Merger Regulation in the EU after 20 Years – Past, Present and Future

A conference co-presented by the IBA Antitrust Committee and the European Commission, and supported by the IBA European Regional Forum

Dear Colleague,

We are delighted to provide you with details of the upcoming IBA/EC conference entitled ‘Merger Regulation in the EU after 20 Years – Past, Present and Future’, which will take place from the 10 -11 March at the Hotel Conrad, Brussels, Belgium.

REGISTER BEFORE 11 FEBRUARY TO RECEIVE THE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

The choice of programme is guided by the idea of fostering a forward looking debate about merger control policy over the next decade. The conference uses a stock taking exercise of the many important achievements over the past 20 years as a starting point for the discussion of the future shape of European Merger control. The enforcement under the merger regulation has reached a high degree of maturity in terms of enforcement standards and judicial control. However, one should be able to debate possible areas where substantive approaches and practical implementation could be even further improved.

The topics of this conference aim to foster such a debate within the field of application of the European Merger Control Regulation and will include the following sessions:

• 20 years of EU merger regulation – lessons for the future
• The effects based approach under the SIEC Test – identifying the impact of the new test
• Cooperation and convergence within the EU towards a harmonised enforcement
• A further gap in the enforcement of EU merger control – minority shareholdings?
• International cooperation and convergence: removing unnecessary divergence in substance and procedure
• Ensuring effective remedies – challenges ahead
• How the courts contribute – recent trends in judicial review

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PROGRAMME AND REGISTRATION FORM HERE

Featuring leading international speakers from private practice and in-house, academia and senior officials from a number national competition authorities and the European Commission, the event is a must attend for competition lawyers, regulators and professionals involved in antitrust law.

Speakers include:

• Joaquín Almunia – Vice-President of the EC in charge of Competition
• Viscount Étienne Davignon – former VP of the European Commission