Competitive Edge: Competition & EU Law June 2022

 

Read the full news letter here

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In focus

The ever-closer cooperation between Competition, Data Protection and other regulatory authorities in the UK and EU: what it means for businesses

Concurrency between regulators is a phenomenon increasing across many sectors. In this article, we explore the trajectory of these trends across jurisdictions and sectors, and review what the cooperation could mean for you and your business, including risks and pitfalls to be aware of.

Read the full story

Updated eLearning course on competition rules for Supply and Distribution

On June 1st the new competition regime for distribution in the EU came into force, affecting businesses that distribute products in the EU. If your company needs training on the new regime, we would be happy to help.

Our eLearning course on Supply & Distribution competition rules has also been updated to reflect the new regime. Watch a short demo video of the eLearning course here.

Get in touch with your local Bird & Bird Competition & EU lawyer if you have specific questions or would like to explore opportunities that the new regime may open up for your business.

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Updates from our jurisdictions

EU

The Canon-case: gun jumping before acquiring control

Read the full story 

For more information contact Pauline Kuipers or Joost van Roosmalen

Data Act - Horizontal regulation designed to unlock the value of data across all economic sectors

Read the full story 

For more information contact Francine Cunningham or Lluís Girbau Cabanas

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Belgium

Competition Authority sets out key priorities for 2022

Read the full story 

For more information contact Hein Hobbelen or Samuel Berneman

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Czech Republic

Cinema digitalisation fee dropped following an investigation into potential abuse of a dominant position

Read the full story 

For more information contact Vojtěch Chloupek, Jiří Švejda and Martin Taimr

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Denmark

Important limitations to the protection afforded “business secrets”

Read the full story

For more information contact Morten Nissen or Alexander Brøchner

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Finland

Finland introduces new merger control thresholds

Read the full story

For more information contact Petteri Metsä-Tokila or Katia Duncker

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France

French Competition Authority publishes new Framework Document on Compliance Programs

Read the full story

For more information contact Thomas Oster or Claire Burlin

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Hungary

Amended rules of accelerated sector inquiry: from a temporary to a permanent procedure

Read the full story

For more information contact Dániel Arányi, Gábor Kutai or Rebeka Szopkó

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Italy

Italian Council of State partially dismisses bidrigging fines, setting relevant legal principles in cartel investigations

Read the full story

For more information contact Federico Marini Balestra, Lucia Antonazzi, Irene Minio or Chiara Horgan

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Netherlands

Competition authorities hold the key to avoid the drastic consequences of climate change, according to ACM Chairman

Read the full story

For more information contact Pauline Kuipers or Daniëlle van de Vijver

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Poland

Court reverses Polish Competition Authority decision prohibiting a merger between two media groups

Read the full story

For more information contact Piotr Dynowski or Szymon Gołębiowski

Polish Competition Authority investigates wage-fixing practices of the Polish speedway federation and league

Read the full story

For more information contact Marcin Alberski or Szymon Gołębiowski

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Spain

CNMC’s fines the Royal Canine Society for abuse of dominance

Read the full story

For more information contact Candela Sotés

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UK

UK confirms its new Digital Markets Competition regime

Read the full story

For more information contact Anthony Rosen or Amy Donlevey 

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Bird & Bird news and publications

Reconnecting at our Competition & EU Group retreat

Bird & Bird's international Competition & EU team got a chance to reconnect and get to know each other (even) better during our two-day retreat in the Netherlands last week. In groups we discussed hot topics in competition law and compared notes from our various jurisdictions. We also listened to insights from our guests on the in-house counsel panel, biked to the beach together and just enjoyed some great evenings socialising with our colleagues from around the world! Everyone came back energised and ready to tackle even more cutting edge, multi-jurisdictional matters for our clients in the coming year, working together seamlessly as one team.

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Key takeaways of the 2021 Competition policy annual report by the European Parliament

Business Law news website Legal Dealmaker recently published this article in which José Rivas and Lluís Girbau Cabanas provide a brief overview and key takeaways of the European Parliament's 2021 Competition policy annual report, covering:

• General considerations and policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic
• Digital transformation and enforcement
• Data and EU Competition Law
• Way forward

Read the full article

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Webinar & events

MyData 2022 Conference: Catalysing fair data solutions

21 - 22 June
Helsinki

MyData 2022 brings together stakeholders representing Business, Legal, Tech and Social perspectives, which are all equally important for accelerating the human-centric policies and approaches to personal data. Bird & Bird Legal Director Saskia King will present on Data protection and Competition law, while Principal Regulatory Counsel Feyo Sickinghe will focus on the DGA (Data Governance Act) and the DA (Data Act) in a session co-led with Francesco Vogelezang, Policy Analyst at the Open Future Foundation.

Find out more

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ERA Summer Course on European Antitrust Law

4 - 8 July 2022
Trier, Germany

Competition & EU partner Hein Hobbelen and senior associate Baptist Vleeshouwers will present on dawn raids and leniency at the ERA Summer Course on European Antitrust Law. They will lead the following sessions:

• The Commission’s leniency policy: a key tool in the fight against cartels
• Simulation exercise: potential procedural issues during a dawn raid.

Find out more

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EU Competition Law Summer School 2022

8 - 12 August 2022
Downing College, Cambridge, UK

Competition & EU partners Peter Willis and Anne Federle will present at the Informa Connect EU Competition Law Summer School, covering the topics of mergers and hard core cartels.

Find out more

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MyData 2022 Conference: Catalysing fair data solutions

21 - 22 June
Helsinki

MyData 2022 will bring together stakeholders representing Business, Legal, Tech and Social perspectives, which are all equally important for accelerating the human-centric policies and approaches to personal data. Our Legal Director Saskia King will present on Data protection and Competition law, while Principal Regulatory Counsel Feyo Sickinghe will focus on the DGA (Data Governance Act) and the DA (Data Act) in a session co-led with Francesco Vogelezang, Policy Analyst at the Open Future Foundation.

Find out more

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EU Competition Law Summer School 2022

Monday 8 - Friday 12 August 2022
Downing College, Cambridge, UK

Competition & EU partners Peter Willis and Anne Federle will present at the Informa Connect EU Competition Law Summer School, covering the topics of mergers and hard core cartels.

Find out more

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Lear Competition Festival 2022

21 - 23 September 2022
Rome

This festival in Rome is a hub that gathers innovation, networking, and exciting opportunities for the antitrust community.

It brings together all the stakeholders of the antitrust field – competition authorities, regulatory agencies, international organizations, universities, law firms, companies – in plenary sessions organized by Lear and in parallel sessions organized by the LCF Partners.

During the three-day festival, participants will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of specific antitrust issues, to acquire new tools for legal and economic analysis and to network with the main players in the competition field.

Find out more

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Local VBER webinars / seminars

The new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER): changes in regulating distribution agreements

Our Finnish, Czech and Dutch offices recently held local webinars/seminars on this topic in the local language.

In this presentation on the new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation and accompanying Guidelines, our specialists delved into the key changes affecting distribution agreements, focusing
especially on the benefits of safe harbour.

See the slides from our Finnish seminar here
Presented by Katia Duncker, Petteri Metsä-Tokila and Maria Karpathakis

Watch a recording of the Czech webinar here
Presented by Vojtěch Chloupek and Jiri Švejda

Watch a recording of the Dutch webinar here
Presented by Pauline Kuipers, Janneke Kohlen and Tialda Beetstra