
Competition and European Law
Our Competition/EU Law and Foreign Investment team provides deep expertise covering the full spectrum of competition law.
The USP of our competition competence is that we are a robust team that can offer an unrivalled genuine combination of both significant former in-house antitrust counsel and regulator expertise.
We represent clients before the Belgian Competition Authority, European Commission and Belgian and EU Courts.
Our team provides deep expertise covering the full spectrum of competition law. We have been involved in major merger control cases at Belgian and European level and the majority of antitrust cases that have been handled by the Belgian Competition Authority, some of which having led to ground-breaking case law. For cross-border assignments, we work on a daily basis with top-tier foreign law firms.
We are also highly specialised in EU law and foreign investment screening regimes.

HOW WE SUPPORT OUR CLIENTS
- Represented Kiwa before the Belgian Competition Authority in the context of its acquisition of Vinçotte.
- Representing the producer of para-pharmaceutical products Caudalie before the Brussels Market Court and in the ensuing proceedings before the Competition College of the Belgian Competition Authority in a case of alleged vertical restrictions.
- Successfully assisted DOMO in the context of its acquisition of Solvay’s EEA polyamide business following a divestment imposed by the Commission, including purchaser approval and merger clearance.
- Representing BNP Paribas Fortis and AG Insurance on their acquisition of joint control over Optimile.
- Assisted Brussels Airlines in the context of its EUR 290 million State aid application to address the COVID19 pandemic.
- Avoided a fine for Brussels Airlines despite the fact that the Belgian Competition Authority ruled that a Commercial Service Agreement with Thomas Cook Belgium had infringed Article 101 TFEU.
- Defending Facebook in proceedings brought before the Belgian Courts, in summary proceedings and on the merits, by the Belgian Privacy Commission and before the Court of Justice of the European Union in preliminary rulings proceedings.
- Acting on behalf of the Single Resolution Board in several litigation cases before the Courts of the Union.
- Acting on behalf of the European Chemicals Agency in several litigations before the Courts of the Union.
- Acting on behalf of the European Food Safety Authority before the Courts of the Union.
- Defending Uber in all litigation before the Belgian Courts regarding Uber Pop and Uber X.
- Assisting Uber in claims before the Belgian Courts and tribunals regarding rides in the Brussels Region area.
- Defending Provera in an investigation with dawn raid by the Belgian Competition Authority for a joint purchase agreement with Carrefour Belgium.
- Representing Mwingz, a joint venture between Proximus and Orange Belgium, in an investigation by the Belgian Competition Authority.
- Filing of a complaint for abuse of dominant position against Polish multinational undertaking in the oil industry.
- Defending a telecommunication operator in a private enforcement litigation against a network supplier before the Belgian Court.
- Representing a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products in a complaint for abuse of dominance before the Belgian Competition Authority.
- Representing clients in cases of sports in competition law: jumping events, football.
- Belgium: Foreign Direct Investment Regimes 2022
- Liedekerke contributed to the 10th edition of The Cartels and Leniency Review
- Trade associations and competition law challenges for in-house counsel
- How to succesfully navigate the EC purchaser approval process
- Avoiding competition pitfalls in creating and operating JVs
- De nieuwe clementierichtsnoeren van de Belgische mededingingsautoriteit
- Renforcer la crédibilité de l’autorité belge de la concurrence
- Kartelhandhaving door de Europese Commissie in crisistijd : business as usual?
- Divide et Impera, de Bofar beslissing van de Voorzitter van de Raad voor de Mededinging en het recht om de parallelhandel in geneesmiddelen te beperken
- Rapport Lunchforum Mededinging "Settlements and alternative techniques" au niveau européen et belge
- Editorial
- Commitment decisions : An overview of EU and national case law
- Handelspraktijken, 3e editie
- Evolution du droit des groupes en droit européen : nouveaux concepts
- Cases Text and Materials
- Politique européenne de la Consommation
- Confidence Through Fairness
- EC Competition Law After Modernisation
- Handelspraktijken, 2e editie
- Competition Law in the European Community
Seminars
- Competition law and green deal challenges
- Key take away points from the recent amendments to the Belgian Competition Act
- Competition Law and Labour Markets
- Competition Law Seminar - Private equity and competition law
- Competition Law Seminar - Competition compliance from due diligence until Day 1
- Competition Law Seminar - Surviving the dawn raid minefield
- Competition Law Seminar - Trade associations and competition law challenges for in-house counsel
- Competition Law Seminar - Avoiding competition pitfalls in the creation and operating of JVs
- Competition Law Seminar - Taking the sting out of merger filing preparation & Discussion on upcoming EU merger control rules review
- Unfair terms and practices in B2B relationships – How to adapt to the new rules?
- Taking the sting out of merger filing preparation
- Insurance Seminar "Assurances et consommateurs" - "Verzekeringen en consumenten"
News
- Stefaan Raes speaker on the Disclosure Panel at the Informa Conference on Private Enforcement of Competition law - 31st March 2022
- Liedekerke strengthens its leading position in the Chambers Europe 2022 rankings
- Liedekerke's Expertise Recognised by Leaders League 2022 rankings
- Liedekerke's expertise recognised by Chambers Global 2022
- Liedekerke’s Competition law practice moves up to “Highly recommended” in the 2022 edition of Global Competition Review’s GCR 100
- Liedekerke's Expertise Recognised by Leaders League 2022 rankings
- Liedekerke contributes with the Belgian Chapter to the International Comparative Legal Guide - Foreign Direct Investment Regimes 2022
- Liedekerke successfully assisted Provera during investigation by the Belgian Competition Authority for a joint purchase agreement with Carrefour Belgium
- Liedekerke recognized by The Legal 500 EMEA in the 2021 Rankings
- Liedekerke strengthens its leading position in the Chambers Europe 2021 rankings
- Competition Seminar - Trade associations and competition law challenges for in-house counsel
- Annual Private Enforcement of Competition Law conference
- Competition Seminar: Merger filing preparation & EU merger control rules review
- New Joiners
- Liedekerke Seminar: Taking the sting out of merger filing preparation & discussion on upcoming EU merger control rules review
- New opportunity: Competition & European Law Associate
- Vincent Mussche recognised in Who's Who legal 2020
- Liedekerke Competition Seminar
- Liedekerke achieves top rankings in Legal 500 EMEA 2020
- Liedekerke contributed to the 8th edition of the Cartels and Leniency Review
- Liedekerke COVID-19 Resource Center
- Liedekerke recognized by Chambers Europe in the 2020 Rankings
- Liedekerke’s Compliance and Investigations Group
- Unfair terms and practices in B2B relationships – How to adapt to the new rules?
- Liedekerke’s Competition law practice recommended by the 20th edition of Global Competition Review’s GCR 100
- Belgian law firm Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick enhances its Competition and European Law Practice with the arrival of new partner Vincent Mussche.
- Vincent Mussche presents practical tips to navigate the EC purchaser approval process
- Liedekerke achieves excellent rankings in the Legal 500 2019
- Liedekerke recognized by Chambers Europe in the 2019 Rankings
- Liedekerke’s Competition law practice recommended in the 19 Edition of Global Competition Review’s GCR 100
- International Competition and Procurement Group discuss interface between competition law and public procurement law
- Stefaan Raes Chair of Panel on EU Damages Directive at CDR Winter Competition Litigation Symposium on 22 February in London
- Lex Mundi Global Merger Notification Guide
Liedekerke’s Competition law practice is ranked in Band 3 and Stefaan Raes is ranked individually in Band 3 in Chambers & Partners Europe (2021). A client states: "What I like about them is that the lawyers keep me up to date on legal developments," and adds that "it is a very dedicated team." Interviewees also describe Stefaan Raes as “extremely efficient and always excellent to work with," adding that he is "always proactive and on time."
-- Chambers and Partners Europe, Competition European Law 2021
Liedekerke’s "dynamic" Competition law practice is amongst the “Recommended” practices in Global Competition Review 100
-- GCR100’s 20th Edition, December 2020
Liedekerke’s Competition law practice is ranked Tier 3 in the Competition Belgian law category of The Legal 500 (2020): the team is praised for having “a strong track record in cases before the Belgian Competition Authority and DG COMP”. Client referees reported that “The team has sufficient resources, excellent knowledge of the regulations and a lot of experience” and that “In addition to being very knowledgeable, the team’s way of working is very hands-on and pragmatic. It listens to clients”.
-- Legal 500 Competition: Belgian Law 2020
Liedekerke is Highly Recommended
-- Leaders League’s 2020 Guide Litigation and Competition: EU Competition Litigation – Best Law Firms Belgium
From 2019 onwards, Vincent has each year been selected as a future leader of international competition practice in the Who's Who Legal Competition law survey conducted in conjunction with Global Competition Review and which lists the foremost practitioners in the competition community aged under 45.
Vincent Mussche is a lawyer who "really goes the extra mile for his clients".
-- Legal 500, Competition: Belgian Law 2019