice in Belgium, with proven experience acting on the complainant and defendant sides of behavioural investigations carried out by the BCA. It is known for its work on behalf of major Belgian telecommunications clients, winning roles on BCA merger filings, damages actions and appeals against BCA decisions. Key lawyers offer considerable experience in matters relating to state aid, often acting for aviation and energy sector clients or for public sector entities.

Covington & Burling has an established reputation for its work on high-profile state aid cases for public entities, and it has been notably active in the notification or defence of state aid measures introduced to support the aviation sector. The team also has proven experience in defending clients in BCA investigations and advises on domestic civil litigation that seeks to rely on competition law principles. The law firm acts both for merging parties and for third-party interveners on transactions that are notified either to the EC or to the Belgian Competition Authority. Together with its London colleagues, the Brussels team regularly advises on large-scale global merger control mandates. It has additional experience in handling EC cartel probes. The firm is particularly popular with clients from the life sciences sector.

Crowell & Moring's team advises important Belgian and multinational telecommunications and media companies on their role either as notifying parties or as third-party interveners in mergers investigated by the BCA. It has acted for complainants on complex cases that allege abuse of dominance and additionally supports clients on matters related to distribution. The Brussels team also defends clients in allegations of involvement in cartels and offers advice on follow-on damages litigation.

Eubelius is an esteemed Belgian law firm with a varied practice across merger control and FDI filings, Belgian Competition Authority behavioural investigations and state aid matters. Its lawyers act on follow-on damages actions. The team advises on competition compliance mandates, including within the context of the roll-out of selective distribution networks or the potential competition law issues arising for joint ventures created among competitors in the financial services sector. It represents domestic clients in state aid matters concerning the Belgian excess profit ruling. The firm also acts for state bodies on the notification of new state aid measures.

Freshfields is regarded as a market leader for advice on complex EU competition law issues. The law firm has the ability to bring together specific sector expertise and a deep understanding of the EC to advise on phase II merger investigations into planned transactions, including in the pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and natural resource sectors. The firm has acted on appeals and subsequent damages claims against merger prohibition decisions made by the EC. It represents defendants in abuse of dominance or cartel investigations initiated by the EU authorities. Key partners have a strong reputation for their handling of contentious state aid mandates, including important cases that relate to the provision of tax breaks to defendant companies. Freshfields also has an important domestic Belgian competition law practice that handles BCA cartel investigations, merger control issues and follow-on damages claims filed in Brussels.

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick boasts a multidisciplinary team that wins acclaim for its experience in advising defendants and complainants on cartel and abuse of dominance investigations carried out by the BCA. The team also handles damages claims and assists with appeals before authorities. It has additional experience with merger control mandates. The firm has a number of clients from the telecoms, insurance and pharmaceutical sectors.

Van Bael & Bellis has a strong EU and domestic Belgian competition law offering, with a deep bench of partners based in Brussels. It handles behavioural and merger control matters that necessitate interaction with the EC or the BCA. The law firm has notable experience in the appeal of EC decisions, having acted on significant cases for third-party interveners or addressees of EC decisions operating in the IT, energy and sports sectors. It assists an impressive list of life sciences or consumer goods companies with questions surrounding pricing of goods or the management of compliance programmes. Van Bael & Bellis has also secured roles acting on phase II EC merger investigations and is active in cartel cases and subsequent damages claims.

The firm benefits from a long-established domestic Belgian practice that targets sophisticated competition law mandates investigated by the Belgian Competition Authority. It advises on the notification of Belgian mergers or joint ventures, and it defends clients in BCA cartel investigations. The lawyers have also acted on EU cartel investigations and appeals against significant fines, including for multinational financial institutions and truck manufacturers. The Brussels team handles European or global transactions that trigger EU merger notifications, serving a broad client list that includes Middle Eastern oil and gas companies, as well as global financial services and investment firms.