Tags: Competition

September 5, 2023

The Belgian Competition Authority has declared itself competent to examine mergers and acquisitions between hospitals under its merger control regime, following the Act of 29 March 2021

A lot of uncertainty has existed about the requirement for hospitals to notify M&A transactions to the Belgian Competition Authority (“BCA”). On 28 June 2023, the BCA decided to partially lift the stand-still obligation regarding a concentration between two hospitals, and it further clarified the applicable rules in a follow-up Communication of 14 July 2023.

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June 16, 2023

Hi ChatGPT, how do you feel about the upcoming EU AI Act?

On 14 June 2023, the European Parliament adopted its positionon the draft AI Act, which brings one step closer an EU regulation for generative AI and other AI systems. This blog gives the highlights of the current draft text, taking into account the newest amendments that have been proposed.

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April 4, 2023

The Belgian Competition Authority reimposes the same fine on Caudalie after its first decision was quashed by the Brussels Market Court

On 18 January 2023, the Belgian Competition Authority (“BCA”) reimposed a fine of EUR 859,310 on three undertakings of the Caudalie group for imposing retail prices and restricting active and passive sales.

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February 8, 2023

Brussels Court of Appeal rejects Carrefour’s request to suspend the Belgian Competition Authority’s decision authorising the concentration between Intermarché AB and Mestdagh, including Carrefour’s ‘gun-jumping’ argument

On 23 December 2022, the Brussels Court of Appeal (“Market Court”) rejected Carrefour Belgium’s application for the suspension of the Belgian Competition Authority’s (“BCA”) decision of 9 November 2022 authorising the concentration between Intermarché AB (“ITM”) and Mestdagh.

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January 30, 2023

The Belgian Competition Authority fines Novartis for abuse of collective dominance regarding eye disease medicines

On 23 January 2018, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) handed down its judgment (C-179/16) in relation to Novartis’ Lucentis® and Roche’s Avastin® eye disease medicines, and ruled that disseminating misleading information on the off-label use of a medicine could constitute a restriction of competition ‘by object’.

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June 29, 2022

Belgium takes important step in introducing Foreign Direct Investment screening

On 1 June 2022, Belgium’s Federal and various Regional governments entered into a draft cooperation agreement to introduce a mechanism for screening Foreign Direct Investments (“FDI”).

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June 21, 2022

The Omnibus Act: more transparency for consumers

On 28 May 2022, the Belgian law transposing EU Directive 2019/2161 into the Code of Economic Law entered into force (the “Omnibus Act”).

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April 6, 2022

Modernisation of consumer law through the harmonisation of contracts for the sale of goods

On 31 March 2022, a legislative Act that makes considerable changes to the sale of consumer goods was published in the Belgian State Gazette.

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March 21, 2022

Belgian competition act amended to transpose ECN+ directive into Belgian competition law and introduce merger filing fees fines for failure to notify and a number of procedural changes

On 17 March 2022, the Belgian Act transposing the ECN+ Directive and also introducing further amendments into the Belgian Competition Act entered into force.

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February 22, 2022

Belgian competition authority hits pharmaceutical wholesalers with cartel fine

Belgian companies active in the pharmaceutical sector at different levels should beware of competition law.

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December 24, 2021

New rules prohibiting unfair trading practices in the agricultural and food supply chain are entering into force

On 15 December 2021, a Belgian Act was published that implements the European Directive 2019/633 on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relations in the agricultural and food supply chain.

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September 2, 2021

The Belgian Chapter in the Merger Control Review- 12th Edition

Check whether your merger or acquisition needs prior clearance from competition authorities.

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